The Registry is four bedroom apartments, giving each resident their own private bathroom with common area of a living room and kitchen. Cris Gaesser, a junior from Louisville, said “It’s a place to sleep and I think the condition could have been better but so far it’s been good any problem we have had they have fixed and it’s just minor things.” (Photo by Maggie Haun)

A guide to apartments in Bowling Green

Going to college is expensive. Tuition, parking, printing and meal plans add up to an already hefty price before you even consider where to live. WKU has many dorms to choose from, but as students get older, many choose to transition from dorm life to apartment life.

But which one is right for you?

There’s a wide range of apartment options in Bowling Green, fitting every price range and personal needs. College is stressful enough — we’ve researched local apartments so you don’t have to.

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The Registry

Ryan Mahon, a junior from Chicago wanted to get out of the dorms. When his friend Gabriel Davidson, a junior from Buffalo, New York, suggested The Registry, it seemed like a good deal. 

“It’s close to campus, and the price is right,” Mahon said. “So far, so good. They’ve been taking good care of us.”

Apartments start at $390 a month with a yearly utility fee. Parking, a rare and valuable commodity so close to campus, is free to residents and there are spots for visitors. The Registry also hosts events for their residents. 

While the apartments come furnished, Mahon said the apartment wasn’t as clean as he and his roommates expected when they first moved in. 

“I got a phone call from my guys because they moved in a week before I did and they said it smelled of smoke and was just kinda dirty.”

He said the floor was dirty, the furniture wasn’t in the best condition and there was a spider problem. 

“Our washing machine was loud; our air conditioner broke; the internet sucks,” Davidson said. “Besides all the maintenance problems, it’s not too bad. The price is right.”

All their problems have since been solved by maintenance. Their only outstanding complaints are the fact that The Registry does not have an elevator, and trains on the nearby tracks are sometimes noisier than they would like.

Mahon and Davidson live in a four-person apartment. One of their other roommates, Cristopher Gaesser, a junior from Louisville, said he’s low maintenance and the apartment is a place to sleep. 

The roommates all like the apartment for the most part. They get to live with their friends, and it’s close to everything they want to be near. 

WKU Apartments

If you’re looking for a housing option you can pay at once with your scholarship and financial aid money, the WKU Apartments might be for you. The rate for a two-bedroom, fully furnished apartment is $634 a month, or $3170 a semester per person with utilities included, unless the resident goes over $40. 

Parking is separate. The apartments are settled a few feet of Chili’s and The Alumni Center and within walking distance of popular bars and WKU buildings. 

Trent Reed, a junior from Charlestown, Indiana, wanted to move out of the dorms, but not too far. He’s an English major, so most of his classes are a short walk up the Hill to Cherry Hall. 

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Reed’s roommate offered him the lease, and he said it’s been a good choice so far. 

“I love living here,” Reed said. “It’s close to campus; it’s not too far away; I don’t have to worry about driving.”

Residents can’t have candles or pets outside of emotional support and service animals that are registered through WKU. While it wasn’t a deal breaker for him, Reed said the view isn’t great. He gets his own bathroom and bedroom, which is enough.

Midtown Apartments

If being close to campus is a top priority, Midtown is an option. Starting at $449 a month for a four bedroom, it boasts a prime location and a variety of amenities. It’s steps away from Hideout, Hilligans and The A-Frame.

Alexander Woodward, a senior from Bristol, Connecticut, is the recruitment chair for his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta. Their chapter was founded in October of 2018 and although they don’t have a house yet, they’re eager to grow and have a space to congregate. When Woodward and his fraternity brothers learned about Midtown, it seemed like the perfect place to live and be part of college life which made the decision to live there easy. 

“It was in the whole area of college life which we thought would be better for us,” Woodward said. “Being a new fraternity on campus, we wanted to get our names out there and be around the other fraternities. It’s definitely caused me to build my network and expand on who I knew here on campus.” 

Community space and events are a big part of the $530 a month Woodward spends to live in with three of his fraternity brothers in his fully-furnished, four-bedroom apartment. Midtown has an optional furniture package starting at $35 for residents who decide they want it furnished. The fee is added to personal rent. 

He said he likes the apartment, but it does have its problems. Their cable went out, but has since been repaired. Parking is also not included in the price of the apartment, it’s a seperate cost of $30. Woodward also said the vents broadcasts sound from room to room. 

It’s on the higher end of the apartment price spectrum, but the location and amenities might make the price worth it to you.

Hilltop Club

The Registry isn’t the only cheap apartment for WKU students, but to stay below $400, you might have to go further off campus.                

Abby Baker, a junior from Nolensville, Tennessee, pays $399 a month to live in a three-bedroom apartment at Hilltop Club. Rates start at $374 for a fully furnished, four-bedroom unit complete with a washer, dryer and all major appliances. Utilities are included in the rent, but there is a $40 overage. 

Hilltop Club does require a commute, but there is a shuttle provided that takes students to campus. The apartment complex is close to Kroger and a variety of restaurants, a Park-and-Ride lot is also close. 

“It’s not perfect,” Baker said. “It is student housing, but it’s definitely livable: it was clean when I moved in, and I haven’t had any big problems.”

Like Midtown, Hilltop Club offers a lot of community space and offers some community events. They grilled out for National Hamburger Day and hosted a Fall Festival in late September. 

For animal lovers, cats and dogs are allowed for a $300 non-refundable payment and a $30 monthly fee. According to Hilltop Club’s website, breed restrictions apply, and there is a 35 pound weight limit.

The Crown

Another complex in the Campbell Lane area is the Crown. It’s another affordable option for college students. Junior Cheyenne Seaton of Fordsville pays $350 a month, which includes utilities and parking. 

“I had previously lived here the year before,” Seaton said. “I decided to move to Walk2Campus, but I didn’t care for it because it was a two-bedroom one-bath, and here we each have our own bathroom, so I figured I’d come back here.”

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Seaton can have candles in her apartment. Residents can also have pets if they pay an extra fee, which is a $300 one time permit fee and an extra $20 a month. She said her unit was clean when she moved in, and she hasn’t had any major problems with her apartment. 

“If you’re looking for a cheap price, fully furnished and close to campus, I suggest here,” Seaton said.

Walk2Campus

If you’re looking to get off campus, but don’t want to commute and want to live in a more residential area, Walk2Campus is an option. Walk2Campus rents houses to college students and offers some small apartment complexes.

Katie Greene of Burlington and Georgia and Maggie Hoffman of Hindman wanted to move off campus for their junior year, but be close to all the science buildings, so the Brickhouse Walk2Campus apartments on Park Street were ideal. 

They each pay $435 a month to live in their apartment. The three-bedroom units offer private bedrooms. 

Pets are allowed for a fee, which was a big deal to Georgia. The pet fee ranged from $50 to $70 per month for each dog and $25 to $35 per month for each cat. Pet owners also must complete a pet screening using their third party service. The cost for the pet screening is $20 for the first pet and $15 for the second. 

It’s more expensive, but it fit their needs more than the other apartment complexes they looked at, with location being the main benefit. 

“I was ready to not live in a dorm,” Greene said. “I’m closer to my classes here than I was on campus.”

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The apartment was once a house that has now been divided into apartment units. The building is older, but the paint is new, and issues are resolved quickly.

When their air conditioner went out during Labor Day weekend Walk2Campus installed window units for each bedroom within 12 hours.

Creason Townhouses

Levi Hanson, a junior at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College from Morgantown also wanted to get away from the restrictions of dorm life, so he moved into the Creason Townhouses. 

Hanson and his roommate pay $360 per person a month for their two-bedroom unit. The units don’t come furnished, and a washer and dryer are not included. The townhouses are close to campus, and they offer freedom from dorm life, Hanson said. 

“I just wanted to get out of the dorm environment, which I felt college apartments still had,” Hanson said. “I really like the freedom I have here. I never really interact with my landlord, and I like that. He’s always available when I need something though.”