What are the academic benefits of living on campus for 2 years?

[Bob]

Saint Mary's Vice President of Student Life, James Sciuto, makes a strong case for their new two-year residency rule. He says the academic benefits are clear: students earn better grades and are more likely to finish on time . He argues that living in community provides "access to study spaces and the library—so you can really focus on studying" and greater opportunities to "meet with faculty and take advantage of tutoring and mentoring resources" .

This makes sense intellectually. If you're on campus, it's easier to go to office hours, form study groups, and use the library. But is this true in practice? Does living in a dorm actually make you a better student, or is it more about personal motivation? I'm curious if students feel the academic support is genuinely enhanced by just being there.

 

[Saimon]

I'll be honest—I didn't want to live on campus for two years. I thought it was a money grab. But now that I'm in my second year I actually get it. The library is open late and I can walk there in pajamas. I have a study group in my dorm that meets three times a week and we hold each other accountable. I've gone to faculty office hours just because I was walking past and saw the door open.
The flip side: it's loud sometimes. There are distractions. You have to have self-discipline. But if you actually use the resources, the convenience factor is real. I'm getting better grades than I did in high school and I genuinely think the environment deserves some credit for that.