At the University of Maryland freshers were settling in at their student accommodation last week and unlike here, the rooms have more in common with luxury apartments than the regular dingy bedsit. With a few private rooms clustered around a kitchen/living area with microwave, washer-dryer, cable TV and internet connections the rooms have every modern convenience. There are games rooms and a pool to tempt students away from studies too. These luxurious complexes are becoming a more regular feature of the third-level experience in the US. This type of housing is built on university property but built and run by private companies. The idea is supposed to benefit both parties involved as it helps colleges cope with rising numbers of students and developers are happy to finance residences with almost guaranteed occupancy.