For any college student at school in a major city, the idea of moving off campus has most likely crossed their mind at least once during their four years. Some students come in as commuters and remain commuters, some students live in university housing for all four years, and the rest begin in dorms but eventually move out sometime after their first year.

If you fall into that last category, the transition from campus life to living off campus can be daunting. From finding a place to live, people to live with, and figuring out how you're going to afford all this, moving off campus is something that is time-consuming and stressful.

Many students put-off leaving the dorms simply out of convenience. That's cool if you like campus-life, but for students who need a little bit more distance between school and home life, moving off campus is the ideal. The biggest hurdle is actually getting the process started.

First things first: you need to decide on things like your minimum and maximum rent limits, how far you are willing to commute, how many people you want to live with, and when you are planning to move off campus.

Remember to keep it realistic. You are a college student on a college-student budget. I love those new luxury apartments on Central Park West just as much as you do, but I'm not visiting an open house there anytime soon.

Acknowledge that moving into your first apartment, it might not be what you've always dreamed of. You will probably need roommates, and it may be smaller/further away from school/older than you were hoping.

That being said, don't settle for something you're not happy with just because it's cheap and it was the first one you saw in your price range. Dig around and make sure you're looking at all the options available to you.

Once you have these guidelines set, you can start looking - online, through realty groups, in paper advertisements, or even through word of mouth. Go to open houses and verify any apartments that are advertised online or in print to make sure they're legit.

If you're just looking to sublease an open room in an apartment, you'll also have to meet with the current residents, to discuss things like splitting bills, roommate habits, and any expectations for living together.

Moving in with friends is easier in that you already know them and you probably have similar expectations, but there also may be less availability for an entire apartment that is fitting to your specifications.

Besides practical factors, living with friends can be difficult if you haven't lived together before. Sometimes living with friends puts a strain on the relationship, even if the bond was strong beforehand.

If you plan to rent or move in with friends, make sure you have similar expectations and are prepared to be accommodating to each others' habits and schedules.

Even once you think you have secured a place, remember that you need to factor in money for transportation, utilities/cable, and food/necessities.

Depending on how far you are from your school and where you live, public transportation might be more affordable than driving, but if you have a car and are in an area where driving is feasible, driving might be the better option.

Estimate your expense to see if it will be more or less expensive than dorming at school. If it's more expensive, you need to consider where you will be getting the additional money for rent, and if it is worth it for you to move off of campus.

A final important factor to remember is what you will do during winter/summer breaks. If you are planning to go home for an extended period of time, consider the fact that you may need to sublease your room, and will have to set that up in advance.

The process can seem daunting, and there are hundreds of other small details to consider. Often, students are overwhelmed by the options and responsibilities that come with renting.

Although it is definitely less convenient than school dorms, living off campus can be a rewarding and exciting experience, and it's a step towards financial independence. With enough time and research, and maybe some help from older friends or parents to guide you along, getting your place is a task worth the effort.