| The problem with the 14 meal plan or any of the "value meal plans" is that you have to use them at the designated times (breakfast, lunch, dinner on a given day) or you lose the meal.
Block plans are by far best; you purchase X amount of meals and can use them for any meal, any day, any time during the semester. This will give you the flexibility to choose when to eat on campus and when not to. On the value meal plans if you decide to eat a given meal off campus, you have lost that meal....but still paid for it.
If you are not a regular breakfast eater, go for the lower number of meals and add money to flex. You will find that many people opt for the higher number block (150) and are giving away meals to friends at the end of the semester to use them before they lose them.
You will find that at the beginning of the school year there are so many opportunities for free meals between fraternity and sorority rush parties to OOS Student Assn parties to the events from WOW (the first week or so of school) that you won't be using your meal plan as much as you would think.
My recommendation is the 105 meal block with $500 dining dollars then see how it works and plan the second semester accordingly. |