I understand that some colleges or universities still have a rifle or pistol team, and that at least some of them have facilities for securing firearms owned by students. My information on that point is a couple of years old and might be obsolete. But it would be worth looking in the catalog to see if the schools that interest you have such a team.
Don't tell anyone connected with other schools about your interest in firearms. You might not get admitted. Colleges and universities are completely open to every idea that has received group approval, but not to other ideas. That's not the way they used to be but that is the way they are and have been for the past several years. I am not advocating that you lie if you are asked directly. I can't imagine that you will be asked, though, unless you initiate questions.
The suggestions about off-campus storage are good suggestions. Another possibility for storing handguns is a safety deposit box. That suggestion might provoke cries of "that's illegal" but so far as I know the issue is decided by each state's laws about where firearms are prohibited. I haven't checked any but my own home state's law on the subject and there is no such prohibition. You can check a summary of each state's laws online through
packing.org. Look at the top of the page for "state ccw info." Of course you should be discreet.
Me, I would not simply ask an off-campus friend or relative to store your guns. You would have responsibility if they were misused or stolen.
I urge you to
not break the law by carrying illegally, especially not on or near any school. It's likely that you will be discovered. Then you face the prospect of becoming a felon, spend time in jail, be expelled from school, and find yourself unable to get admitted to another school. Think it through. What do you do with the gun when you take a shower, strip for physical education courses, or go on a date? What happens when people bump into you as you walk through crowded halls or stairways or take a crowded elevator? What prevents a roommate or acquaintance from reporting you or sharing your secret with other people? More important, to me at least, why start this phase of your life by making a deliberate decision to cheat and lie? Use the university to develop your moral and ethical capacity, not to destroy it. Become a better person, not worse.
Whoever advised you that it's a good idea to live on campus for at least your freshman year has given you excellent advice. It's not only a matter of making friends but also a way to get some of the pressure daily life off you so you can cope better with all the other pressures you'll encounter in a new environment. Student residences also are information distribution centers for such things as local and school events, clubs, and policies. Unfortunately they're often noisy places that are more conducive to partying than studying. Whether that's what you want depends on why you're in school. They're certainly a valid part of the university experience, though, and it might be a shame to miss that part.
