Newsflash: how to secure an apartment?

hello!!i’m in college and need an apartment. my school doesn’t offer housing after sophomore year. i don’t have anyone to co-sign for me so it’s really difficult.question is: can i secure an apartment by paying for it all at once at the signing of a lease? i don’t have great credit and i don’t have a co-signer either, so would this work instead? if not, why not??