I have rented before, but it was during university with a bunch of other people, with the help of a letting agency. 

I suggest driving around any town you may be interested in investing with and then reaching out to a realtor who works in those areas to learn more about the market(s).New Haven and West Haven offer a great selection of properties, are near several universities and can make investors money and can get quality tenants if your application guidelines target quality over quantity.

I am extremely interested in Multifamily properties, and potentially leaning my expertise towards the "Student Housing" market, as Arizona has three major universities within the state.

The developer owns free & clear land within a few miles of a big university. 

You can jump on the Mobile Home Park University forum  and search for key words.  

So my advice - aggressively save $, once you have 20% for a duplex, find a good deal where you can add value that will have a stable occupancy (by a university, public transportation, etc.)Just my 2 cents.

I became interested in the housing industry back in 2008 when my parents home was being bought out by a university.

Universities and government services create stability, which do shield the community somewhat during a downturn.  

Then I moved to Enschede where I got my Master's degree in Business Information Technology at Twente University.

I'm interested in buying student rentals in a University area, and would like to see how other student rentals are set up.