<p>Hey,
Could some of you tell me more about the apartment/singe family residence that are on-campus ? I'm an incoming undergrad transfer and the on-campus housing I will get (I'm on waiting-list just now) will probably not be in the North/South Houses (due to the unavailability of places)...
So I'm hoping there is at least a few undergrads living there too, especially if Caltech courses requires a lot of collaborative homework and stuff.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I understand some undergrads do live in the apartments. The apartments are not actually on-campus, but very near-by(a block or two from campus). My S who will be a sophmore in the fall is on the waiting list too. I understand its quite common for undergrads(other than frosh) to live in the off-campus Caltech housing.</p>
<p>Oaklandmom is right. I'll be living off-on (Caltech owned off-campus) next year!</p>
<p>Edit: It's worth noting that there are some off-campus options that aren't really off campus--like Marks/Braun and parts of Avery.</p>
<p>Any housing other than the actual Houses themselves is called "off-campus"- this is what you're describing. You might have the option of going through Rotation and getting picked into a house as a social member- so you wouldn't live there, but you would be associated with a house. I know a transfer student who did that this year (Silas). It would be a good way to meet people, and then you would have a house to hang out in- where you could socialize as well as work on sets.</p>
<p>Ok thanks, if there are other undergrads around me off-campus there should be no problem.</p>
<p>I'll do just what jdhutchin said - getting through Rotation so to enter a House as a social member.</p>
<p>Just thought I'd add that S just received an email from the housing office - it looks like they'll be opening up some of the single family homes that Caltech owns for the undergrads on the waitlist. Sounds nice. (I've been one of those evil helicopter moms about housing this summer, insisting S email the housing office on a regular basis for an update as the waitlist makes me nervous).</p>
<p>Waitlist?! I thought that Caltech guaranteed housing for all undergrads.</p>
<p>momofchris, I thought so too. There's a housing lottery sometime during the 3rd term. My S "didn't think it was important". I found out about the lottery through CC and had him contact the housing office asap. But he didn't get a housing assignment - however, over the summer as he's emailed housing to see if there has been any movement on the waitlist. One email from the housing indicated that some students did not get housing even in through the lottery. The good news: Caltech does guarantee housing for anyone who meets all the deadlines for housing (the lottery & turning in a housing contract). And the emails from the housing office have assured him that they will find a place for him. But I'm is still nervous. What I didn't understand was that only freshmen are guaranteed a spot in one of the hovses or Avery so after freshmen year many students do live in off campus housing(Caltech apartments & single family residences owned by Caltech & there are probably some who find their own housing near by).</p>
<p>momofchris, another thing for freshmen to remember is that after rotation once they've moved into their hovse, students must "check out" of the room they used during rotation. The form is on-line at the housing office website. If students don't complete the form within a day or two of moving there is a $25 charge. S "forgot". Its not a big deal, I know freshman are dealing with lots of new stuff and its probably hard to keep track of everything, but if I'd known, I would have called S and reminded him.</p>
<p>Here's a tip for future students: Caltech is very forgiving toward forgetful students. Most problems can be solved by someone on campus. Just keep asking until you find the right person. Don't take advantage of other people's time by continually forgetting, though.</p>
<p>Oaklandmom, thanks for the advice!</p>