Even though I don’t have a problem with having a room-mate or anything, I was wondering if the option to stay in a single occupancy dorm is available to freshmen at the University of Alabama.
On the UA website, a lot of the dorms say "single-bedroom" and the floor plans show only one bed in the whole appartment/room, the dorm details always end up saying "bathrooms are shared among the multiple residents" or something to that effect.
If you count having your own bedroom in a suite (Ridgecrest / Presidential) or apartment style living (Highlands), then yes - but you will be sharing a bathroom with at least one roommate.
Still, a heck of a lot better than the dorms I lived in back in the stone ages where we shared bathrooms with about 50 people.
Okay thanks. I kind of figured that was the case by looking at the floor plans. My question was more focused on if you can live completely separately, like without sharing kitchen, bathroom, living space or anything. I should have clarified that.
I think there are at least a limited number of single person apartments. Riverside has them, I didn’t look at the test to see if they do as well. I’m not sure whether people here would know how easy or difficult it is for freshmen to get them because I don’t think most people would advise it for typical freshmen who would then find it harder to make friends and socialize. If you really wanted to know if freshmen have a chance in getting one, I think it might be better to contact the university housing department and ask them.
Bama has, what most schools have, “some” single occupancy dorms, but they are FIRST RESERVED for students with some sort of special needs where they must have a dorm by themselves…for medical reasons. After THOSE students have “first access,” if there are any left, then others can try and reserve them.
Again, this is true for most schools. Private dorms go to those with medical needs first.
Keep in mind that those dorms are generally more expensive, as well.
Thank you both. That makes sense. And yeah I probably should have contacted the school directly.
I looked at this a year or so ago. Very few rooms on campus would fit that description, and yes, go to those with special needs first, as Mom2 mentioned. But that’s not saying you could not possibly get one! Good luck!
There are a few “single” apartments and they do go to individuals with medical needs first. Also, be aware if you choose a single and get one assigned, you could get moved (before move-in), if a person with a medical accommodation applies for that type of housing.
It’s highly unlikely that we will move a student from a space they’ve been assigned to, or selected themselves, to accommodate medical requests. The deadline for medical requests is early enough that we can make those arrangement before those spaces would be open for other students.
Hope this helps,
Janine
@UAHousing-- Are single rooms in suites only available to Honors students? Also, if a student is in Blount because of the Blount Undergraduate Initiative Program, can they stay in Blount after the freshman year?
No, the only suite-style community that is restricted to Honors students is Ridgecrest. Presidential Village, Lakeside and Riverside are open to non-Honors students, as well as Honors students.
Yes, Blount students can continue to select into Blount residence hall, provided they are eligible for recontracting and adhere to all deadlines.
Hope this helps,
Janine
@UAHousing Are there LLC at UA? Something like a floor where engineering students live together? I ask because UMN (other school of choice for my twins) has a LLC for College of Science and Engineering and a LLC for WISE (Women in Science and Engineering).
We may be interested in that as a benefit because then a student is with people in the same courses.
Yes, we do! We currently in the process of developing some new LLCs as well, but you can see a list of our current LLCs here: http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/living_learning_halls.cfm
Men’s Engineering students can select to live in Bryant Hall. One of the new options we will be developing this year is a community for women in STEM.
Hope this helps,
Janine
@UAHousing Is there a co-ed LLC for engineering? I have a DS and DD that are seriously considering attending UA in engineering. BTW, UA has made an impact here in the Chicago suburbs! Your admission rep, John McGreal, is excellent. 
@CyclonesGrad do you want them in the same hall?
@CyclonesGrad, the engineering LLC is all-male at present (and housed in the same dormitory as men’s athletics): http://housing.ua.edu/halls/bryant/
The engineering fraternity is co-ed, and I believe offers housing to both men and women. Not sure how soon students can move in, though, or if they have to be upperclassmen: https://muthetatau.org/#_p.Home
@mom2collegekids No, they do not need to be in the same dorm. They probably do not care.
@LucieTheLakie I want them to live in the dorms their first year, for sure.
Do either of you have good suggestions for Dorms to request? They are both going to be in engineering and will be in the HC. They are both social but study as required. Super quiet is not a requirement. You would understand that if you were in our house! They grew up with an eventual Theatre Major who was president of the college skit comedy troupe at IU (Think Saturday Night Live) and an old sister who double majored in Child Psych/Spanish at UMN. A loud, raucous group! :))
@CyclonesGrad, it seems like most HC kids choose one of the Ridgecrests if price isn’t an obstacle.
My son was switched to Blount from Paty after he put in a room change request and had a great experience there (more expensive than Paty but cheaper than Ridgecrest). He didn’t commit early enough to get into honors housing at Ridgecrest, which was his first choice. He is also in engineering but was a theater geek in HS, so Blount was a great fit for him. He had no desire to live exclusively with engineers, although he did want to be with other Honors kids.
@LucieTheLakie Who lives in Blount? All kinds of majors in honors? My kids are pretty open to anything and probably would like to be with kids from other majors. They are definitely into theatre, DS does lighting for local Junior High School musical at the CC. DD likes social activities also and plays tennis.
Pure engineering geeks might they might not like so much.
My DD is hoping to continue to play tennis when she goes to college, is in the Honors College and an electrical engineering major. We are visiting at the end of March. On paper, my DD is leaning toward Ridgecrest but knowing she will be late, she is hoping that Blount will be open as an alternative if Ridgecrest is full.