<p>Anybody out there have any reviews or opinions on Callaway House? It is the private dorm by Bush and Wellborn. Just wanted to get some feedback from people that live there.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>my daughter lived there '09-10. what questions do you have?</p>
<p>I was wondering if it is reasonably quiet for a dorm, is it as clean upstairs as it is on the first floor. Was the food tolerable etc. Please let me know what your daughter’s overall experience is.</p>
<p>My daughter lived on the first floor. It always looked perfect - I cannot tell you about any other floors though. Quiet at times, noisy at times - probably like any dorm. She did have her own room to retreat to and shut the door - which was nice for my only child. She lived in the 4 bedroom 2 bath apt style - 1 girl per bedroom.<br>
The good: It was so very convenient. It was nice, secure.
It is an easy walk to Kyle Field, Olsen Field, and the Rec Center.
The bus stop is an easy walk.
Campus is right across the street<br>
Callaway House has fun events for the residents - private concerts & partys
when you say you live in Callaway House - there is a little prestige that goes with it
The bad: turning into the Callaway house can be a nighmare every day. Coming from the from Texas down Bush once you past Welborn and Maron Pugh trying to turn left into Callaway House - is near impossible when there is traffic. People turning left onto Bush from Olsen Blvd block the intersection where you turn into Callaway. You will sit there through 2-4 lights waiting for the intersecton to clear.
When there is an “event” at the Bush Library, that section of Bush is closed off - you cannot drive your car in or out of Callaway House. It doesn’t happen all the time - but it does happen a couple times a semester.
The food gets boring - but my daughter was a favorite of one of the cooks and he would cook her a chicken breast the way she liked it.
The cafe doesnt open until 7am - if you have an 8am class -unless it is right across the street, you probably wont have time for breakfast. My daughter is an Architect major and her classes were on the opposite side of campus from Callaway house.
There were two events that caused the Callaway House to be evaquated - kids were shuffled out of the house at 3 am - could not go into covered parking garage - one of which they were left standing outside in the mist until 7am. Most were in their pj’s when it happened and they didnt allow time for them to change clothes.
There is little parking for vsitors</p>
<p>Overall a good experience for her - though she wasn’t at all interested in living in Callaway Villas this year.</p>
<p>any specific questions - just ask</p>
<p>Did you check out Traditions (actually called ‘the tradition at Northgate’)? Comparable to Callaway House located on the Northside. It’s near the bars, but far enough away not to be bothered by the noise. No “events” to contend with and VERY close to many of the engineering/science buildings.</p>
<p>Traditions is very clean with good food. Very similar to Calloway, but depending on your class schedule - could be a lot more convenient.</p>
<p>Book early if you’re going to go private. The prices go up in the summer!</p>
<p>One other thing (Calloway probably does this too), if you don’t want to go back for lunch they will provide a sack lunch for you to take with you. My son does this everyday. They will also hold your dinner if you let them know you will be back late.</p>
<p>there is a third private dorm - it is on the east side of campus - not within walking distance. Cambridge.
we looked at all three with Traditions being third on her choice list.
Callaway - Cambridge - Traditions
Traditions is very convienient to North Side of campus though.</p>
<p>We checked out all of the private dorms, we really liked The Traditions at Northgate but liked Callaway as well. As I looked online at reviews of Callaway they were less than encouraging. So I thought I would start this thread and get some opinions from people that may have had their child stay there. Very bad internet reviews can often be a person with an axe to grind and very good reviews can be the company trying to refute that. I just want to get some honest opinions about the overall experience there. Th</p>
<p>Cambridge seems really far away from campus.</p>
<p>I really haven’t heard anything bad about any of those three (other than the price :-). Traditions is always always well kept. I think I had a bad impression of Calloway from all my son’s years of summer soccer camps staying there (it smelled like sweat), but I’m sure that was just during the camps.</p>
<p>Just check out the “incentive” pricing in the spring! We waited too long and paid for it. My friend paid $800 less than we paid because she signed up early.</p>
<p>My impression of Traditions: when we visited we could not find the right door in the parking lot - went to a door - hit button and they buzzed us in. immediately. no questions asked. never came to check on us - we wandered around trying to find front.
Callaway house has one way in one way out, through the front door where security is.
Traditions smelled like sweat, with stained carpets - I’m thinking at any given time a dorm is going to smell like sweaty kids. The Callaway House is the oldest private dorm but was in much better condition than both the other two when we were visiting. Cambridge did not have covered parking - Traditions & Callaway do.
And yes - you are correct - only the angry make reviews and you have to take anything on a review with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>My son lived at Traditions for 3 years and my daughter is currently there. I would recommend because it is so close to campus. Right now --they have a new management company and the lease is binding which means you have to be admitted to A&M to be able to sign a lease. Last year you could go ahead and sign up and if you weren’t admitted you could get out of the lease. I currently have a daughter that wants to live at traditions, but we can’t sign anything until she finds out from A&M if she is in or not.<br>
According to my daughter, the food has not been particularly good–but hopefully it will improve with the new management company.<br>
Good luck in making your decision!</p>
<p>Does Traditions have any of the traffic problems that others have mentioned about Callaway House?</p>
<p>TXmom09, I have never heard anyone complaining about traffic near Traditions. The traffic on that main street can get crazy (by the Dixie Chicken :-), but you can take a back road to the dorm.</p>
<p>that main street near Traditions is University Drive. It can be horrible as well, but I dont think there is the problem that exists near Callaway House.</p>
<p>Olsen Drive dead ends into Callaway house entrance. People sitting at light on Bush to turn left into Callaway are totally blocked by people making a left turn from Olsen onto Bush. The light changes at Olsen for people to turn left onto Bush - the traffic hasnt moved from Welborn yet - so people block the entrance when light changes to green arrow to turn into Callaway House. Traffic doesnt clear until the light to turn left into Callaway has changed back to red. It really needs to be changed, it is just a badly planned intersection that could be fixed with just a little “traffic light management”. It can be very frustrating.
Now - this is not all the time a problem - but enough of a problem that I myself sat in frustration almost every time I visited.</p>