<p>Hello. I think all of you here have more experience than I. </p>
<p>College hasn't been on my mind 'til today, when I finally committed to UF. From all indications, UF housing seems pretty tight (in availability). Can someone guide me on how to select a dorm and which ones to avoid? Should I still submit my $25 deposit or should I just forget it and look off-campus?</p>
<p>Depends on what you’re looking for in a dorm. Although, unless you’re a party monster, I would avoid Broward Hall at all costs. I hear horror stories from Broward. </p>
<p>Now, some of the nicer dorms are Murphree, Jennings, Hume, and Tolbert </p>
<p>If you’re looking for apartment style, i’d pick Beaty > Lakeside. The distance Lakeside is from campus is defiantly not worth it and Beaty has some nice amenities. </p>
<p>If you have any more questions, I’d be glad to help!</p>
<p>Send in everything early money, application everything early and you should be OK.</p>
<p>Start with Jennings, Murphree (make sure it has ac)</p>
<p>I don’t think I can do anything “early” at this point. What is the Updated Vacancies thread for? I can still get in on those good dorms?</p>
<p>Has anyone heard positive things about living off-campus? I feel like dorms would be easier as a freshman but I’ve never visited Gainesville so I don’t know if one way is better.</p>
<p>Off Campus is nice BUT does have its downside. </p>
<p>For me, living on campus freshmen year really did make my 1st year a lot better since I felt like I was connected with the campus. There are still decent dorms available and the sooner you apply the better chance you’ll have of at least getting a dorm on campus! </p>
<p>Plus, even though you might be in a Late App Triple, you can still/might make some close friends just living in that situation!</p>
<p>One additional question: How much do Living Learning Communities matter? Some of the ones I’m interested in aren’t exactly in my desired dorms. </p>
<p>Other question: I got my housing contract but it says there are no preferences available at this point. Will those still show up or is it too late? And if I submit my deposit without the preferences, do they just throw me into any dorm with possibility of a triple?</p>
<p>I haven’t lived in a learning community, but I hear it’s an easy way to make friends. I would have liked to be in one but none of the choices matched my interests/major </p>
<p>As for the deposit, is it the $200 deposit? I believe if they are telling you that, then there are no preferences and housing will put you on hold until more rooms are released. This is strange as once you pay your deposit you get a date to pick your specific room so I’m not sure what this is all about but my best guess is what I just mentioned</p>
<p>The best place to figure out housing for you campus is either:</p>
<p>A) [url=<a href=“http://www.TheRealCollege.com%5DTheRealCollege.com%5B/url”>http://www.TheRealCollege.com]TheRealCollege.com[/url</a>] if you want to see reviews for places around your campus
B) [url=<a href=“http://www.BuySellCollege.com%5DBuySellCollege.com%5B/url”>http://www.BuySellCollege.com]BuySellCollege.com[/url</a>] if you want to see housing people are selling on or around campus</p>
<p>Those are the sites I use and they are awesome!</p>
<p>Alright… </p>
<p>First, Here are the basics on how to sign up for campus housing at the University of Florida:
<p>I think you can still apply, but you may be placed on a waitlist to offer housing if spaces become available. </p>
<p>Secondly, Broward isn’t bad. I don’t know what JKidrauhl was talking about. Here’s a student testimonial about Broward and all the stuff around it. [Broward</a> Hall - YouTube](<a href=“Broward Hall - YouTube”>Broward Hall - YouTube)</p>
<p>So, if you apply now and get housing - you will probably not have a wide choice of housing (because it’s super late). With that being said, I highly recommend living on campus for your first year. It is so much easier to make friends, meet people, and get used to UF. Yes, the buildings are older, and you might have to share a bathroom. But - this is the true college experience. You can only do this once in your life (there aren’t typically old people in the halls - just other students doing the same stuff you’re doing), so I say go for it asap. </p>
<p>if you’re applying this late, I wouldn’t worry about preferences or living learning communities - just try to get on campus. I found it was a lot more expensive to live off campus. Be careful with all of the additional costs with living off campus when comparing prices (first month’s rent, last month’s rent, security deposit, cost to turn water on, cost to turn electricity on, cost to turn cable on, cost to turn internet on, starting garbage services costs, monthly electricity, monthly water, monthly garbage disposal, monthly cable/internet, furniture, and having a lease that goes over the summer months too, transportation to get to classes, etc.). It was all those additional costs that hit me hard when I moved off campus. </p>
<p>The university has a Department of Off Campus Life that can help. Check out [University</a> of Florida Off Campus Life](<a href=“http://www.offcampus.ufl.edu/]University”>http://www.offcampus.ufl.edu/). They will be the BEST resource to give advice on places to live, how to negotiate leases, etc. And they’re UF! </p>
<p>Hopefully this answers everything. Seriously check them out on FB - they answer all of this stuff. 
[UF</a> Housing and Residence Education | Facebook](<a href=“Facebook”>Redirecting...)</p>