<p>I had a couple different sources tell me that my son should get his housing app in as soon as possible and said they were doing it now. </p>
<p>I checked the college they were talking about and the housing priority date is May 1st. Their priority app deadline is 12/15. </p>
<p>It seems very strange to me to apply for housing before you get admitted to the school. Since he doesnt know where he is going, is he suppose to put a housing app in for every school ? Dont you need to commit to them before you get housing? Are these people victims of college frenzy or do they know something I dont?</p>
<p>Well, it does seem strange BUT that’s the way it works at some schools.
At son’s school the housing app preferences ran by date priority so first come, first served.<br>
If you waited until you knew if you actually were ADMITTED to the school (which might not be for a few months AFTER the housing scramble began), you could be locked out of on-campus housing or get the dregs or shoved into a triple.
The housing people and admissions just ran on different time schedules so better to be prepared. The housing app was $25 and no, you didn’t get a refund if you were not admitted. But worth it to be on the safe side.
Say priority app deadline is 12/15–and you don’t hear until Feb? Better send it in. You COULD get housing by May (after you know for sure) but then again maybe not where you’d be happiest.</p>
<p>My daughter applied to a state university with a rolling application process so she was admitted in September last year. Their housing is on a first come, first served system and she wanted a particular dorm so she applied for housing as soon as it opened (I think in early October). She got a spectacular suite but didn’t find out about it until March or April. Most of the housing deposit was refundable but not all of it.</p>
<p>She ended up choosing a different college and that housing process didn’t open until I think mid-May (early decision people got first pick). </p>
<p>So . . . if your son cares about what dorm he ends up in, then he should apply ASAP (if they go by the first come, first served system). Otherwise, he can just wait and apply with everyone else.</p>
<p>Also, I doubt any school would let you apply for housing before being admitted but I could be wrong about that.</p>