<p>Some of my college choices have mandatory dorm stay for freshmen. I have to be completely honest. I don't really have any interest in staying in dorms.
My parents are very lienient. I have been allowed to go to all the parties I want and they don't mind what time I come home at etc.
So I don't feel any need to move away from home, to get freedom, like some students might. I'm perfectly happy to stay at home, as I have my own big room, my own bathroom, I have lots of privacy, my own tv etc, everything is nice. I really don't have any interest in moving into a tiny dormroom with some other guy, sharing a small space, having banging doors, people playing music, people coming in late at night making noise etc.</p>
<p>So I guess my question is, will I be able to get out of the mandatory living requirements for freshman students, or will I have to stay there at least some of the time?</p>
<p>If it's mandatory, then you DO need to live in the dorms. There's no way out. But you could probably just pay the room and just live at home if it's within reasonable commute distance.</p>
<p>Read the thread on "I don't want a roommate..." there are amazing suggestions on how to make college living bearable.</p>
<p>Actually, many schools do have exemption clauses if they have dorm-residency requirements. Commuting students can often take advantage of these clauses. At my school, if your parents live within a 50 mile drive of the school, you can be eligible as a commuting student and not have to live in the dorms.</p>
<p>We are about 3 miles from Stanford. I've already stayed there on a weekend and I really didn't like it.
I also don't mind paying the room, or at least my dad doesn't. Money isn't really an issue for him.
I wonder if ticklemepink has really answered it. Maybe they don't care as long as the room is paid for.</p>
<p>My brother owns a house in Berkeley, so that's the other option and they have no live in requirements.</p>
<p>If I can get away with living at home, I'll go to Stanford. We phoned them already and they just rhymed off something about Residential Education being very valuable but I guess they have to say that!!</p>
<p>I guess the question I'm really asking is, if I stay there for the first week or two and then move out, are they really going to care or even notice? What would they do, it's not like they would kick you out, or would they?</p>
<p>I think many colleges have the manditory dorm requirement becuase they know that students that don't live in the dorms from their first year often fail to get into the 'college experience.' Sure there are some things that aren't so great about living in dorms (but it's not all bad) and as they say "it's all part of the experience." The largest majority of my college firends are those that I met living in the dorms during my first year. Everyone had to live in the first year (even a guy in my hall that was from the same town and lived about 10 mins away)</p>
<p>I think if you live at home it will just be like 13th grade vs being in college and everything that goes with it.</p>
<p>I had a similar option, living 5 miles from school and lenient parents in a house with privacy and amenities. But I still decided to dorm because it builds character and you meet people/get involved in a way you couldn't as a commuter. Still, it's not the end of the world if you stay at home, it's just 1-2 years of your life, and I know commuters who are still very involved and social.</p>
<p>Stanley - This is college. They're not going to go around and check to see if everyone is actually "sleeping" or "living" in the dorms every day and every night. Bottom line is that they want the money; pay the mandatory time and live at home. </p>
<p>I have the same option. At first I thought to myself, I have to live in the dorms and experience college. 2 weeks later, I realized how small my about-to-collapse dorm is and how awkward it is to be with another guy in such a small space. So yeah, I went home, and am as happy as ever.</p>
<p>No one will care if you just don't stay in your dorm room and instead commute. However, you should see if you can get out of the requirement before you just fork over the money. As stated above, lots of schools that require that you live in the dorms exempt local students from that requirement. And there's no sense paying thousands of dollars if you can get out of it.</p>
<p>EuroFootball,
Thanks it's nice to hear someone who thinks the same way about dorms. I've always had my own room and don't know why I would have to put up sharing a room with some other (possibly very smelly) guy and share a bathroom with a few others. No thanks, I'll stay at home thanks.</p>
<p>Ginnyvere,
We checked and they said it is mandatory to live-in for freshmen, because of the importance of residential learning.
F* that and f* them.
I'll pay the fees and if they have house meetings they want attended or something, then fine.</p>
<p>Diesel: "i was going to say, how are you going to bring a girl back to your parents house?"</p>
<p>My parents have a rule for my brothers who are adults and it'll be the same for me when I turn 18. If I am going out with a girl for 6 months or more, she can stay over. I'm fine with that, I'm not interested in sleeping around anyway.</p>
<p>fastest way is to email the housing department at your school; tell them your predicament of living only 3 miles from school and i guess if you really need to, lie that it is affecting your studying. i dont think people would care that if you commute. they arent your friends if they cant respect your decision</p>
<p>"why dont u live in a dorm for like a semester or so and see how it is? You lived in your house all your life anyhow."</p>
<p>That's what I say! Well, he seems pretty well adjusted. If I were well adjusted also, I would still experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.</p>
<p>stanley, i think you should give it a try. i'm an only child and really hated the idea of leaving my big room/single bathroom and all my stuff at my house. but living in the dorms really isn't THAT bad. remember, people love to complain. you rarely hear all the good stuff. not living in a dorm, it's going to be really hard for you meet people and make new friends. if you give it a try, just for one semester--only four months of your life-- you can meet a ton of people and experience college the way it's meant to be experienced. then you can make an informed decision (the way adults should) about where you want to live in the future.</p>
<p>What is this college experience everyone keeps talking about?
I have stayed over in college dorms, admittedly it was only for a very short time and I was sleeping on the floor so that was negative, but where is the fun exactly.
When I was there first, the two guys were so busy studying that they were ignoring me so I had a look around on my own, and then later when we went to a party they were just interested in getting wasted.
At least the music was decent, but I didn't know anyone there, and even the people I was with who were in college for ages barely knew anyone either, but they didn't care because they just wanted to get wasted and go back to bed again. Maybe it was their way of releaving the stress of their studying but I'm not interested in that.</p>