<p>Does anyone know which dorm and meal plan I should apply for?</p>
<p>I'm going to the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computer Sciences. Which dorm should I apply for?</p>
<p>Also, should I choose the Ultra Meal Plan or any 14 plus plan? I want a simple meal plan where I can pretty much grab the meal whenever I have time...</p>
<p>I noticed the Ultra Meal Plan said I could eat at Gracies anytime? What does that mean exactly?</p>
<p>My daughter is in the same college… I’m not sure you get to choose what dorm you’re in … As far as meals - Gracie’s is near the dorms. It’s not convenient if you like to eat meals on the go or near the academic side of campus. She has the 14 plus which allows for plenty of meals at Gracie’s but gives plenty of cash which can be used at the restaurants and convenience stores on campus.</p>
<p>Oh, I thought we get to request a specific dorm building but maybe they don’t base any decisions on our residence contract. I was hoping to get a building close to Gracies because I thought it might be more convenient. </p>
<p>I was considering the ultra meal plan because it allows for unlimited meals. And I have work study and plan on doing extra curricular activities, so it allows me to go and eat whenever I have time.</p>
<p>We just received something in the mail that sounds like you do get to choose a dorm and actually a specific room. You get assigned a day and time, further along in the summer, and go on-line and choose from what is available. You can also select a room mate on-line.</p>
<p>Also, Thomas, have you been to the campus? Gracie’s is pretty far from the academic buildings, so having a dorm real close, is most likely only convenient if you are going there from the dorm. But if you eat a lot of food - go for the ultra!</p>
<p>Take the 10+, or the 12+ if you are a really hungry person who likes all-you-can-eat. The vast majority of students get off the plans or onto lower plans as soon as possible, mostly because while Gracie’s is good, it gets old quickly and the plans with debit give greater flexibility. You can buy stuff at tons of places with debit, so its nice to have.</p>
<p>I didn’t have time to go to open house on March 30th and I can’t go on April 13th… So I’m planning on going around July to get my student ID, and check out the campus.</p>
<p>How far is the Computer Science college from the dorms/Gracies exactly? (in minutes/estimated distance?) I’m planning on getting a dorm close to Gracies if I can…</p>
<p>I want a easy and convenient meal plan. I figured the debit things would be complicated because I might run out of debit fairly quickly.
Also, I might get a mini fridge for my dorm room, so I can leave food in it. Hopefully my dorm building has a microwave.</p>
<p>GCCIS is one of the farthest buildings on campus from the dorms (over 10 minute walk), and its surrounded by places that take meal options and food debit. There is the Crossroads, Salsaritas, and Ctrl Alt Deli right by the CS building. This is why I would recommend getting a meal plan with at least some debit. Not only that, but most people find dorm-side food options like the Commons and Sol’s to be more appealing than Gracie’s.</p>
<p>All the dorms are in the same place, and they are all within a 5 minute walk from gracies. And I am pretty sure all floors have one or more microwaves.</p>
<p>With all of the food places spread throughout campus, you don’t necessarily want to limit yourself to too many meals at Gracies. Even if you eat dinner there every night that’s only 7 meals a week, and if you do spend most of your time in GCCIS you won’t want to walk back to Gracie’s for lunch, especially in the winter (unless we keep having winters like this one).</p>
<p>Personally I got the 10+ and switched to all-debit as soon as i got second year status. It provides the most flexibility because there’s only 5 meals that you are required to have at gracies. But if you are worried about being fed get the 12+. You can always switch between quarters, so if you find it doesn’t work for you you only have to live with it for 3 months.</p>
<p>Also, if you are worried about debit lasting you, don’t. People always have leftover debit. So much so that the commons has a special night, usually wednesday of week 10, where they serve things like filet minon and lobster tails because everyone needs to get rid of debit. Sol’s sells out of their $50 giant hershey bars, and people buy sheet pizza for their entire floors.</p>
<p>Well, that’s unfortunate that it’s so far. The Ctrl Alt Deli will probably be the most convenient place for me to grab a bite. Also, I received a guide to selecting my housing, and it says I’ll be able to choose the dorm building. Any suggestions as to which building I should choose based on quality?</p>
<p>And about the meal plan, I assumed that people who do the 10-14 meal plans buy groceries too. I am rarely going to go off campus to buy groceries and food.</p>
<p>There’s about 76 days/11 weeks (first day of classes to last day of classes) of the Fall quarter. </p>
<p>Normally, I would eat 21 meals a week (3 daily). If I do the 10 Meal Plan, that means I’ll have to pay for about 11 meals with debit + cash / per week. So 11 meals per week over 11 weeks add up to 121 meals on debit (I get $416 for this plan). So I’ll only have about $3.4 to spend per meal, and most likely end up needing to add more money to my debit. Did I miscalculate or misunderstand the meal plan?</p>
<p>I lived in the honors dorm so I don’t know much about the quality of the other dorms. From the dorms I went into though, it seemed like the ones that aren’t high-rises are better. But since almost everyone has to live in one of the high-rises, you can’t always avoid them.</p>
<p>If you are accustomed to three full meals a day for seven days, then it might make sense to do the 14+. I found that my eating habits changed when I went to college (and i never was a 3-meal person to begin with). A lot of time your eating habits revolve around your classes. If you have class from 9 to noon, you don’t always want to get up and go to breakfast before your class. Its a different experience than high school since your school days start and end at different times depending on the day of the week. I am horrible at getting up and going to bed at a consistent time.</p>
<p>Pick what is right for you, but I would strongly recommend to avoid the ultra plan, simply because if you DO ever eat anywhere besides gracies, the 5 “meal options” you get are worth $6.90. So if whatever you buy totals more than $6.90, you either have to use two meal options (which is a waste unless it adds up to $13.80) or pay with debit or tiger bucks. So it is nice to have at least a small amount of debit. With the ultra, you get none.</p>
<p>Like i said, you can always change it after three months so its not a huge deal.</p>
<p>High rises are the bunk beds, right? I wouldn’t mind that although I would definitely prefer a bed closer to the ground… I compared some of the dorms and none of them really have anything better than each other, so I don’t know how to choose.</p>
<p>Well, it’s unhealthy to skip meals. I’ve always eaten three meals a day, but sometimes I do skip breakfast because I don’t have time before school… (I wake up at 6 everyday for school). but I’m thinking college will be different and breakfast would be important. Were your classes around 9 to noon? I’m hoping I get classes around noon to 3. But I have a feeling that will be unlikely. </p>
<p>I just want to remain as healthy as possible while I’m at college. I always hear that people’s diet change their first year in college.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your advice and suggestions. They’ve been very helpful! I’ll probably go with the 14 meal plan, and change it after the first quarter if I have any problems.</p>
<p>Well by high-rise I meant the tall buildings (Gleason, Ellingson, NRH)</p>
<p>Its tough to choose and I am only familiar with the one that i stayed in which is only for honors students.</p>
<p>When i was a freshmen they gave me nice classes all in the afternoon, but that didn’t last more than a quarter. Sometimes there’s a class I have to take that I can’t avoid it being in the morning.</p>
<p>It’s a good idea to stay healthy and stay on a schedule.</p>
<p>Oh… so I should choose a building with few floors. Whats wrong with the high-rise dorms?</p>
<p>So your schedule changed each quarter? I actually have no idea how college schedules work, being the first generation to go to college… How many classes do you have each day, and do you still take a math, science, history and english class?</p>
<p>I just think the floors are arranged strangely, and the elevators are always busy and the laundry rooms are always full. But the dorms aren’t all that different when it comes down to it.</p>
<p>You choose your classes. You can theoretically take whatever you want but your department usually encourages you to stick to a schedule so that you don’t fall behind or run into a scheduling conflict. Usually if you have some AP credits it gives some extra flexibility.</p>
<p>Ignoring any credits you may have coming in, you will need to take 2 quarters of writing/english, 2 quarters of humanities, and 2 quarters of social science. Those are the liberal arts requirements. You also need 2 “PE” electives (most of which are just fun stuff) and also a freshmen seminar which is a total waste of time.</p>
<p>Other than that everything else is determined by your major. Your department will try to give you a balance of subjects for your first year but once you get into higher years you will be doing pretty much all in-major stuff.</p>
<p>Oops forgot a question. The class sechedules differ. Most classes meet either MW or TR for 2 hours each day. Some meet three days a week for an hour, and some are strange and stray outside that format. Some classes (especially the intro CS classes) have labs that are in addition to that class. Depending on what your courseload is, expect 16-20 hours of class in a week, spread out pretty much however you make it fit. Usually fridays are light.</p>
<p>I see. If the high rise building’s laundry rooms are always full, then I’ll probably choose a building with a smaller capacity. I honestly don’t want too many people in the same building because I think it’ll be crowded.</p>
<p>I have AP credits in World History and Language Composition. I heard colleges give credits based on our exam scores? I got a 2 on both exams… sadly. Do you think RIT will accept that?</p>
<p>The 2 quarters of writing/english, humanities and social sciences - do I get to choose the class? Like, are there different english classes, and different social sciences I get to select?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the answers and help. I greatly appreciate it. I don’t really have anyone else to ask except the school’s advisers.</p>
<p>Unfortunately the College of Liberal Arts only accepts credit for AP scores of 3 or higher, so you will be pretty much starting from scratch (which isn’t a bad thing, it makes it easier to follow your department’s default schedule).</p>
<p>There is a writing class that every freshmen takes, usually in the first quarter. That is required and pretty much the same for everyone, but it allows you to meet people outside your major. You will also have a class called “First Year Experience” which is a class made up of freshmen that share your major. It’s one hour a week and you mostly just talk about classes, how to get involved in things, and things pertaining to your major. It is run by an instructor and also an upperclassmen from your major.</p>
<p>As far as humanities and social sciences, this is what you have to choose from:</p>
<p>Two humanities courses (8 credit hours) taken from two different disciplines: Fine Arts; History; Literature; Philosophy; Science, Technology, and Values; or Introduction to Environmental Studies</p>
<p>Two social science courses (8 credit hours) taken from two different disciplines: Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology</p>
<p>So you pick two of each, then beyond that in your upper years you have to do a class called “Arts of Expression” which has a wide variety of topics to choose from (i did Literature and Crime where we just watched a bunch of movies). Finally, you do three upper level courses in a liberal arts field of your choice for your “Concentration”</p>
<p>I hate writing so much. I understand that it’s an important class, but writing essays drive me crazy and I’m not exactly great at it. But I guess I’ll just have to take it… </p>
<p>Is the First Year Experience class required? I don’t mind taking it, but it seems to me like a waste of an hour talking about other classes. The only nice thing about it is that I get to socialize with others.</p>
<p>I’ll probably take Philosophy and Technology for Humanities and Psychology and Economics for Social Sciences. If not economics, I’d take sociology but economics seems like something important so I know how to handle finances in the future. Do you know where I can learn more? I found all the courses here: [Programs</a> of Study](<a href=“http://www.rit.edu/programs/]Programs”>Degree Programs | RIT)</p>
<p>But I’m not sure if those are majors or not…</p>
<p>Consider yourself lucky you are going to a tech school. Our Liberal Arts requirements are pretty small compared to other places. I doubt there’s a single college out there that doesn’t have a required writing class.</p>
<p>FYE is required. I am sure the administration could quote you some statistics that show freshmen retention has risen since they started doing it. But it’s not that bad and one hour a week is not a big deal. Its good because everyone in the class is having the same experience you are and you tend to make friends with them.</p>
<p>Those links go to the major descriptions, and they give a good overview of what each discipline is. If your department puts you into something in your first quarter though, you usually just go with it. They gave me sociology and i ended up liking it. It’s kind of annoying that you can’t make changes to your first quarter schedule until you get there, and most classes are full by then. But after that you always pick your schedule yourself, but your adviser is supposed to help for the first year.</p>
<p>Of course, our registration system is changing next year so maybe this summer they will let you edit your classes before you come. Who knows though.</p>
<p>I actually forgot to ask how did you like your Literature and Crime courses? I’m sure watching movies all year seems pretty relaxing lol.</p>
<p>I don’t mind taking FYE, I’m sure it’ll help me make friends early on. And I thought you said we get to choose our liberal art classes? How come they stuck you with sociology?</p>
<p>We’ll have to wait and see how their registration system will be. I need to contact my adviser soon…</p>