<p>I am a high school senior living in Missouri. I plan on attending UALR in the fall of 2015. I am a very dedicated student, my GPA is above a 4.0, and I am President of my local NHS organization. I also participate in various sports and other extra curricular activities. I do not want to live in a dorm. Not only will it be a financial burden, but I am going through quite a few personal hardships, including the death of my father. I don't believe it would be good for me mentally to be confined to a dorm with people I don't know. Is there any way that an exception could be made?</p>
<p>That’s almost a year from now. I’m sorry about your father, but I don’t think that’s going to fly as a legitimate excuse a year later. </p>
<p>I’m assuming they have a dorming policy for first year students or something along those lines. If you have a legitimate reason to not dorm, they will generally be granted. </p>
<p>I have also dealt with the death of my father… Honestly by fall of 2015 it won’t be as big of a deal as it seems now… You can always commute! </p>
<p>@comfortablycurt - I think first year dorming policies are waived if students live within a certain distance from the school. Something like 25 miles for a few schools I’ve looked into. </p>
<p>I’m very sorry about your father; I hope you have the emotional support of your loved ones to carry you through this difficult time. Things will get better, I promise. </p>
<h2>In terms of not wanting to dorm - you don’t have to dorm. Is UALR the University of Arkansas Little Rock? If so, these are the the potential exemptions for the first year dorm requirement. </h2>
<p>Non-UALR scholarship recipients** may be exempt from the Freshmen housing requirement for the following reasons:</p>
<p>Students residing within a 25 mile radius of the UALR main campus, and who are residing with a parent or legal guardian during the school year;
Students 21 years of age or older;
Married students;
Parents or legal guardians living with a dependent;
Veterans of active military duty;
Participants in programs not on main campus (Benton Center, on-line programs, etc.);
Transfer students who have attended college since graduating from high school (except summer).
First-time, full-time Freshmen meeting one of the conditions described above do not need to file an exemption request.</p>
<p>**If you do receive a scholarship, OP, which I imagine you would given your credentials, you’d hypothetically HAVE to live in the dorms. I’m sure there are ways around it, though. You should talk to the Office of Student Housing now just to get an idea of what your circumstances will be like come next year. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>That sucks that you have to go through this. I can’t even imagine what it’s like. However, I don’t think that not dorming is the best option. If you stay on your own and don’t meet those “strangers” in the dorm, you probably won’t get as involved in college, and it’ll just detract from your experience. I’d just not worry about it for the time being, since it’ll be another 6 months minimum before you worry about living in the dorms.</p>