<p>Okay, parents. Just found out my school actually closes the dorms for every long weekend (Labor Day, Fall Break, etc.) Do you know if any other schools have this policy? It'll be a real hardship for my parents. I mean, think about it: Drop me off mid-August (southern school - starts early), three weeks later is Labor Day weekend, two weeks after that is parents weekend, a month later is fall break, November is Thanksgiving, etc., etc. It's a nine-hour round trip. Can you imagine making that drive so often, just cause I can't stay in the dorm? I even called the school, and they said "If it's too difficult, we can arrange for you to go home with a prof for the long weekend." Yeah, right - I'll be comfortable with THAT! Doesn't this sound unreasonable?</p>
<p>weird
do most of the students commute? what is the reasoning I wonder?
I bet you don't get a price break on dorms that stay open
What is the policy for letting freshman live off campus?</p>
<p>I'm not sure about off-campus policy for freshman, but I wouldn't want to. I want to have the traditional on-campus experience, at least at first (I"m sure I'll be ready to move off after a couple of years). It's a smaller, LAC with about 3,400 students, and I heard about 1,500 live on campus. I just feel really bad for my parents.</p>
<p>Are you SURE those dorms close? Where is this...I do NOT want my child applying there!!</p>
<p>University of NC at Asheville - It's a real shame, because otherwise it sounds like a nice school. Great rep for undergrad research, etc. But, man - I'm going to give administration a call next week. It's a ridiculous policy. My mom just said she'll just reserve a hotel room for us in Asheville for Labor Day weekend, so she won't have to make the 9-hour round trip twice within 3 days.</p>
<p>ya know I bet the DORMS don't close- I bet it is just the FOOD
service that is closed
many schools have limited food service on holidays</p>
<p>beezarre</p>
<p>I stand corrected
What a bunch of hooey
My daughters school opens in august- closes for most of winter break and doesn't close again till graduation
Many kids stay during fall & thanksgiving breaks- and my D always comes back early during her winter break cause there is "stuff to do"
that seems like a real hardship for students
this seems like something they should be real upfront about the reasons for
[quote]
When do the residence halls open and close</p>
<p>Residence halls open for new students entering for Fall 2005 on Saturday, August 13. The residence halls close for Fall break on Wednesday, October 5 and reopen on Sunday, October 9. The residence halls close for Thanksgiving break on Wednesday, November 23 and reopen on Sunday, November 27. The residence halls close for Winter break on Saturday, December 10, 2005, and reopen for Spring semester on Monday, January 9, 2006. The residence halls close for Spring break on Saturday, March 4 and reopen on Sunday, March 12. The residence halls close at the end of the academic year on Friday, May 12.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>they should have at least 1 dorm open where you would be able to stay? do they have any international students?</p>
<p>... my school makes us go to class on labor day, bah.</p>
<p>The hotel is a good idea, I was going to suggest it. Is it possible that only you would need a hotel room, and the parents don't even have to come? You could just walk to it / get a ride with someone?</p>
<p>Tryinhard:</p>
<p>There will be lots of long weekends. You can hope to make friends with local students or students who have access to local accommodations. It is unreasonable to expect that you will be going home every long weekend or that you will be spending lots of extra money on local hotels. Meanwhile, for the moment, take up the college's offer to stay with a prof at least for Labor Day, as you may not have made friends by then with whom you could go home. If you do succeed in making different arrangements,you can always thank the prof for his/her kindness in being willing to help you out.</p>
<p>I would suggest trying to make alot of friends that live nearby.</p>
<p>Colleges that close dorms usually have some kind of accommodation for international students which might be available to others. From what I've seen, though, it's pretty common for in-staters to invite an out-of-state friend home for a long weekend.</p>
<p>I might add to make this more palatable - my nephew who just graduated from U Colorado @ Boulder didn't even have a dorm assingment freshman year- he had to stay with a prof until someone else moved out of a dorm and a room opened up which was several weeks at least.</p>
<p>Call me an overinvolved parent - cc style - but I also went to UNC-A website and saw the info that ek4 already posted (#7)</p>
<p>It appears to me that they do close a few times = but not every long weekend. It also appears that they close the Housing OFFICE (ie, administrative people) for the various long weekends. So I think you only have Oct 5 break, March break to worry about. Most people (except internationals) leave campus anyway on Thanksgiving. Many colleges close over Xmas/between semesters and require you to leave dorms after your last exam; then they open up a day or two before new term begins.
<a href="http://www.unca.edu/housing/files/faq/index_faq.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.unca.edu/housing/files/faq/index_faq.htm</a></p>
<p>Even though there are times where schools officially "close" colleges know that everyone cannot make it home for long weekends or breaks and sometimes offer interim housing for these periods. Is interim housing an option at your school?</p>
<p>I stand corrected about Labor Day weekend (they don't close for THAT one). Yeah, I'm hoping to make a few close friends quickly that might live closer to campus that I do. As far as going home with a prof... I dunno. I just think I'd be really uncomfortable. I mean, how would you spend the days? Hanging with him/her? Holed up in the guest room? Or, feeling like a burden by being entertained? I'm sure I'll manage, but I guess it's just the whole idea of closing the dorms period. I guess I"ll be seeing my folks more than I thought I would in college, probably once/month (August drop-off, Sept. parents' weekend, October break, November holiday, December holiday, etc). Thanks for letting me wallow - I'll be fine. I was just caught off-guard with this policy.</p>
<p>emeraldkity: Wow - can't even imagine having to live with a prof, just starting college! I guess I should quit whining now!</p>
<p>Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I think it's a really bad policy even if ALL students lived within easy drive. I mean, they're not exactly fostering independence if they're forcing students back home a lot. Not really the feeling of starting a new, "away to college" life. I'd still like to talk with them to find out the reasoning behind this decision.</p>
<p>tryinhard, I think you're reading too much into this. The college's decision has nothing to do with intent or philosophy. It is a purely economic decision. If the number of students who would require housing during these times is small (which sounds like the case if over 50% of students at this small LAC with probably limited $$$ are commuters), then they simply cannot afford to pay the expenses (utilities/salaries/etc.) to keep the dorms open. For non-commuters or non-locals, the cost shifts to the student. This is something you should have looked into before deciding to accept enrollment.</p>
<p>You're right - my bad -</p>
<p>This was never mentioned?? I cannot imagine how disappointed and angry you must be feeling......do you already have your transfer apps ready to go???</p>