<p>It occurs to me that varsity athletes often have to stay at school over long weekends or to return early from breaks such as Christmas. So there must be some itnerim housing available, assuming UNC-Asheville has varsity teams, which surely it does. I think your potential problem will resolve itself relatively easily.</p>
<p>Wasn't mentioned, but I guess I should've checked the "housing calendar", not just the "academic calendar". It probably won't be a big deal, but I'm a bit on edge right now, so any "curve ball" kinda throws me! Not sure if I"ll transfer - This wasn't my first choice school, but it really has the reputation of providing a great undergrad education, looking at the Fiske Guide and Princeton Review. We'll see how it goes this year... I really want to give it a chance. Thanks, though - Helps to vent and have people sympathize!</p>
<p>I just found out a week ago that my daughter's school closes the dorms for spring break. She is travelling 3000 miles and I wasn't planning to bring her home for Spring break (we are in the northeast, and she's going to school in CA - where would you want to be at that time of year?). The school says they can provide housing but charge $45/night - not the end of the world but an added expense we weren't planning on. I had thought schools only closed the dorms for Christmas break. I wonder how many other people get surprises like this....</p>
<p>She could travel CA and stay in hostels for less than that amount. I'd say there is a nice hostel availability and you might check it out. You may want to buy a membership if she is going to do this but it is not necessary.</p>
<p>I wonder how much expense it actually is for the schools to stay open-
I have heard of schools taking a loong winter break, which I imagine would save quite a bit on fuel, and staff, but in California? They're not known for their harsh winters. ;)</p>
<p>I live in Asheville. And yes, a lot of students there are from Asheville. Large parts of my high school go there each year. It is also a small liberal arts college, even though it is a state university. So they can get away with this, where as my school only closes for winter break I think. </p>
<p>Since, as a poster previously stated that the first close will be on fall break, not labor day or parents weekend (they want the parents to see the school, right?), I think you shouldn't have any problem staying in Asheville for the four days it is closed (the 5th through the 9th) because such a great amount of the student population is from within a twenty minute radius.</p>
<p>UNCA IS a good school, don't give up on it. And Asheville is a very unique place to live, with the mountains and plenty to do. I could let you in on all of that. Just hit it off with some Asheville natives and bunk up with them for the weekend. You aren't the only out-of-towner there, so plenty of students will be in your situation.</p>
<p>Best of luck, let me know if you need more info.</p>
<p>We are extraordinarily lucky in that S's school keeps the dorms open from move in to move out. Even over Christmas. He hosted several friends from home to join his school friends in spending New Years Eve in NY. My D's school only closed for part of winter break; many students stay over Thanksgiving, or go back early in the winter, etc.</p>
<p>At most colleges you can fill out a "break stayover form" and stay during those breaks - especially if it's a long story home. Even though dorms closed at my college you could still stay as long as your request was approved. (that's how many around here are anyway).. I had two friends that stayed on campus for ALL of christmas break - which was over a month.</p>
<p>I am so glad that son's school closes dorms for a few breaks--otherwise he would never come home. Univ of Redlands is very nice in that it has one dorm open for students to move into when the dorms are closed. I would guess they use just one dorm for security/staff reasons.They have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, but the rest of the student's food is on their own. The distance varies by holiday but I think it is $20 a night if you live <200 miles away, free otherwise. Son found out that if you worked at the school during the summer you could live in one of the dorms for free during the summer. My son has had friends from out of state and all found great places to stay or vist during breaks. Lots of San Francisco road trips. I think that if you contact the school you will get ideas that other students have used.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>Most colleges close their dorms (and dining halls) for Thanksgiving, Christmas break, Spring break (the March one). So...the only difference is that UNC-A has a "fall break". Most schools in this neck of the woods do not HAVE a fall break. I'd be interested in hearing about the schools that do. I know, for example, that Haverford has a fall break. What do those schools do?</p>
<p>For comparision ( I am trying to corrolate D's schedules between public school in Seattle and Ds college so that they can get together outside of holiday break).</p>
<p>Reed has a fall break- dorms open limited food service
Thanksgiving dorms open limited food svc.
Winter break
dorms close friday Dec 16th- open January 13th
Spring semester starts Jan23rd
Spring break dorms open limited food svc
residence halls close the day after commencement- May 16th</p>
<p>So basically students just HAVE to leave the month of winter break.</p>
<p>Hmm. From the variations people have posted, I guess closing for some of the breaks is not all that unusual. My older brother's school doesn't ever close their dorms (gotta get out for summer if you're not taking summer session classes, but that's it). But, sounds like other places do close, and students manage nicely. I'm not the lone ranger after all!</p>
<p>plus other students at your school will be in the same boat if they don't live close- so there probably are traditions of how students manage that you just arent aware of yet</p>