<p>For the dorm situation, do most OOS do Granville or do they do the regular dorms?</p>
<p>OOSers generally live in the regular dorms.</p>
<p>Granville is mostly for in-state students that all know each other and plan on rushing, because it’s near the frats/sororities.</p>
<p>Yes, I would advise you NOT to go into Granville, whether you’re in-state or out-of-state. As an incoming freshman, you’ll meet lots more students (and more different types of students) by living on campus in a regular dorm.</p>
<p>I’d just like to add that I’ve read posts here before that state Granville is filled with in-state students. I believe that Granville is, in fact, closer to 50/50 in terms of in-state/out-of-state. In fact, <em>most</em> NC students know about Granville and try to avoid it. Granville is a lot more expensive than regular dorms, too, and, for that reason alone, in-state students don’t typically choose to live there. </p>
<p>You should read up on some old threads here, too, that point out all the problems with Granville. I would suggest avoiding it like the plague.</p>
<p>Had to comment on Heathergee’s comment. My daughter lives at Granville and is going to live there next year. She is not going to join one of the sororities. She does not know many people at Granville that have joined the frats or sororities. Sure there are people at Granville that are in the frats and sororities and there are students from the dorms on campus who have joined. You need to go visit dorms on campus and also visit Granville. My daughter said there are a lot of nice dorms on campus and she wished she had at least considered it. Please look over the campus good - it is beautiful even with all the construction. My daughter loves the food at Granville, the short walk to classes, and she can park her car (with a fee) at Granville. There are negatives and positives with about everything in life. Also there are OOS students at Granville too. I am sure Granville can give you a percentage of OOS students if that helps.</p>
<p>Now I have to comment on Janieblue comment. The price is not more expensive. Last year it was cheaper and the price does not go up if you stay there the next year. You just need to visit dorms and Granville for yourself. It does not cost anything to visit Granville. They will show you a model room, cafeteria, weight room/exercise room, theater room, laundry room, etc… Look at both, don’t go by other people comments make your own decisions.</p>
<p>Despite the success that alcook’s D had at Granville I would still highly recommend that an OOS student stay in one of the residence halls. There have been far more unhappy OOS students at Granville over the four plus years that I have been on CC than happy ones. It is mostly in-state students with friends from high school who want to continue living in that “bubble” that they have existed in prior to college.</p>
<p>Granville also has historically been full of in-staters planning to rush. It is big enough to offer some diversity but certainly not what you would find in a freshman dorm.</p>
<p>alcook4u: Admittedly, my information is second hand, from several sources. Here’s what I know (all anecdotal information-- take it or leave it). Granville is a big time party “dorm.” I know someone who lived there freshman year, and her roommate was so drunk and suicidal, that this freshman girl had to stay up with her all night, sort of like a suicide-watch, to ensure she didn’t jump off the balcony. She didn’t jump, but was definitely carted off the next day; the sane roommate left and went to an apt. She lost money, because she couldn’t find anyone who would sub-lease it from her. I know others who visited friends there, and they reported that it smelled like stale liquor and vomit, at least on the floor where they visited. It was also noisy. </p>
<p>I have also heard that there is a mix of both in-state and out-of-state; Granville is not all in-state students. Nevertheless, I do think you will find more of a mix of students in a dorm on campus.</p>
<p>I don’t actually know the cost these days, but with maid service and a required meal plan (though maybe that’s been scrapped now?), a parking lot, and the fact that it’s not actually part of UNC (it’s private), I thought it was more expensive. Maybe not. Maybe it’s a real bargain. And, certainly, with the maid service, you won’t have to clean up the vomit yourself.. [Granville</a> Towers 2007 - 2008 Roo](<a href=“http://www.granvilletowers.com/roomrates.htm]Granville”>http://www.granvilletowers.com/roomrates.htm)</p>
<p>The upside: a parking lot; maid service; closer than South Campus. I think you don’t pay an increase in rent, once you’ve been there a year. alcook4u will know that for sure, but that used to be the case. </p>
<p>Another downside is that once you choose it, I think you will be hard-pressed to get back on a campus dorm, should you decide you don’t like it.</p>
<p>Good luck. Again, I suspect you will meet more people in a dorm on campus. But what do I know. I’m just reporting horror stories I hear. They could be all lies. Go visit, and tell us what you think.</p>
<p>gijonmon - Please visit dorms and granville - do not get your opinion from me or others on this board. </p>
<p>As eadad said - Granville also has historically been full of in-staters planning to rush. It is big enough to offer some diversity but certainly not what you would find in a freshman dorm. </p>
<p>Eadad - So I guess the students that live in the dorms not plan to RUSH - right. I would bet most of the people that rush actually live on campus. Also, my daughter does not live in a bubble with her high school friends - she is very involved. She is a cheerleader at Carolina and has met many different people that do not live at Granville. It is what you choose to do with your surroundings not what your surroundings will do for you and what you get involved in on campus - whatever it is you choose to do. </p>
<p>Janieblue - So are you saying that students do not get drunk on campus and vomit - give me a break. I know different. You might want to talk to campus security on that one. The same thing that goes on at Granville also goes on in the dorms. The girl you are talking about could have just ask to be moved. East tower is very quiet - I have never heard in out of control students when I have been there to visit and I have been there a lot for football games and basketball games. </p>
<p>gijonmon - you can listen to these horror stories from other people, but really the same thing is going on in the dorms. If these people say they are not then they may want to visit the dorms one night. Look at the advantages and disadvantages.</p>
<p>Would it be a mistake for an OOS freshman to live on North Campus? I know it would be hard to get a room there, but I want to know how it would be if I did get in a dorm on North. I’ve heard all this about South Campus being for freshmen, but I like how North is close to classes, the library, Lenoir, and Franklin Street. It seems to me that the South Campus dorms are only really “social” because there is nothing else to do. Is it really a bad idea to live on North?</p>
<p>No, I don’t think it would be a mistake. North campus dorms are really very nice, and I think most all of them have been completely renovated now. They’re closer to all classes, the Library, Franklin St, etc. I also think, on the whole, they’re much more quiet-- which may be a plus (or not) for you. Last year, they did put more freshmen on North campus, so it is much more of a mix of students now-- not solely limited to older students as it once was.</p>
<p>My d lived on South her freshman year and North this year. She does like Kenan and North campus much more than South, despite being in one of the best and newest South campus dorms last year. But, that being said, she did enjoy the ‘freshman experience’ on South…it’s just one of those things you do once and then move on from… ;)</p>
<p>Granville. No one should take criticism of a DORM personally. Granville IS tough for most out of state students. Some oos kids have a successful experience there, but the ODDS of a freshman far from home being happier in their living situation are higher with an on-campus dorm. The fact that it is very tough to get back into on-campus housing after going Granville should be taken very seriously. If you choose Granville and find you are unhappy with your choice, you will have to wait at the bottom of the list for space at a UNC dorm.</p>
<p>I agree with alcook4u though. Visit Granville. My daughter did and found the place to be (in her words) “a dump”. Since she is not all about her car (doesn’t have one at UNC), the answer for her was very clear after comparing the amenities at Granville to those at UNC housing.</p>
<p>Also, I want to point out my d is an oos student who came to UNC not knowing a single soul…and she did not get a good vibe at Granville. She has made a lot of friends in her two years on campus. alcook, I’m glad your daughter is happy there; but if I am not mistaken, she is instate, rooms with a friend from h.s. and has the built in social support structure of the cheerleading squad. (My d was a school and competitive cheerleader in h.s. and I can attest to the similarities of belonging to a cheerleading squad and being a member of sorority.) Please correct me and accept my apology if I have those facts wrong.</p>
<p>So it’s really all about perspective…and that is important to consider when soliciting and considering any advice, be it here or elsewhere.</p>
<p>I personally would recommend South for OOSers, just because that’s where most of them live. I met an OOSer freshman that lives on North Campus and she complained it was very difficult for her to make friends because there was a lot of upperclassmen and they all had their own group of friends.</p>
<p>I’m not saying that it’s impossible for an OOS freshman to not make friends on North Campus, but I’m just saying what I’d recommend.</p>
<p>yep i was just curious because i know at some schools the private dorms are like for all out of state kids. It seems to me that i’d be best off at south campus.</p>
<p>gijonman - I agree with heather about South. My d did enjoy her time there. I think it was almost tooo social and a little too much fun at times…lol! It was a good experience for a new kid from oos and I do recommend it. I think her preference for North now has more to do with the ‘relief’ factor of being in a quieter, all female dorm after all those good times on South. 
She still goes out and has a ton of fun, but now her ‘home’ (dorm room) is more of a refuge.</p>
<p>Other than the true freshman coed dorms like Craig, Ehringhaus and Hinton James, dorms will change personalities from year to year based on their make-up.</p>
<p>My now senior son was in what was then Morrison South his freshman year. That year it was mixed with some freshman and sophomores but also numerous upperclassmen. It was fairly quiet and he never had to go to the library once to study. In fact the residents were really ticked the one time that someone set off a fire alarm; the prevailing attitude was “that doesn’t happen here.”</p>
<p>Sophomore year, same dorm, same room, same roommate. Large influx of freshmen women who kept their doors open 24/7, were ALWAYS in the halls laughing, dancing and making noise (his words not mine)… you get the picture. He and his roommate were forced to use the library to study all the time.</p>
<p>Even in 1970 and 1971 my dorm freshman and sophomore years was a madhouse…no coed dorms at that time so it was animal house revisited most of the time. </p>
<p>My point is that other than the true freshman dorms or single sex dorms, it is hard to predict from one year to the next what the personality of a dorm will be. Make the most of it. Have fun and understand that it is all part of your college experience.</p>
<p>When do we or can we start applying for housing? Is it too early?</p>
<p>I don’t think the housing application is up yet, but I think it is supposed to be available sometime in January.</p>