Anyone else find it disconcerting that the new “norm” in the freshmen dorm is the triple? On countless tours this past spring and summer, we encountered forced triples at competitive schools.
Because more and more kids want to go to those schools, they have to make dorm space available. Kids are still lining up to go to those schools so it is their choice. You can pick a school that has singles or doubles, but it won’t be UCLA
It’s rarely the students who find it disconcerting, although every once in a while I come across an op-edin the student paper.As mentioned above, there are plenty of less competitive schools where one can get a single/double or indeed rent an off-campus apartment. I, personally, file the whining about forced triples under “first world problems.”
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This has been the case as long as I can remember. When I was a college freshman back in the late 1970’s two rooms on my hall were forced triples.
You can accept rolling / early admission decision early, and reserve the best dorm option available. We plan to do that. Dorm was one of our top consideration for college.
Dorm was the last consideration in our house. Older D was in a dorm for 3 years with no AC and no elevator (lived on 4th floor freshman year), and a shared hallway bathroom. She survived just fine.
In many ways this is a good thing if it helps to keep the costs down. The triples at UCLA are about $2500 per year cheaper than a double. I don’t see a meaningful difference between sharing with one or two other people. And the weather in LA doesn’t exactly keep you stuck in your room.
So I don’t understand the complaints. Is college supposed to be a luxurious experience? Alternatively I suppose you could go to the UK where sharing with anyone at all would usually be viewed with horror and considered a peculiarly American phenomenon.
Not looking for luxury experience (for example, a LAZY RIVER is not on the list of creature comforts for our daughter https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/opinion/trustees-tuition-lazy-rivers.html) - just saying that a triple isn’t optimal. It may keep costs down, but I am concerned about the cost to the student. I saw firsthand the dynamics of a forced triple in my own freshman dorm in the early 80’s - it was not an atmosphere conducive to a student’s overall well-being. Consequently, we are looking at honors programs with dedicated housing.
^ Not specifically looking for luxury. But for some kids a quite dorm with some privacy, especially in night, is one of the most important factor in academic success. Triples have 100% increased chance of having an intolerable roommate to start with, and chatter between the other two may make it worse.
Honors programs with dedicated housing would work perfectly.
The only issue I see with forced triples is when it’s a surprise or new, previously undisclosed situation. If a college is clear that it’s a possibility or probability, then it’s up to the applicant to decide if that’s a deal breaker or not.
^ All the more reasons to study beyond the college’s website, and ask many detailed questions before applying.
My brothers were in a forced triple for their entire childhood. And there were six of us sharing one bathroom.
Dorms will probably be given serious consideration in this family. My first college roommate (who lasted a month)smoked pot and got puking drunk EVERY Saturday night. I can’t imagine living with two such people in one tiny room.
If colleges are so tight on space, they should allow some freshmen to live off campus. Problem solved.
My daughter is in a triple turned quad in a honors college residence. The building also has doubles that are now triples, and singles, doubles. My daughter LOVES it! They don’t hang much in the room but the study lounges are super and roommates seem more accommodating and respectful because space is tight.
My sense from the school’s parent group is that these parent worries aren’t necessarily student worries.
One daughter lived in very traditional double with two beds, two built in closets, two built in desks. Other daughter was in a freshman village, with four bedrooms (very cell like), a shared living room, kitchen, bathrooms. It was very nice for her to have her own room even if it was a cell. However, it was $3000 more per year even though both colleges were in similar COL areas.
But fortunately, the situation resolved itself at the end of season 4, when Greg got his own room in the attic. But it was still 6 kids with one bathroom. =))
My big issue with triples is that the discount doesn’t approach the loss of value. If I split a $1000 apartment with two roommates, I expect to pay $333 rather than $500. But schools rarely reduce the cost in proportion when they make a double into a triple.
@Hanna I think this is because the schools feel that a number of services are provided to the entire dorm - so each student in the triple gets supplied with a desk/bed/dresser, each student has access to the RA and other supports if needed, each student will utilize any cleaning services provided (ex. for a common bathroom), each student will take part in sponsored dorm activities etc. So while I agree that the discount is not always enough to compensate for the inconvenience and crowding, I don’t think it is quite the same situation as having an extra roommate in a stand-alone apartment.
DD in a forced triple. Upside, lower tuition 
At least it’s an actual triple vs a double with three so plenty of space.
“each student has access to the RA and other supports if needed, each student will utilize any cleaning services provided (ex. for a common bathroom), each student will take part in sponsored dorm activities etc.”
I’m sure that’s what colleges would say, but I think it’s bunk. I have never seen evidence of colleges hiring additional RAs or offering more frequent cleaning of common areas on a hall full of triples. The RAs are generally hired and given dedicated space at least a semester in advance, so adding to their workload just means each student gets reduced access to the resource.
You’re right about rental of an additional dresser and wardrobe, but a fair rental price for typical college furniture would be dirt cheap.