<p>Hi All, My son will be a freshman in engineering in the fall. He has roomate selection this Thursday. He has found 3 other kids who want to room with him (but they don’t know each other). What is the best way to try and get these 4 in the same suite? I’m not really sure its possible. I know my son can pull in one other person when he signs up this week. The other three kids have later dates to select. He is thinking about Ridgecrest West.</p>
<p>^^^ There is a very good video tutorial on the housing website. If they can determine who has the earliest spot for signup, that person can find a room, it will be locked for 5 minutes, and during that time he can “pull in” his roommates. What is required is that he knows each of their “proxy codes.” You can find your son’s proxy code for example by logging into myBama, clicking on the housing link, and getting to the main page that shows when you submitted your housing deposit. If you have each of the 3 proxy codes for the other 3 roommates, you can use them to pull them into your son’s suite. Or if one of the other 3 has an earlier time, you can give him the proxy code and he can pull your son in. They should probably decide collectively ahead of time the order of which dorm they’d prefer in case their preferred dorm is not available with a full 4 person suite open. I hope that this helps.</p>
<p>Dad,</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. My son has the earliest date and I knew he could pulled someone into the suite at that time. I guess I did not realize that he could pull all 4 at once. I’m not sure how this will work out. As I mentioned, he only met this kids through roomfinder so they are not really friends. I’ll check out the video and make sure he watches it before Thursday.</p>
<p>Make sure he gets the proxy codes for all three of the suitemates. We had a foursome last year, but lacked two codes when room selection came. Sure enough, two randoms put themselves in the empty two spaces a couple of days later. It has worked out, thank goodness, but this year, we made darn sure we had all three codes when son’s room selection day came around.</p>
<p>Don’t worry, it really is very easy, and the video tutorial is very helpful.</p>
<p>Like Monegut said, make sure you have all the proxy codes ready before you log on. Log on about two minutes before your scheduled time, the housing link will open right on time. Pick your residence hall, pick a suite with 4 openings, put your son in first and then pull in the other room mates. </p>
<p>Important: if want to live in honors housing make sure you choose an honors residence hall. Write yourself a list beforehand, in case the original residence hall is not available. Make sure that everyone agrees about first, second or third choices.</p>
<p><strong><em>If you don’t choice honors housing as a freshman, you can never move into honors housing.</em></strong></p>
<p>After the selection each room mate will receive an email with their room selection.</p>
<p>I also suggest that each room mate change his proxy code after room selection for security. Then, unless they give out their proxy codes, no one can change their selection.</p>
<p>Where will the housing link show up on mybama and what is the link called?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Go to your Mybama home page, middle of page, Campus Housing and click on Online Residence Housing Application, select year and then click on Room Selection (will be in red lettering above student’s name) then simply follow instructions.</p>
<p>You all are always so helpful. He does have the codes of the other 3. I did talk with my son yesterday and they did pick some backups in case the first choice is not available. I guess I was thinking that there will not be too many open suites. But I guess since we have first picks… keeping the fingers crossed. Gosh boys are so different from girls. My older daughter would have had this figured out and done weeks ago. My son was just getting around to contacting these kids this weekend. Good luck to all.</p>
<p>as of this morning - # of guys’ suites of 4 available…</p>
<p>Ridgecrest West - 1 (411)
Ridgecrest South South - 1 (211)
Ridgecrest South North - 8 (on floors 1-3 which i believe is honors, but don’t quote me on that)
Riverside East - 2
Riverside West - 3
Riverside North - 10
Lakeside West - 13
Lakeside East - none</p>
<p>again - you’ll have to verify which are honors dorms as I’m not sure as far as the Riversides and Lakesides. Also, no clue if they have Frosh suites set aside for this.</p>
<p>This might help you guys rethink your options if you do want to stay together.</p>
<p>and yes, I am killing time putting off doing my real work 
(edited to read) a few more 3s avail., but not many more than the 4s…</p>
<p>This seems extremely slim pickings for Honors freshmen. Is it possible that there are more Suites blocked off for just freshmen and they can’t be seen by the upper classmen?</p>
<p>very possible - like I said, they may be holding some back. On the other hand they may be guaranteeing housing, but as evident from last year’s picks, they don’t guarantee your choice of dorm and/or roommates.
Guess my point is incoming Frosh shouldn’t worry too much (this is said in retrospect as I know we all analyzed this to bits last year!) Picking specifics roommates doesn’t guarantee a good experience, and random roommates, mixing in with upperclassmen etc., dorm other than your first choice etc. can end up being the best situation in the long run. Getting an Honors room is really the only crucial thing, and I’m sure they have that planned out for number of kids coming in, even if it means they have to open spaces etc.
I think this success of this route is evident in the number of upperclassmen who have continued to go for the luck of the draw year after year. Don’t make me all go quoting Forrest Gump here ;)</p>
<p>We did not apply for housing until Feb so we choose March 24th. Do you have any idea what are the chances are of getting into Ridgecrest? or any honors dorm?</p>
<p>^ck your PMs</p>
<p>Okay you all. Have another question. How can I find out what dorm are honors or what floors in the dorm are honors? I have info from the housing website that is different info form the 'living-learning ’ whatever website. As most of you know, my son has roomate selection on Thursday and he wants to try and get an emply suite in honors. </p>
<p>I guess I’m getting anxious even though I know it wil lall work out. Any inside info would be great.</p>
<p>^^^^go to UA housing and click on the residence halls, it tells you which halls are honors and what floors (if applicable).</p>
<p>[Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/halls/hall_list.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/halls/hall_list.cfm)</p>
<p>Which honors dorms are nearest the Strip, I can’t see that on the campus map. S doesn’t start eating until about 2 pm, not sure how many mealplan meals he can get in before he goes to bed.</p>
<p>Ridgecrest South, with Ridgecrest East and West just across the street from there. </p>
<p>While Fresh Foods (in the Ferg) closes at 4 or 4:30, the other food service locations are open much later including Lakeside.</p>
<p>ETA: don’t forget: the honors super suites have full sized fridges with a full microwave. And the buildings have full kitchens on a couple of floors. Your son will certainly be able to make himself something if his eating habits don’t match the food service hours. And Publix is walkable from the Ridgecrest locations; my D does it at least once a week.</p>
<p>Two questions:</p>
<p>Only honors dorms are going to show up on Thursday, right? We don’t have to worry about accidentally picking a non-honors suite?</p>
<p>Second, anyone want to check how many honors dorms have 3 or 4 spaces available for girls? If it’s as slim picking as the boys, I want my girls to think of their contingency plans ahead of time. My D has the earliest picking slot, but her two friends are way down the line.</p>
<p>room selection is not open (to me) now, so i can’t check for you.</p>
<p>I was told by Alicia Browne in housing that I could pick an honors suite next year if I lived in a non-honors super-suite (Ridgecrest South South or Lakeside East) this year. What are the chances of being able to pull in at least one other person into one of those dorms? I pick April 14th from 8-10 (first day, third time slot).</p>