<p>So I've heard horror tales about Smith hall. Is it really that bad? </p>
<p>I'm still waiting on housing, my 4 prefs are Smith, Kellum, Devaney, and that-one-where-meal-plan-isn't-required. </p>
<p>I'm pretty content with the fact that all of them have small refrigerators as I was 5 seconds away from going to Target to buy one. </p>
<p>I have a priority number of #0259. I was telling my mom that I hoped some freshmen dropped out or something. I know that sounds terrible and I don't wish bad on anyone, but....I kind of need housing. Hopefully I won't be needing that much Raid for bugs or anything, I can't handle roaches. HAHA!</p>
<p>NO! Smith Hall is not terrible. I lived there in 06-07 and I had the same worries you have. The hall government is really strong the last couple of years, and the hall is actually really active in on campus activities. There’s also usually always some kind of hall event being planned. The same can be said for Kellum. I met a lot of nice people from Kellum since the halls are right next to each other. The only thing different about Kellum, in my time @ Smith anyway, is that you could paint the walls. Is it as nice and shiny new as Cawthon/DeGraff? No, but it is the definition of an authentic college experience and I wouldnt change it for the world. I met a lot of really great people that I still see around campus today. Hey, we had to get out of our tiny rooms! </p>
<p>If anything, I’ve heard a lot worse about Deviney; no one I’ve met that lives there is happy with it. If anything, Deviney wins good location award, but its ugly as sin. And yes, before anyone tells you, someone did commit suicide in one of the shared bathrooms a few years ago. Rumors can get out of hand and become larger than life on such a small campus!)</p>
<p>If you’re a FL resident…how much does Bright Futures cover? Does it only help with classes or does it cover dorms and meal plan also? Even though I’m not new to college, I’m ‘new’ to this whole financial aid thing since everything was paid for at my community college and I didn’t have to worry about paying for books/dorms/etc. </p>
<p>I have EFC of 0 so I should be a shoe in for financial aid. Sometimes it pays to be poor right? lol</p>
<p>Bright Futures is ONLY tuition, nothing else. To be honest, its not even “tuition” as much as it is what they think tuition should be. When I go to blackboard (campus.fsu.edu) and go to secure apps and click on “financial aid student toolkit”, it shows your “offer” from Bright Futures based on the standard for 15 hours of course work. Because I came to the school with nearly a year worth of AP credits, I love to slack and only take 12 hours of course work. Therefore, I do not get my full “offer”; the program only pays out what I am taking. I believe it doesnt cover special fees or student usage fees either, strictly tuition. Watch out though, because I think FSU just got the right to issue a tuition differential over the state tuition rate and BF will not cover that if/when it starts being charged. ( I’m not 100 percent clear on how that works.)</p>
<p>FSU financial aid is great. I had a fairly high EFC and due to losing my part-time job, I took out a very very small loan just to have a safety net while I searched for a new position. I was offered a lot more than I needed and it was in my FSU card account within 2 weeks. </p>
<p>Please please get your books on [url=<a href=“http://www.half.com%5DHalf.com%5B/url”>http://www.half.com]Half.com[/url</a>]! This will save you THOUSANDS of dollars over your academic career. I get a semester worth of books for about 200 bucks on half.com as opposed to spending 400-500 plus dollars in the book store. Thats more financial aid in your pocket.</p>
<p>Okay, I’ve heard about half.com and definitely plan to utilize that completely! Thanks for helping out! I guess now I just have to wait for everything to fall into place.</p>
<p>you will be fine in any residence hall on campus. </p>
<p>yes, some are a bit more… interesting…than others, but think of it as halls with character. </p>
<p>I lived in Wildwood Hall my freshman year, and at this point, would have rather had Kellum, Smith or any other large, community style hall. They are social and more fun. </p>
<p>Furthermore, Kellum and Smith (and I believe Deviney as well) have had their bathrooms remodeled and furniture updated in the past few years. </p>
<p>Don’t sweat housing. You will be happy wherever you end up.</p>
<p>Character? Oh that’s just a euphemism for horrible in my opinion. Lol! But I’m not too picky about where I end up, I just hope I end up in a dorm this late in the game.</p>
But thanks for the offer.</p>