Help w/Freshman Honors housing recommendations

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
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<p>Hi, everyone… DS will be attending this coming fall. He has just been accepted in the Honors college and has the presidential and engineering scholarships. He is a computer science major. </p>

<p>Our housing budget supports more on the lower end… perhaps double at $2,800 /semester. Maybe single at $3,250 per semester. Also, DS is a 3.7 GPA/1360SAT student and we’d like for him to feel comfortable where he is at. What residential hall/halls would be best?</p>

<p>A special thanks to Mom for all her support over the past months.</p>

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<p>I’m very interested to hear some replies to your question as well.</p>

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<p>77Choco…</p>

<p>Your question is confusing…your title says Honors Housing recommendations, but it sounds like you want a non-honors rec to lower the cost.</p>

<p>If that’s so, I suggest Burke.</p>

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<p>Mom - Sorry for the confusion. I’m finding my way here. Burke for lower cost housing but it’s not Honors. Is Honors just Ridgecrest East, West and South? What do you recommend there? Thanks.</p>

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<p>All of the Ridgecrests are very nice, though not the budget-friendly choice. East and West have the same floorplans; South is a bit different. Which is better for a particular student is a matter of personal preference. E/W have larger living areas than S. The E/W beds can’t loft as high. The kitchens and baths are different (look at the pictures on the housing website). E/W suites have a storage closet in the hallway. The bedrooms and both baths in E/W are down a single hallway; in S there are 2 bedrooms and a bath on either side of the living area. S has a cafe style table for 2; the 4 BR suites in E/W have a normal height table for 4. S has modular furniture in the living area (see pics on website). S is a few years newer, is quite a bit larger, has a parking garage underneath and is slightly closer to the quad. I’m sure there are other differences but those are the ones that come to mind. I personally prefer E/W, but I know others who prefer South. All of them are very nice.</p>

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<p>I’m interpreting your question as you’re looking for lower cost dorms where honors students would feel comfortable and find lots of friends with shared interests.</p>

<p>First off, there’s not always much of a difference between non-honors and honors students when it comes to living habits. Finding a roommate with similar habits is often a good idea, but going potluck is usually fine as well. Remember that roommates don’t have to be best friends, rather they just have to respect each other and live somewhat peacefully.</p>

<p>Remember too that many, if not most, students only live on campus for a year. Paying extra for an honors dorm freshman year and then moving off campus for future years is a very common compromise. Off campus living situations vary from $275 (times 2) a month, plus utilities shared 2 bedroom units to $1000+ per month condos or houses for one person. Tuscaloosa zoning laws do allow for multiple unrelated students to live together, so it’s not uncommon for groups of 6 students to rent the large houses on Caplewood Drive behind Publix. </p>

<p>In terms of honors dorms, I’m partial to Ridgecrest East and West, particularly if one can get a lake view close to the bus stop or Lakeside Dining. Palmer Lake is right behind the buildings and has a great walking/jogging path and some very friendly ducks. </p>

<p>For the extra price of an honors dorm or similar buildings, one gets their own room, a bathroom shared with only one other person, a kitchenette with a large refrigerator, and a living room. Bryant Hall is a similar residence hall known for housing football and male basketball players and due to NCAA regulations, male engineering students. It has full-XL beds (use queen sheets), is next to the best dining hall on campus, and is very close to the engineering buildings. </p>

<p>As for non-honors traditional style dorms, I like the design of Palmer and Somerville (same design), but both are to be demolished this summer. Friedman is only for business majors, but has by far the best location on campus right next to the quad and the Strip/Publix. Harris is only open to CIS/Nursing/HES majors.Burke is well-liked, though be aware that it only has regular twin mattresses (Burke East used to have twin-XL mattresses, but this appears to have changed). Women can live in Parham, which is very similar to Burke, or Tutwiler, which is very popular with those joining one of the many sororities on campus. UA’s only all-male traditional residence hall is Paty Hall, which was built very solidly to withstand heavy usage.</p>

<p>While it used to be that many college students at UA lived in shared dorm rooms, that is no longer the case. Now that many students are used to having their own rooms, more and more students have their own dorm room and new off-campus construction focuses on each student having their own bedroom and bathroom.</p>

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<p>Beth and SeaTide - Thank you so much for the information! It’s all helpful. While our son is indeed in the Honor’s college and of course I would like to for him to be in the Honors housing, the cost difference may be his spending money. Refining our budget here. I’m also considering that it may be positive for him to spend his freshman year with a roommate. That has it’s own inconvenience, yet growth rewards. I’m grateful for this site and all of you wonderful UA elders here!</p>

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<p>I know of a few honors students (girls) who are living in Burke and like it. I think the degree of satisfaction with that living arrangement depends in large part on the roommate.</p>

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<p>My S lived in Burke his freshman year as we didn’t want to pay the extra for the Honors dorms. He has no regrets and said he would do it again in the same situation. He is 6’3" and the regular twin bed worked ok…his feet just hung off a bit. The closets are HUGE at Burke and he loved the location and having the dining hall in the building. Most of his friends were in the Honors dorms so a lot of his free time was spent there.</p>

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<p>beth’s mom - Yes, the roommate would be key. DS has said if living in traditional housing he would prefer another honors eng/computer science major, if possible. I think that is very reasonable. </p>

<p>lakesmom - I thought of that, too - that DS would be hanging out with friends in honors housing if he didn’t live there. Thank you for the info your son was good with it and has no regrets.</p>

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<p>Lakesmom my son will be in Burke next year as a freshman & a swimmer. Thank you so much for your input. I was worried about my son and how he would do going from a queen to a twin in Burke. He is also 6’3". Nice to know they survive.</p>

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<p>My 6’4" freshman son is doing just fine at Burke. I loved lakesmom’s comment about the “feet hanging off a bit”! :)</p>

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<p>My son is about 5’11 right now, but we are a fairly tall family. It is nice to know they survive freshman year dorms/beds no matter what is going on!</p>

<p>So we are now all signed up for housing and began looking through potential roommates. We still need to decide honors housing vs Burke.
Son still says traditional housing would be fine and the $$ saving would be worth it. We’ll decide for sure soon and then maybe I’ll post a thread with his profile and if we go for traditional perhaps another honors college student will be a match. If anyone sees this : We are from Napa, CA and my son is a computer science major. Fairly neat but not weird about it, easygoing, studious but definitely likes to have fun. Not into sports. Is learning piano and plays guitar. Likes rock/club techno/metal music. Loves loves video games - League of Legends in particular. He has a twin sister who is taking a gap year; they’ve attended different high schools, have different friends, etc.</p>