Excited and terrified to be starting the college list for S #2, current HS junior. Attends a private NE school. He really prefers big southern or mid-western schools, spirited campus, big sports, unsure of major (business/marketing, psychology being discussed THIS week, grad school possible in future). He currently qualifies for the UA Honors College, hoping for UA Scholar merit aid when all ACT attempts are completed.
Do Honors College students have specific dorms offered to them, if so, are they required to live in them, or are all housing options available? If optional, would love to hear feedback from those who have decided to live in Honors housing OR not to. Thanks!
No, you do not have to live in the honors dorms if you are an honors student. I am not sure there is enough space for all the kids in honors to live in the honors dorms (which makes it important to get your deposit in if UA will be a possibility). My ds lives in one of the honors dorms (Ridgecrest East) and loves it. It is smaller and quieter than some of the other dorms. He did say that the Presidential Dorms are known as ‘Party Dorms’. They are not honors. All of the honors dorms are suite style, and ds likes his suite. But some complain that suite-style dorms CAN be isolating, but this has not been my son’s experience.
Meant2B: Please note that there is some honors housing in other dorms besides Ridgecrest (most of those suites are 4 bd/4bth). Paty (all male), an older traditional-style dorm (2 students/room), offers 1 floor for Honors, and Blount also offers some Honors housing (co-ed foors, suites are 4-person/2 bdrms/1 large divided bath) - 1 floor I think. Check with Housing re: plans for future, but both Paty and Blount offered Honors housing this past year. Good Luck! (My son started in non-Honors housing, and moved to Honors housing for his second semester.)
@BlessedMom3, I know there have been changes to housing this year, but Blount is still listed as having some honors housing. (2 double occupancy bedrooms with a shared bathroom)
Suite style is still main source of Honors housing.
DS wanted a suite as we are OOS and 15/16 hour drive, so he does not get to come home for even long weekends. So he had a place of his own to retire to when he needed some down time. He has been very happy there.
He was very lucky in that he and his suite mates became great friends and hang out together. The halls are quiet, but it doesn’t mean the suites are. He had several friends in Paty, who spent most of their time in his suite. Paty is very close to the Ridgecrest East, West, South & Blount.
Be aware that recontracting for on campus housing for sophomores has become almost non existent except for specific circumstances. So no matter what you may worry over for freshman year, will not be a factor for sophomore year.
DS is currently looking at an off campus housing situation which is phenomenal. It is still cheaper than the dorms.
There are many options off campus and that was a huge concern for me. In Tuscaloosa, it in a non issue.
@laralei, I should have clarified in my post that all the honors resident halls are suite style, but there are some floors in various resident halls that are honors and those layouts do vary. Thanks for pointing that out
Meant2B: My son originally chose a traditional, non-honors dorm due to cost. At that time (when he selected his housing), Paty honors and Blount honors did not exist as an option. One floor or section of Blount ended up becoming “honors overflow” that fall. Paty and Blount are both significantly less $$ than the super-suites of Ridgecrest. (He moved into Blount and was much happier second semester, being in Blount and near Ridgecrest, Just personal preference…)
I strongly encouraged DS to consider Paty, or Blount, or any option where he could save money. But he took out the full federal loans to help offset the costs of the suites. With the dual scholarships, which he earned, I couldn’t really protest too much.
It worked out for the best for him. But with the recent changes, no matter what option chosen, it will only be for the one year for the majority of freshman.
laralei, you bring up a point I haven’t brought up yet, housing after freshman year! So, the vast majority of students move off campus sophomore year? Does UA have resources to help safely direct students to local apartments/homes/condos? Sounds like when we visit with our S we should scope out the surrounding areas as well for that info! Question, when signing leases for off campus places are those leases just for the academic year, or are they full twelve month leases?
UA has plenty of off-campus housing with prices low, high, and everything in between. Most of the offerings are twelve month leases, but the total cost of the rent is usually less than the honors super suites on campus and the added benefit is that your student won’t have to move his/her belongings each summer. Here’s a link to get you started.
But he took out the full federal loans to help offset the costs of the suites. With the dual scholarships, which he earned, I couldn’t really protest too much.