Housing and Room Mate

<p>FSU just visited our high school today. They said that you can either pick your dorm or pick your roommate. I prefer to pick my dorm. But.....do they try to put you with someone who has similar interests..etc or is it totally random. Also what would you suggest for a choice of dorm if you were a freshman and probably at the bottom of the barrel with choices.</p>

<p>It’s pretty much random. They ask a couple basic questions, such as whether you get up early in the morning or study with music, but that’s pretty much it. </p>

<p>As for what dorm to pick, all the lower-level dorms (Kellum, Smith, Deviney, Dorman) are pretty much the same level of kinda crappy. The only difference really will be where they are on campus.</p>

<p>Your priority number is critical in getting the dorm you want. When admission results are released in Dec. immediately submit the housing application and deposit. By immediately, I mean as soon as the results are released: do not pass go, do not call your grandmother, do not post on facebook, submit your housing application first. There will be a link on your status page to the housing application. If you are deferred you will have to wait until March to submit it. Last year the admission decisions were posted about 6pm, not midnight. So start checking early. You can change your dorm choices, etc, until May 1st. So don’t worry about what you put down now, you can research the dorms and decide later. I found housing to be very helpful about which dorms would be available with my daughter’s priority number. Hope this helps.</p>

<p>^^^ Exactly. The housing priority number is everything. You snooze, you lose.</p>

<p>The VERY SECOND the university opens the website you apply for your number. The lower your number the better. </p>

<p>This is a simple task that should not be fumbled. :)</p>

<p>In addition, your priority number stays with you throughout your duration as a student at FSU, so if you have hopes of eventually living in Ragans or Wildwood Phase II as a Sophomore, that priority number is extremely important.</p>

<p>Last year, people were able to sign up for housing over 6 hours prior to the midnight when decisions were to be released. It is to your utmost benefit to be sitting by your computer that evening/night and sign up the second the window opens. A small price to pay to be first in line.</p>

<p>I got it and that will be exactly what I will do. What are my number 1 and 2 housing choices. Im a female by the way in case that matters.</p>

<p>My daughters liked Gilchrist, Landis and Reynolds. Very social. In the middle of most everything.</p>

<p>My daughter is a freshman and we did a lot of research on dorms because her priority number was on the bubble for community vs. suite style. We attended a preview day in the spring, during which we had the opportunity to tour a few dorms and speak directly to housing.</p>

<p>Here is some of the info we collected, plus some personal opinions.</p>

<p>Wildwood and DeGraff: the newest dorms, and very sought after. In my personal opinion, neither are in the best location. My daughter lived in DeGraff for summer term and found it to be noisy. </p>

<p>Landis: is the honors dorm, so if your are not in the honors program I would not list it.</p>

<p>Gilchrist: is the overflow dorm for the honors program. Its not exclusively honors, but for my daughter’s priority number, we were told by housing not to list it as a choice.</p>

<p>Bryan: is a freshman only learning community. In order to live in Bryan you have to apply and be accepted to their learning community.</p>

<p>Reynolds: is the wellness program. You have to sign an agreement stating that you will refrain for alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc.</p>

<p>Broward: is a small hall with 135 resident, half being male and half female. We were told by housing that Broward fills up quickly, so you need a great priority number.</p>

<p>Cawthon: has two learning community, but we were told that they are some non-learning community dorm rooms available.</p>

<p>Jeannie Murphee: is an all female dorm. This is where my daughter currently lives. She finds it quiet and a good location.</p>

<p>Salley: is a on the west side of campus. It is suite style with two bedrooms sharing a common study area and bathroom. We thought the bedroom and study areas were small, beds had to be bunked.</p>

<p>The other dorms are community style. Smith has built in beds which eliminates the potential for under the bed storage. Housing told us that Dorman has some of the larger dorm rooms on campus and that Deviney had recently gotten new carpet in the hallways.
I don’t know much about Kellum.</p>

<p>Once you get your priority number, narrow your preferences down, attend preview day if you can, and contact housing with questions, I found them very helpful. Also, think about location and whether you want a meal plan or not. You can change you choice up until the date that admission decisions are due. Good luck.</p>

<p>I would say go for Salley if you value sleep, when you want to sleep. That was the problem I faced last year–I lived in Reynolds, which was really nice, BUT I had two roommates, and one liked to stay up to all hours and I’m a really light sleeper…so my 8 am classes REALLY sucked. Also, the one who stayed up really late would sleep all day, so the room was pretty much dark all the time. The benefit of Salley is that there is that second room, separate from the beds, that you can stay in if you’re up late and don’t want to disturb your roommate, or if you like to sleep, you probably won’t be disturbed because your other roommate would probably be in the study area. Just my two cents…I have my own room off campus now and my body thanks it; having disturbed sleep pretty much every night sucked last year.</p>