My daughter was accepted to the Scholars program and submitted the program form. She and a regular admit want to room together and both like the location of the Scholars dorms (and the a/c). What needs to be done to make the request to have the two girls live in the Scholars dorm for my daughter’s assigned program and will UMD comply? Thank you.
“Will UMD comply?”
I will give you a cautionary yes that it can be done. Understand that priority for specific dorms is given to students in that program. Your daughter is guaranteed housing in the scholars community, and if she requests to room with someone in the same program, she will be guaranteed that specific dorm.
However, if she requests to room with someone that is not in Scholars (as per your question), she is still guaranteed in the scholars “community” (so a dorm in Cambridge Quad) but not guaranteed for the program specific dorm. For example, if her program’s dorm is Cambridge (which is a low-riser and smaller) and does not have the space to fit the “extra” person of her requested roommate, your daughter may get bumped to Cumberland (as an example), which is a high-riser and has more room.
Resident Life does their best to accommodate requests that are mutual, but if there is a space issue, priority for placement in Scholars dorms is given to students in Scholars. Therefore, there is no guarantee that they will be placed together, but they really do their best to make it work. In order for the request to be considered, it has to be a mutual request, done by email.
However, I suggest that you attend and admitted student’s day and pose that question there when you are in the scholars’ info session for the most accurate and up to date info.
That was really a terrific answer. Thank you so much for all of the helpful information you provide.