Housing application

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
1

<p>I read somewhere, I’m sure in one of M2CK’s many informative posts that you should send the housing deposit in early and it is mostly refundable. A couple of questions please-
how early can we send it?
where is it on my bama?
how much is it, and how much is refundable?
Ridgecrest South is the new dorm that we saw on the tour with the honors suites and the parking garage under(?), right?
Any other choice dorms?</p>

<p>Thanks as always. I don’t know how other parents function without all this info readily available.</p>

2

<p>Many of your questions about the housing deposit process will be answered by clicking on this link: [Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/apply.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/apply.cfm)</p>

<p>It doesn’t appear that the 2010/11 housing contract is online yet. I would call housing on Monday to find out when they estimate the new contracts to be available.</p>

<p>You are correct about Ridgecrest South. Some of the UA veterans can address this better than I can, but I must say that all of the super-suite dorms I’ve seen look great. My son lives in Ridgecrest West, an all-honors residence hall, and says “it rocks.” From what I’ve seen of it during move-in last weekend, I have to agree.</p>

3

<p>the housing deposit is mostly refundable</p>

<p>the other deposit (enrollment?) that says “i am going to alabama” is not</p>

<p>so it will cost 250 - 300 if you change your mind</p>

4

<p>ldinct: Ridgecrest South-North Tower is the newest Honors dorm . Ridgecrest West is also honors dorms (they’re about 3 years older so still new in my book) as are parts of Lakeside & Riverside.</p>

<p>From the housing website: Honors College</p>

<p>The Honors College living option in Riverside West, Lakeside West, Ridgecrest North and Ridgecrest West is available to members of the University Honors Program, International Honors Program, and/or Computer-Based Honors Program. These coed living-learning facilities form the center of the University’s tightly-knit honors community. Because of the demand for Honors Housing, only incoming Honors College freshmen and current residents of Honors Housing can be accommodated. </p>

<p>BTW, my D wanted to be in Ridgecrest South-North, but there was no space available there at her room selection time; she choose a room in Ridgecrest West & I can’t imagine a much sweeter set up than she has.</p>

5

<p>It says that you must accept admission in order to apply for housing, so that is the part that is not refundable, right? So you pay the $250-$300 admission deposit which is nonrefundable and then the $250 housing deposit of which everything but $25 is refundable, right?</p>

6

<p>…yes…</p>

7

<p>Thanks, from the links Malani sent me, Oct is the first group of dates for priority housing. I see that you can’t wait until May 1 to make a decision and get preferred housing as the housing choosing dates are in March. I did see you guys here still picking honors rooms in June. Did you miss the March housing times, or did you want to change your rooms after the March picks? Just wondering if you absolutely need to get the March picks in order to receive an honors suite dorm, in case S isn’t ready to commit in the fall. If he’s 90% sure I think I will send in the deposit anyway.
Are there any negatives in accepting admission so early? Like you don’t get as much “Love” during the next year, both materially & informationally? You can still do an overnite and meet with profs in the fall? You still get invited to fall events? You don’t have to wait for admitted student days in the spring (if 'bama has those)? I’m just thinking its going to be a long year and I want S to stay excited about 'bama with all the outside influences he’s going to face.</p>

8

<p>Idinct: D sent her housing deposits/freshman enrollment in mid November which got her into the 4th move in time slot. She still got invited to Capstone Honors Day, etc. And she still got lots of “love” from the Honors college (i.e. the letter from Dr. Halli, etc.)</p>

9

<p>I see that you can’t wait until May 1 to make a decision and get preferred housing as the housing choosing dates are in March.</p>

<p>I do NOT advise waiting until anywhere close to May to make a deposit. Those that waited til April (or around April) were very upset to find it hard to find an honors room. Those who wanted to choose roommates were especially frustrated since when a bed would be available, it might only be with upper-classmen. </p>

<p>So, if your child might want to select suitemates (via Facebook or whatever) or wants to have freshman suitemates, then he needs to deposit early.</p>

<p>I did see you guys here still picking honors rooms in June. Did you miss the March housing times, or did you want to change your rooms after the March picks?</p>

<p>Some waited too long to deposit. Some could only get non-honors and had to wait for an opening to get into honors. Some wanted to change from a suite with upperclassmen or from a suite with unknown people.</p>

<p>If a student is going to be picky at all, he/she needs to deposit early. Those who deposit late can end up with slim pickings.</p>

<p>Each year is getting more difficult to get choice picks. Last year everyone was shocked to see how quickly honors housing filled up - especially when Bama has so many honors beds.</p>

10

<p>^^^Listen to mom! She knows what she’s talking about here. You snooze, you lose on super-suite and/or honors housing.</p>

11

<p>When, exactly, do you recommend sending in deposits to ensure a room in an honors suite with freshmen? When do those spots generally tend to be filled?</p>

12

<p>*When, exactly, do you recommend sending in deposits to ensure a room in an honors suite with freshmen? When do those spots generally tend to be filled? *</p>

<p>Your “sign up time” is based on your deposit time. See below…</p>

<p>Housing Deposit Date…Date/Time to pick room.</p>

<p>October 1- 15…Thursday, March 11 6:00-10:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time</p>

<p>October 16-31…Thursday, March 11 7:00-10:00 p.m. CDT </p>

<p>November 1-20…Tuesday, March 23 6:00-10:00 p.m. CDT</p>

<p>November 21-December 5…Tuesday, March 23, 7:00-10:00 p.m. CDT</p>

<p>December 6-31…Tuesday, March 23, 8:00-10:00 p.m. CDT</p>

<p>January 1-20…Thursday, March 25, 6:00-10:00 p.m. CDT</p>

<p>January 21-February 5…Thursday, March 25, 7:00-10:00 p.m. CDT</p>

<p>February 6-March 1…Thursday, March 25, 8:00-10:00 p.m. CDT</p>

<p>As you can see, those who deposit by Dec 31st, will have the best opportunities to select the res hall of their choice, and choose to either live with unknown other freshmen or to pick a suite that has enough empty rooms that you and a friend or two can live in. I would probably deposit by Oct 31 for even better selection.</p>

<p>Even if you have no idea of who you would want to live with, you may find (thru Facebook) a student or two that you will want to share a suite with.</p>

<p>The reason that it can be difficult to get what you want if you deposit late, is that upper classmen have already chosen their rooms…and more and more upper classmen are choosing to remain on campus.</p>

<p>Remember, you get to pick your hall, the floor, the suite, and the actual bedroom.</p>

13

<p>Just a few follow-up questions on the Honors Dorms:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Are any of the Honors Dorms “Freshmen Only”</p></li>
<li><p>If I send in my Honors housing deposit on October 1, am I putting in my dorm preferences at that time or am I merely getting in the que and I make my dorm selections at a later date. </p></li>
<li><p>I will likely put in for a random roommate. How do I ensure I am only put in a room with other Freshmen?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thank you.</p>

14

<p>Hi Riggo:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>As far as I know, none of the honors dorms are classified as Freshmen only.</p></li>
<li><p>When you put your housing deposit in, you are only putting your name in the que. Room selection dates are determined by the date you deposit. You can see how that worked for this past year at: [Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/selection_schedule.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/new_students/selection_schedule.cfm)</p></li>
<li><p>When it comes time to select your room, you select the building, room # and in the case of the honors suites, which bedroom. At the time you select your space, you can see who else is in the room. It doesn’t say what their class status is, but you can usually Facebook surf & find that out pretty quickly. At the time of freshman room picks, you can assume any empty spaces in the room will be taken by other freshmen since upper classmen go through room selection earlier.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>As an FYI, my D did the random roommate selection & is in a room with 2 sophomores and another freshman. They are all very nice girls and the fact that 2 are upperclassmen isn’t an issue at all.</p>

15

<p>We turned it our deposits in February and it was harder to get honors housing but not impossible…we just had to wait around for something to open up. Students switch in and out of housing so if you go on the website often enough you can usually get what you need. My son ended up in ridgecrest south-north with all freshman. He just took an open bed and hoped for the best, but he is easy going. I would say if you are the type that likes to pick roommates and get your room at the first available time early deposit is essential. If you dont mind a little extra work (you have to go on the website at the appointed time each night to find an open space), and aren’t fussy about who you room with later will probably be okay. I think ultimately it seemed that everyone on CC got something they were happy with.</p>

16

<p>Is there any benefit to depositing October 1 versus October 15 or would they both have the same priority?</p>

17

<p>As long as both dates have the same priority, there is no additional benefit for paying your deposit on the earlier date.</p>

18

<p>The priority dates might be the same, but are the times the same?</p>

19

<p>Just a bump to m2ck’s question. Would a October 1 housing deposit allow you to pick your room at the same time as someone who deposited on October 15? For example, would the October 1 person be able to start picking at 6:00 p.m. and the October 15 person at 8:00 p.m.?</p>

20

<p>If the last two years are any indication, people who place deposits between October 1st and 15th will get to choose a room between 6pm and 10pm Central, while those who place deposits between October 16th and October 31st will choose a room between 7pm and 10pm the same day as those who paid their deposits earlier in October. Using this example (the exact dates could change) a person who places their deposits on the 15th would have the same priority as those who did between the 1st and the 14th, but those who placed their deposits on the 16th would have a later priority.</p>

<p>If you’re familiar with advance purchase requirements for plane tickets, hotel rooms, etc, the process is very similar, although in this case, the number of people allowed to place deposits on certain dates is not capacity controlled. Just as you can’t purchase a 21-day advance purchase fare 20 days prior and instead have to purchase a 14-day advance purchase fare, your housing selection date is determined by what time period you place your deposits.</p>