We are OOS and debating whether to look at URI. From what I’ve heard most upperclassmen move off campus by junior year and rent beach homes which are 15 min from the school and parking is tight at URI. Doesn’t please this mom too much. Can you confirm if this is accurate? Also what is freshman housing like? Are there a lot of forced triples? Thanks!
I don’t know about upperclassmen housing, but as far as triples go… yes, most freshmen are in triples. The rooms are well arranged for triples, but they do vary in niceness. Although most of the dorms have been updated semi-recently, certain dorms like Hillside are substantially prettier than others.
A friend of mine was on a tour recently and the guide told them about the beach house thing.
There are also apartments and houses to rent around the campus itself. We (my husband, myself and son) just rented those and walked to school. No need to go down the line (beach housing) if you don’t want to. Honors College has it’s own upper class housing and so does international study programs. Just stay near campus. @Peachpie9
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I don’t think there are triples. There wasn’t a few years ago. What major? Different majors can get different housing @Peachpie9
My son and I just went for a tour of campus and there are DEFINITELY triples. We were told that getting a triple depends on the dorm students are assigned to, and dorms are assigned by declared majors.
I have a D15 that graduated from URI a couple of years ago, and a S17 who is currently a junior. They are both OOS (NH) but the FA they got made the cost comparable to UNH (where neither wanted to go). They were decent students but not superstars by any means.
Both were in “forced triples” (meaning they got a ~$600 housing rebate from URI) the first year. They both seemed fine with that (esp since we let them keep the rebate). After that my D moved into a sorority house for 1 year, then to Narragansett (she was 3 and done). S moved to Narragansett his 2nd year. Living OC, esp in Narragansett (~20 minutes away) seems to be extremely common. My D lived in a neighborhood (Sakonnet? Google maps calls it “Point Judith Neck”) that looked like a mcSubdivision, but instead of parents and little kids it was virtually all college students. Nice deal for the owners, college students, then vacationers in the summer (Narragansett is a beach town).
The dorms they lived in (D lived in Fayerweather, S might have lived in Bressler, I forget) were fine, if nothing to write home about. I believe Hillside is (or was) reserved for Pharmacy students and their roommates.
I can only speak from my own experience. We are fairly overprotective parents, and neither of my URI kids are especially worldly-wise, but it turned out fine, and was a positive experience for both. The only problem is that you need a car. There’s a public bus (RIPTA), but you really need a car.
We were not thrilled when S17 moved OC his 2nd year, but he’s been fine and he’s learned to cook for himself and deal with bills. He lives in Bonnet Shores. Narragansett is kind of like Chile, long and thin. Bonnet (north) and Sakonnet (south) are probably like 20-25 minutes apart.
The downside is that they both became somewhat separated from the campus. This is neither good nor bad, but something to consider. One additional upside is that you buying food at Stop & Shop is cheaper than the campus meal plan.
FWIW, we have been really happy with URI. It’s not Harvard, obviously, but for my first two it’s been great. S19 is at UNH (and really likes that), and D21 is just starting to look, mostly at NESCACs and the like.
Both UNH and URI have very pretty campuses and locations.
Good luck to you.
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I went back and read my previous post and my substandard cut and paste skills totally failed me yet again.
Let’s try again.
FWIW, we have been really happy with URI. It’s not Harvard, obviously, so there’s the natural tendency of the parent to think “state school”, “beach house”, “party, party, party”, but for my first two it’s been great.
Thanks everyone, great info!
My daughter is currently a junior and was placed in a forced triple as a freshman, as most freshman are. You do get a small $ credit back for being in a triple. She got along well with her roommates, fortunately, as space was unbelievably tight and the usual dismal cinder block style.
Housing options open wide up after freshman year since so many students live off campus. The following year she lucked out with better housing through the campus lottery and shared a much nicer, roomy suite with 3 other girls. It was the nicest dorm suite I have ever seen. The lottery is based on credits earned, so her roommate had junior status, not sophomore, due to AP credits and got an amazing lottery number for the group.
She currently lives with 4 friends in a beach house about 20 minutes from campus and drives each day. Every girl in the house has their own car. Almost all juniors and seniors move into beach houses off campus, some sophomores too. The lure of the beach is a big draw even though the rents are very pricey. The dorms are very loud and the dining hall food is so bad so that’s a big factor too. There are some upperclass academic dorms (like the pharmacy student dorm) which I’m sure would be quieter. My daughter just could not stomach the food on campus so she’s happy to have her own kitchen. She will be graduating one year early this May so doesn’t need to worry about housing next year.
She had a pretty good overall experience at URI, probably better than most since she’s strong academically and socially and enrolled in one a better school (CELS). She made good friends, enjoyed some clubs and easily handled her classes.
URI never really blew her away in what it had to offer academically. The biggest source of frustration is that there is zero career support in terms of placement and recruiting. But, she knew this going in and was able to land internships through her own perseverance. There can also be a lot of red tape when an issue arises with little help from advisors or administration - probably true at most state schools. Independent kids will find their way through the hurdles on their own, but there was one situation involving a mistaken grade from a former instructor where we had to step in as parents to help. It was finally resolved but this gave us some real insight into the how frustrating the red tape can be for students.
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Thank you, this is very helpful! I think URI not really a good fit for my daughter.
My daughter will be heading to URI in the fall. She has NO intention of joining a sorority. As an engineering major, she has been told she will be in a double, and NOT a triple. (so major must make a difference). She is a bit apprehensive about the strong Greek reputation, and the discussions about people heading home on weekends, but she figures she will be able to find “her people”. We are OOS, and do not plan for her to be home on many (if any!) weekends during the academic year. Hope she finds other like-minded students!
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@snowlark my DD is OOS too and not really interested in Greek life. I believe her LLC at Browning Hall are triples…not sure yet. On the 4th she’ll be submitting the housing application. She’s going for Environmental Science. She won’t be home on weekends either as we are over 5 hours away. Luckily though, I grew up there and have immediate family within a 45 minute drive. She’ll meet like-minded people and be ok, hoping.
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Anybody have any updates from this year? D has been accepted for Fall '21 in International Studies program. Does anyone know which LLC that falls into and which residence hall she would be in?
Thanks!
My son was accepted as a Fall 2021 Ocean Engineering major. Does anyone know what dorm that would be?
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My daughter graduated 5 years ago - but while there she stayed on campus all 4 years. She had a double her freshman year and then was fortunate enough to get into the honors housing the next 3 years. This was a suite of 5 single bedrooms. She prepared her own meals - no more meal plan - which was a plus for her as well. She was in Browning her fist year (CELS) which had forced triples. The room she was in stayed as a double because it was ever so slightly smaller than most other rooms. She and her roommate were the same major.
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