<p>I lived in barracks in high school and dorms at two different universities. My best experience in high school was living in portable buildings while they renovated the much nicer barracks. My best experience in college was living in the non air-conditioned dorms (in Texas of all places). It was great because everyone left their doors open to let the air circulate and thus it was a much better community atmosphere.</p>
<p>Of course, we didn't have any non air-conditioned girl dorms so I guess the girls just had to suffer in a less friendly and open environment :-)</p>
<p>norcalguy Living off campus isn't the worst thing in the world.</p>
<p>No, it certainly isn?t. It?s just that at lottery time their group was pressured on the spot to take the themed houses offered or nothing at all. They just didn?t expect such limited ?choices? this year. They had carefully planned out various group configurations for many various possible interested places?all a waste of time. But life goes on?</p>
<p>Norcalguy: By the way, thanks a million for all your helpful posts and insights to so many students and guardians.</p>
<p>No, it certainly isn't. It's just that at lottery time their group was pressured on the spot to take the themed houses offered or nothing at all. They just didn't expect such limited choices this year. They had carefully planned out various group configurations for many various possible interested places... all a waste of time. But life goes on....</p>
<p>I will agree that the "themed" houses shouldn't really count as guaranteed housing, especially the racial ones. I'm not racist but I do think it would be a little awkward living in one of those houses if you don't identify with the culture. But as I noted, living off campus isn't bad at all since you learn to take care of yourself (no longer anyone to cook or clean up the bathroom for you).</p>
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I'm not racist but I do think it would be a little awkward living in one of those houses if you don't identify with the culture.
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<p>It sounds a lot like living in Texas. However, my guess is that everyone at Cornell can speak the same language.</p>
<p>So what's the deal with these themed houses? Do they dress you up like a mariachi or is it just that you have to live with people of another race (gasp..scary).</p>
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But as I noted, living off campus isn't bad at all since you learn to take care of yourself (no longer anyone to cook or clean up the bathroom for you).
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<p>Kids really prefer living on campus? LoL...that's an interesting concept.</p>
<p>Acerbic: Yes, there are other things too, but my housing situation is main reason I'm so angry with Cornell for now. Cornell housing is forever screwing me. Last year, they placed me in a Balch double, which made me realize how dangerous it was to room with someone in a dorm full of girls. That was why I wanted to live in a single so much for the coming year.
Besides, I didn't even ask to be placed in a themed house. I'm sick of North Campus(partly because of the never-ending bridge detours) and I want to live with other sophomores.
Does anyone know how the wait list for sophomores works? They said on their website that they couldn't guarantee me an on campus housing since I didn't select a room during my designated time slot. Do I need to start looking for off-campus housings now? How do I get out of the on-campus housing contract if it turns out that no on-campus room becomes available for me?
mynxmom: I hope things work out alright for your daughter.</p>
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How do I get out of the on-campus housing contract if it turns out that no on-campus room becomes available for me?
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<p>Do not worry about this. They would love to get rid of you. That way, they can give your slot on the waiting list to someone else.</p>
<p>I suspect that part of the problem here is that the current freshman class was larger than expected. Somebody goofed on the enrollment a year ago, and you're still suffering as a result.</p>
<p>Isn't it ironic that while Cornell supports diversity, it segregates people by race into these program houses?</p>
<p>cornell should get rid of the program houses that only serve to segregate the races and prevent diversity. Why do I not see enough black people living in my dorm? If Cornell is all about diversity, why are they segregating people? </p>
<p>cornell housing sucks because it is way overpriced for what you get. The off campus housing is much better because they have to compete with each other so you get more space for a better price. Once cornell lowers its housing costs, maybe they'll see more people living in their dorms.</p>
<p>I think so too^, its really odd for an institution like Cornell! I’m also not too fond of joining campus groups/clubs that are like that, I think they totally defeat the whole purpose of providing diversity and understanding…lol</p>
<p>"I suspect that part of the problem here is that the current freshman class was larger than expected. Somebody goofed on the enrollment a year ago, and you're still suffering as a result."</p>
<p>true, 250 extra students and no housing. </p>
<p>also, they're currently building new dorms for much more space, but you can't quite live in them before they've been built.</p>
<p>My daughter has told me that there are now dozens of freshman in the same predicament as she. They were all unable to get housing on campus for next year. She thinks that this is a result of the over-enrollment of freshman and also because more students than usual are now choosing to live on campus. She certainly did not expect to be forced off campus as a sophomore. She did not expect to get a room in one of the newer dorms due to her lottery number but, she and her friend thought that they would at least get a double in one of the older dorms or one of the collegetown dorms. She feels that the housing office should have anticipated this problem earlier. After all, they knew how many rooms were available and how man applicants there were. Had this information been publicized sooner, she would have had more time to look into some of the other themed houses or looked into off-campus housing sooner.</p>
<p>Isn't it ridiculous that Cornell denies the fact that they overenrolled 250 people last year? When I asked the housing office this question last year, they said no.
Do I need to notify them if I decide not to live in a dorm for next year? How much is the penalty for leaving the contract thing? Now I not only have to worry about midterms, but also about where I'm gonna live for next year. I'm worried that it is a little too late to look for off-campus housing now.
I agree with whoever said about segregating dorms by race is ironic considering the fact that Cornell's known for its rich diversity in student body.</p>
<p>"Isn't it ridiculous that Cornell denies the fact that they overenrolled 250 people last year?"</p>
<p>it was published in the 'official' cornell newspaper last year. </p>
<p>" I'm worried that it is a little too late to look for off-campus housing now."</p>
<p>it's clear you don't read the daily sun. either that or you somehow miss all of the ads for apartments. it's not too late, i havn't done housing yet and I'm not worried about a thing.</p>
<p>My roommate and I didn't sign the lease for the apt. I'm living in right now till 5 days before the end of spring semester last year. It's never too late.</p>
<p>The real problem here is the themed "living centers." Ujamaa and the LLC and Akweon or however the hell you spell it should just be scrapped. There have been a few editorials in the Sun that I've read just over this past year that I've been here arguing for just that, and I'd agree 100%. I have friends living in triples meant to be doubles (in the Low Rises) while there's something like 40% occupancy at Ujamaa (same layout as the Low Rises, ie used to be one). That's ridiculous. African Americans spent years fighting for integration, so let's ****ing do it. What if I wanted to create a European Living Center to celebrate my white heritage? The PC police wouldn't hear of it, yet it's great that African Americans and Latin Americans and Native Americans can live together and "celebrate" their "heritage" (nevermind the fact that the vast majority of them come from the same exact culture that white and Asian students came from, ie the monoculture that is the United States). </p>
<p>I think the OP went a little overboard suggesting that she might not have come to Cornell had she known this (I think a better regret would be not realizing that the first thing you should do fall semester is find a place off-campus to live the following year, something I wish I'd done when the better places in Ctown and elsewhere were still available), but if I had been stuck with my original timeslot (Saturday night at 10:30, literally the last possible slot I believe) and only had "heritage-themed" houses on North to choose from, I'd be *<strong><em>ed as *</em></strong> too.</p>
<p>Yes right. It would have been more fair if they had built European Living Center and Asian Living Center. I personally do not wish to live off campus for my second year. How long should I wait to hear back from the housing office? What if I don't get a place to live at all? Is distance learning available at Cornell?</p>
<p>"How long should I wait to hear back from the housing office? What if I don't get a place to live at all? Is distance learning available at Cornell?"</p>
<p>you're going way overboard with this. calm down, ok? there were still apartments for rent in october for the fall semester that were close to campus and cheaper than on campus housing. you'll have a place to live, to think otherwise is just ridiculous.</p>
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What if I don't get a place to live at all? Is distance learning available at Cornell?
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<p>Did Hurricane Katrina sweep through Ithaca or something? Perhaps the US govt will erect a tent city for residents to live in during the rebuilding process.</p>
<p>mynxmom: I agree that housing is a problem at Cornell, esp compared to the other ivies such as Yale with its great residential college system. My daughter is a soph and lives in a sorority house this year. Due to her knowledge of other kids who were in a similar situation as your daughter with the housing lottery, she decided to live off campus next year. Due to the number of kids looking for off campus housing, students are basically forced to decide on next years living arrangements a year in advance. In October 2006, she signed a lease that begins in August 2007. Wating until the spring of 2007 to look for an off campus place for the Fall of 2007 means you end very far from campus or are paying an exhorbitant amount, as most of the spots were taken months ago. The landlords really have the kids (and their parents) over a barrel. </p>
<p>For a school with as much space available as Cornell, building a few more dormitories should be a priority.</p>
<p>D is now a junior- last year she lived in a collegetown dorm. And is now in off campus housing in an apartment in collegetown.<br>
As Dillon said, it seems that kids start looking in Oct/Nov for housing for the next year. It just seems to be the way it is done at Cornell.
I know there is alot of construction going on west campus, so I would hope this will alleviate some of the problems.
Ya gotta plan ahead with Cornell- FYI- when we took d up for freshman orientation, we made reservations for a Hotel for her Graduation in 2008-
Yes- some hotels in Ithaca will take reservations 4 years in advance.<br>
So looking for an apartment 10 months early, doesn't phase me at all!!</p>