It’s my understanding that my daughter has to apply for housing by Feb1 to get her choice of dorm. She really liked Alabama, but we are still too early in this process to be making any deposits. You have to make an enrollment deposit before you can make a housing deposit. And I thought once you make an enrollment deposit somewhere, you are supposed to withdraw other applications…? She is a finalist for another full ride (she has to go to the interview in Feb). We haven’t even heard back from some schools. If we wait, what would/could her dorm situation be at Alabama? It makes me nervous, as one drawback of Bama is that it would be a big culture change for her and thus I think living in honors dorms would be key. Any advice?
I’m struggling with the same issue. You don’t have to withdraw other applications, but you do lose the non-refundable deposit ($300 I think, and a $25 non-refundable portion of the housing deposit). One thing I’ve seen suggested is a student finding a possible roommate who can save them a spot in the suite should the student choose to go there.
I wouldn’t mind paying a housing deposit-even if a portion is non-refundable-to secure a dorm. I’m a little iffy on paying an enrollment deposit though, since I’m not sure she will end up enrolling. Thanks for the roommate suggestion.
We are in the same situation. For now we are holding off. She will not deposit before Feb 1 so we will just see how it goes. We have a visit to another school scheduled for mid Feb and I think after that the decision will be clear, but I just can’t bring myself to put down an enrollment deposit before my D decides.
We are in the exact same situation. We will not deposit for Feb 1 as my DD is still waiting to hear from one last school. We cannot visit before April so it should be very interesting to see what happens.
Please then do not have heart set on honors dorm then. DS paid housing deposit end of January not knowing if he would attend. He had matched himself to three roommates with later housing deposits so he chose first. He got the last open suite in RCW. RCE was already full. Now there were some single rooms in suites still available here and there but that’s it. Have a few different dorm ideas in mind to avoid disappointment.
I paid our housing deposit at the beginning on November. Do you think my son will have a good chance at getting a single in one of the dorms?
He interviewed for the Blount program, but if he doesn’t get into the program or decides the program isn’t a good fit for him, I think he is interested in a single room.
By single room do you mean a private bedroom in a 4 bedroom suite? If so, I think he has a very good chance. There are a LOT of the suite style dorms now - it might be harder to get one of the less expensive traditional dorms these days.
Yes, that’s what I mean @beth’s mom.
@Justathought1 my DS paid housing deposit last year mid November - we got one of the last open 4 person suites in Ridgecrest east (we were in the 7th out of about 15 waves to pick).
Just be on your toes.
Have all roommates have an alternate plan if first choice not available.
Justathought1, is your son looking for just one bedroom or is he looking for a completely empty suite? That will make a big difference.
Single bedroom - suite with others
Single bedroom - suite with others
Single bedroom - suite with others
Sorry for the duplicate posts. It seemed as though it wasn’t posting.
We are waiting as well. Heading that way next month.
My daughter is a freshman at UA now. last year, right before the deadline, we went through the same issues and worries. But we enrolled and paid the deposits. She did get a suite style room in RCS. Here’s why we did it: I called the university and asked about the enrolling commitment so early, and they told me it wasn’t an Enrollment in the sense that most schools do it, that you are committed to attend the school. Not committing until you go to orientation and enroll in classes. Lots of people pay this enrollment and housing and then change their minds so you are not really playing games with them, even though it might feel like that. They are the ones making a “game” in my view. I also did not want to “double enroll” because of the common app restrictions about doing this…she only “enrolled” at UA while we waited to see if other scholarships were going to go through. Finally, UA is not even on the Common App, so the rule doesn’t strictly apply. So basically I am gonna give the advice that if you can afford it, then do it… The suite dorms are very nice… But keep in mind that no matter where student lives freshman year, almost everyone moves off campus to the nearby student only apartments in sophomore year, some of which are really beautiful. don’t count on keeping that dorm for more than the one year.
For me, the lack of housing for upperclassmen is a con of attending The University of Alabama. I really prefer for my child to stay on campus.
@Justathought1 Is this your first child going to college? My older two both could have stayed in the dorms but chose not to the second year. One, D1, moved into university apartment at UMN and S1 moved into a house with friends at IU.
I fully expect my twins to move to an apartment after Freshman year wherever they go. Maybe separate depending on friend relationships.
I lived in the dorms all four years at Iowa State. Mainly because I did not want the hassle of cooking. Lived one summer in apartment between Freshman/Sophomore year when I switched from Econ to Engineering.
Do you want your child in Campus Housing for safety purposes or some other reason?
Every upperclassman who met the deadlines and applied for on campus housing was given on campus housing for 2015-16. I don’t know if it will always be that way, but that’s how it’s been at least the last couple of yrs.