<p>Hoping that I will gain acceptance on December 14th, please explain the dorm deposit policy. I have read that although the official acceptances come out at midnight, some of the acceptances are listed at 6:00 PM and if you immediately put in your housing deposit before midnight, your housing application will be placed on the bottom of the list . Also, any suggestions on housing deposits in order to improve my chances at my choice locations are sincerely appreciated. THANKS</p>
<p>My son was accepted last year (I think it was around 6pm) and we immediately paid the housing deposit. He got a number of 11 for his housing priority. He chose to go to UF though so we got a refund on the deposit.</p>
<p>Just apply as soon as you find out whether you’re accepted or not, if FSU is one of your top schools and you plan on living on campus. </p>
<p>If you have a priority number of around 500 or less you’re pretty much golden for whatever your first choice is. </p>
<p>You can pay the housing deposit either online or by mail… It really depends on whether the $7 online convenience fee (that’s not a typo) is worth it to you or not to pay online instead of by mail.</p>
<p>Pasbal-
Thanks-
Are you saying, apply for housing prior to midnight when acceptances
are listed online or wait after midnight ?</p>
<p>I saw on this board too something about those “sneaking” housing apps in before midnight getting their low priority numbers yanked and being thrown to the back of the line. I don’t see how FSU could rightly penalize early bird housing applicants because FSU’s system had a flaw in it allowing people getting in line earlier than they were really supposed to. FSU housing needs to make sure their online procedures aren’t flawed this next go round.</p>
<p>Past years the actual deposit didn’t have to be sent in for a week or two–you didn’t have to send money in with the online application immediately–you had the option of paying it later.</p>
<p>When I got accepted, the notices went out at midnight, and FSU’s systems crashed. I actually only knew I’d been accepted because I got the email, since the status check page we were told to check crashed at midnight. So I don’t have experience with the early housing thing.</p>
<p>My advice has always been the same: The second you find out from FSU that you’re accepted, and you are heavily considering them and are thinking of living on campus, apply for housing. A good priority number is very valuable, especially if you live on campus multiple years since you keep the same priority number. </p>
<p>My priority number was right at 500, and I actually applied the afternoon after I found out I was accepted. A friend of mine applied a few hours before and got a number around 375. And a friend of mine actually did the smart thing and at midnight applied for housing instead of waiting to see whether they were accepted or not- and had a housing number around 5. </p>
<p>However, with the admissions decision possibly being available hours early, I don’t know. I would say that if you filled out the application at say 6pm and FSU then gave you a bad priority number, you would have a right to complain. It may be worth it just to wait till midnight though if they were tossing out the early applications…</p>
<p>When completing your initial housing application if accepted on December 14th,
does one need to also indicate a housing preference ?</p>
<p>I believe you are supposed to pick your 4 top choices, but you can move them around till either late April or early May before they do the housing assignments.</p>
<p>So, I’m confused - you can apply for housing before you are accepted?</p>
<p>Last year admission decisions were available through the online status page starting at about 6:00pm. Since my daughter was accepted, there was a link from her status page to apply for housing. There was no “back door.” She waited two days to apply for housing and received a priority number of 2200. Her friend applied about 8pm the evening decisions were released and received a priority number of 650. She number was never yanked. FSU sent an email out about 10pm stating admission decisions were available. Maybe FSU has gotten complaints and will do things differently this year, but if admission decisions are available and the housing portal is open, I would apply. Your housing priority number will be on the form you print.</p>
<p>As for listing dorms and other preferences, you can make changes up until the final day to submit your admission decision which typically is May 1st.</p>
<p>WallaceFL</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply-
With your daughter’s seemingly high priority number of 2200, did she get one of her four preferences ? Also approximately how low must your preference number be to allow your top preference to be selected ?</p>
<p>Daviddj</p>
<p>She got her third choice of Jeannie Murphee (all girls dorm). Her first two choices were Wildwood and DeGraff. We were told by housing that she was on “the bubble” for those two dorms. Her friend with the 650 priority number got her first choice of Wildwood. </p>
<p>I copied and pasted this from a previous post I answered:</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman and we did a lot of research on dorms because her priority number was on the bubble for community vs. suite style. We attended a preview day in the spring during which we had the opportunity to tour a few dorms and speak directly to housing.</p>
<p>Here is some of the info we collected, plus some personal opinions.</p>
<p>Wildwood and DeGraff: the newest dorms, and very sought after. In my personal opinion, neither are in the best location. My daughter lived in DeGraff for summer term and found it to be noisy. </p>
<p>Landis: is the honors dorm, so if your are not in the honors program I would not list it.</p>
<p>Gilchrist: is the overflow dorm for the honors program. Its not exclusively honors, but for my daughter’s priority number, we were told by housing not to list it as a choice.</p>
<p>Bryan: is a freshman only learning community. In order to live in Bryan you have to apply and be accepted to their learning community.</p>
<p>Reynolds: is the wellness program. You have to sign an agreement stating that you will refrain for alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc.</p>
<p>Broward: is a small hall with 135 resident, half being male and half female. We were told by housing that Broward fills up quickly, so you need a great priority number.</p>
<p>Cawthon: has two learning community, but we were told that they are some non-learning community dorm rooms available.</p>
<p>Jeannie Murphee: is an all female dorm. This is where my daughter currently lives. She finds it quiet and a good location.</p>
<p>Salley: is a on the west side of campus. It is suite style with two bedrooms sharing a common study area and bathroom. We thought the bedroom and study areas were small, beds had to be bunked.</p>
<p>The other dorms are community style. Smith has built in beds which eliminates the potential for under the bed storage. Housing told us that Dorman has some of the larger dorm rooms on campus and that Deviney had recently gotten new carpet in the hallways.
I don’t know much about Kellum.</p>
<p>I have heard that the community style dorms are much more social (plus you don’t have to clean the bathroom).</p>
<p>I hope this helps.</p>
<p>When choosing your top four choices, do you choose four separate residence halls, or can you choose different dorm types in the same residence hall as your different choices?</p>
<p>I wouldn’t bother with different dorm room types in the same hall honestly- especially if you’re going to choice a single in one option and a double in another, because the number of single rooms is extremely low. </p>
<p>I would just pick the 4 dorms that you want.</p>
<p>WallaceFl-</p>
<p>THANK YOU-</p>
<p>One more question as you appear very knowledgeable about the dorm selection at FSU. </p>
<p>Which top four dorm selections would you suggest for a group of five nerdy males from South Florida who will be majoring in Math / Physics, honors eligible, finances are not an issue and close to dinning and freshman classes ?
THANKS</p>
<p>Landis Hall would be a perfect fit for you.</p>
<p>I’d probably have to suggest Landis or Gilchrist, if they’re accepted to the Honors program. </p>
<p>Unfortunately for Math/Physics majors, really the only dorms close to where their classes will be are Kellum, Smith, and Salley, and I honestly would not recommend any of them (Kellum and Smith are older than dirt, and Salley is tiny). </p>
<p>Landis and Gilchrist are at least nicer dorms, centrally located, and are heavily populated with Honors students. Granted, they’re a bit of a walk from the Physics and Math classes that will likely be taken, but the only dorm that’s really all that close and is decent is Wildwood- and that one isn’t exactly close to food.</p>
<p>I personally feel that the east side dorms are the most conveniently located, being close to dining, the library, and being on Landis green. As for being close to freshman classes, it depends which requirements you have already filled through AP and DE courses. For both fall and this coming spring, half of my daughter’s classes are close to her dorm and the other half are in the middle of campus. As for dorms, the only east side dorm I have actually been in is Jennie Murphee, which is all female. My understanding is that Landis is very nice and the most recently renovated of the east side dorms (2006 I think). If you are doing honors, Landis and Gilchrist are good choices. I have heard good things about Broward, but it is very small (125 residents?), so if you don’t have an excellent priority number, skip it, because you will be wasting one of your four choices. Reynolds requires that you sign a contract agreeing to no alcohol, drugs, etc. So if you are not willing to abide by those rules, don’t list it. I have also heard very good things about Cawthon. I friend of mine’s daughter lives there and really likes it. Cawthon does have the music learning community and the women in math and science learning community. It is also very close to the library.</p>
<p>We attended preview day last spring and toured a couple dorms and spoke directly to housing about my daughter’s priority number and which dorms would most likely be available. We found preview day very helpful.</p>
<p>I would also suggest looking at the FSU map and the location of the different dorms and think about where you want to be. Once you get your priority number and know if you are doing honors, it will be easier to narrow down four choices. You can change your housing preferences up until the date to accept or decline your admission, which last year was May 1st.</p>
<p>Remember each dorm have its own advantages and disadvantage, there is no prefect choice, just what you think is the best choice for you.</p>
<p>THANK YOU from all of us !</p>