Housing question for a freshman

<p>I have a question about dorms. My son was all set to go to USC and live in the Capstone Scholars dorm. We visited State last week and BAM, he loved it and wants to go there instead. So we've been scrambling to get everything in order. Everyone says he should stay on central or west campus and one of the engineering student leaders recommended Lee or Sullivan Halls. I checked them out and HOLY COW, there is 1 shower for 10 people in those suites! That is crazy. He'd never get a shower! I looked at North Hall (which is East campus) and they have one bathroom for 2 people. That is so much better. What would the drawbacks be for a Freshman living on East campus? He is a total non-partier (doesn't drink or smoke at all), and whereas he is somewhat social, he does better if he can choose when to be social. He doesn't need the social scene around him at all times.</p>

<p>Thanks for any info.</p>

<p>Actually it looks like Lee & Sullivan are 8 to a shower, sorry. Still though… yikes.</p>

<p>lol,my DH lived in Lee for three years back in the 80’s. S2 lived in an eight man suite at ECU as a freshman. Getting a shower was never a problem. Some showered at night,some in the morning. S1 lived in Owen at NCSU. (central campus). It had hall showers. I think hall showers were worse. S1 loved central campus.</p>

<p>North used to be a hotel. NCSU bought it years ago. It’s right on Hillsborough but across the street from the campus. A friend’s D lived there her soph. year but didn’t like that it wasn’t near all the other dorms. Don’t think a lot of freshmen live in North. Living with other freshmen is prob. more important for your S than the wait time for his turn in the shower :)</p>

<p>I suppose you’re right. My son has high-maintenance hair (it’s really thick and wavy) and he HAS to take a shower every morning or it is CRAZY looking all day. If he gets up for an 8 or 9 am class and someone’s in the shower, he will be SOL. Eh, I guess every college kid goes through that at one time or another though.</p>

<p>A lot of old habits change when they move to college. S2 never missed breakfast while living at home but found sleep a more valuable commodity than breakfast when he went to college. Also when laundry becomes their job there’s no more throwing a pair of jeans in the laundry basket after a mere one or two wearings.</p>

<p>Ha, this is son #3 and he wears shorts or pants until I pry them off of him to wash them. Son #2 is the way you describe, wears 3 outfits a day. Actually I think he’s modified his ways now that he’s at college (Appalachian State) - he has a washer/dryer in his apartment but now he has to do it himself, so I guarantee he wears fewer clothes every day.</p>

<p>What is the best freshman dorm that is central to classes/dining halls?</p>

<p>Definitely Tucker or Owen.</p>

<p>^^^Agree but aren’t Tucker and Owen for FYC only?</p>

<p>Food for thought: (no pun intended)
If meals/food are really important, then Case Dining Hall has the best reputation. Many students advised my D of the same as she selected her Freshman dorm. She now attests that the food IS much better and has fully appreciated the access to Case. She’s not too picky, so when she says it has better food, that’s saying something about the other Dining Halls. </p>

<p>IMPORTANT: Case Dining Hall is for Athletes ONLY at dinner. However, residents of a select group of dorms are allowed to use their Meal Plan for breakfast and lunch. My D picked one of those dorms.
Check out Case Dining Hall at: [NCSU</a> Dining](<a href=“http://www.ncsudining.com/dining/locations/diningHalls.html]NCSU”>http://www.ncsudining.com/dining/locations/diningHalls.html)</p>

<p>Okay, son was just invited to be in the University Scholars Program. Does that mean he stands a better chance of getting Sullivan if he chooses Sullivan as his first choice on the housing application?</p>

<p>If your son is “accepted” to the Scholars program, I would imagine it does give him a leg-up in getting into Sullivan if that’s his first choice. That dorm is still the “home” of the Scholars Program, correct? If Sullivan is his 1st choice, he probably won’t have much problem getting into that dorm regardless (or its twin, Lee Dorm). Those are 2 of the largest dorms on campus. </p>

<p>The most important factor is getting into the online Housing Registration as soon as possible to reserve a room. Don’t wait until June/July like some of my daughter’s friends did. One freshman friend (male) never got placed and had to rent a room towards downtown for the Fall semester. He did get placed in a East campus dorm Spring semester.</p>

<p>Thanks klinger (my favorite M<em>A</em>S*H character!). Yes, his application was finished a few weeks ago and Sullivan is first choice. Sullivan is the home of the Scholars program (the first 3 floors, I believe) He was accepted into the program just a few days ago though. He will likely be lucky to get Sullivan, but hey, whatever happens happens.</p>

<p>CFitzRN -
Glad to hear your son was accepted. That should improve his odds – especially important, after just learning that vacancy in Sullivan may be harder to come by than I previously thought. Recently announced summer renovations to Sullivan have bumped the returning student rate up to 33% for next Fall. More current residents staying, of course, means less room for freshman. Improvements to B/C rooms are long overdue. I had a Sullivan “B” room in the mid-80’s, and I high-tailed it out of West Campus my 2nd year.
You may find of interest:
[Renovations</a> expected to revive interest in west campus housing - News - Technician - North Carolina State University](<a href=“http://www.technicianonline.com/news/renovations-expected-to-revive-interest-in-west-campus-housing-1.2732692]Renovations”>http://www.technicianonline.com/news/renovations-expected-to-revive-interest-in-west-campus-housing-1.2732692)
and
[Renovations</a> to student housing will help - Viewpoint - Technician - North Carolina State University](<a href=“http://www.technicianonline.com/viewpoint/renovations-to-student-housing-will-help-1.2733379]Renovations”>http://www.technicianonline.com/viewpoint/renovations-to-student-housing-will-help-1.2733379)</p>

<p>They do reserve floors 2-4 for the Scholars Village, and only Freshmen are allowed to live in the Scholars Village, so returning students would have to live on the other floors, right? That’s what I understood, anyway.</p>

<p>@ CFitzRN - I’m not sure how it works this year, but last year students registered for housing in the Scholars Village by selecting it from the options on the Living and Learning Communities screen (the screen prior to res hall preference screen, I think). Selecting Sullivan as your first choice might get you into Sullivan, but not on the Scholars floors, and you would not be able to participate in the Village in Action group events. You might want to contact someone in either housing or scholars to confirm.</p>