<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>I’m 99.9% sure I’ll be attending UA in the fall, but my mother wants me to wait until I receive other schools’ scholarship and financial aid offers before I decide (although who would give me a better offer than UA?). I’m nervous that if I wait too long, I won’t have a lot of good housing from which to choose. What is the latest date you all can recommend for submitting my deposit and choosing my housing?</p>
<p>Thank you! You all have been so helpful!</p>
<p>if you are hoping for a better offer, your other offers likely will not be better.</p>
<p>if you get a better offer, then just eat the cost of the UA deposit you will lose. (250ish)</p>
<p>it kind of sucks when you deposit late and have limited housing options. been there!</p>
<p>double post … oops!</p>
<p>I agree with you completely, but, ultimately, my mom is in control of when I make my deposit. When did you make your deposit?</p>
<p>my daughter ended up with not enough scholarship $$ to be able to attend until … maybe march! so we were really late in the game. in the end, she was able to get into the dorm she wanted with one roommate of her choosing, but not without a lot of headache. first i had to email and get them to assign her to ANY honors dorm, which they did. then we had to stalk the housing selection for weeks (maybe months) to see if we could get her into the dorm she wanted. it all worked out in the end, but not without a lot of fretting.</p>
<p>i will add that she got along better with the two random roomies than the one she found thru facebook. in fact, she still lives with (and loves) the two randoms! the roomie that ended up being her favorite, was the one who was the least favorite to begin with. : /</p>
<p>Grammar girl…</p>
<p>Since you will be a NA, then Bama will reserve an honors bed for you. However, it will likely be in Riverside North…which isn’t bad, it’s just not likley one of your top choices. </p>
<p>Since you’ll be getting free tuition, free housing, etc, I doubt any other school is going to give you a better offer. However, if you do, please let Bama know so that they can have a chance to increase their offer. </p>
<p>If your EFC is low enough, then you could also be awarded need-based aid. Do you know if you have a low EFC? If so, would it be low enough for a Pell Grant? </p>
<p>Be sure to file FAFSA as soon as you can after the New Year…those who apply early can have the best aid offers. </p>
<p>What is your intended major? </p>
<p>Where else are you applying?</p>
<p>M2ck… Does that rule apply to NMF’s also? If my son makes it, will he be guaranteed an honors room?</p>
<p>My EFC was low enough for a Pell Grant this year for my brother, and my parents’ income has decreased since then, so I should qualify for one next year.</p>
<p>My intended major is Special Education.</p>
<p>All of the other schools I applied to are in Pennsylvania (UA was my far away school). I applied to Juniata College, Millersville University, Bloomsburg University, and Clarion University. None of these schools guarantee anything for NA, as far as I know. Juniata College offers a full ride, but you have to interview for that, and even then it’s not guaranteed. I believe that would occur around March. I think this is what makes my mom a little hesitant; I could end up with a huge scholarship, but it’s definitely a slim chance. She just wants to be 100% sure before she does anything. I’m the first one in my family to ever attend a four-year institution right after high school, so she’s very unsure about the process.</p>
<p>*My EFC was low enough for a Pell Grant this year for my brother, and my parents’ income has decreased since then, so I should qualify for one next year.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Since your bro gets a Pell Grant, then you both will get them next year. Chances are, since your EFCs will split, your Pell Grants will be larger than what your brother is now getting. Even more so is income has decreased.</p>
<p>For instance, if your family’s EFC for one child in college was 3000 for this current school year, then that child would get $2600 Pell Grant per year. BUT…with 2 in college, your EFC would likely drop to 1300 for each student…giving you a $4300 Pell Grant. Plus, if you apply early, there may be some other federal dollars available.</p>
<p>Did you qualify for fee waivers for your apps? If so, you need to contact Bama, because your deposit may be waived as well.</p>
<p>Does that rule apply to NMF’s also? If my son makes it, will he be guaranteed an honors room?</p>
<p>Bama sets aside rooms in Riverside North for NMFs and NAs. those who deposit early can choose elsewhere, but those who deposit later may only have that Riverside North option open to them. </p>
<p>For returning NMFs and NAs, they have to recontract and follow the guidelines so that they will continue to get an honors room.</p>
<p>I didn’t even know about application fee waivers until after I submitted my applications, so I’m not sure if I qualify. I was told that I should qualify, though, because I get free lunch at my school. I’ll contact UA and ask. Thank you for all of your help. You’ve been a pure blessing during this process.</p>
<p>M2k, why is Riverside North not the best choice? DD will be in the honors program and she is beginning to think about which honors dorm to choose. She is a communication disorders major so I am not sure where her classes will be. I am assuming gen eds mostly freshman year anyway. I would appreciate your insight into the “best” place to be with the full knowledge that honors housing is beautiful compared to D1’s dorms.</p>
<p>Grammar Girl…</p>
<p>Go to your GC and ask for a Application fee waiver. Then contact Bama, tell them that you didn’t know that you qualified for an app waiver and ask if you can still have your enrollment deposit waived. Don’t just talk to whoever answers the phone; that person may not know.</p>
<p>I will make an appointment with my Guidance Counselor tomorrow. Thank you for all of your help.</p>
<p>@Spring162: As far as I know the only noticeable difference between any of the new suite-style dorms is location. Riverside south is considered “The best” because it sits ontop of a parking deck and is closest to the Ferg and classes. But as far as I know the only difference is that some are closer or farther from classes (but not by much) and some have been built more recently (also not by much).</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Yes…</p>
<p>Right now, often the preferred housing choice for new frosh is Ridgecrest South…and maybe the new dorm that will be opening.</p>
<p>Riverside North is probably the furthest away of all the current honors dorms. When you look at a campus map, look for the buildings that look like a mouthful of braces. The upper “teeth” are RN. Riverside is still nice, it’s just that the north building is often last picked because of distance.</p>
<p>look at D-6 of this map.
<a href=“http://tour.ua.edu/mapfull.php[/url]”>http://tour.ua.edu/mapfull.php</a></p>
<p>Thanks M2k, I hadnt seen that exact map. </p>
<p>Iterry, thanks for the info. I read your posts earlier on the Tulane forum. D1 is a sophmore there and loves it. D2 cant wait to go to UA!</p>
<p>i imagine the new dorm will be the most sought after next fall.</p>
<p>*i imagine the new dorm will be the most sought after next fall. *</p>
<p>I think it will be popular, but I wonder if people will be concerned about its distance. I realize that the Crimson Ride will go there, but I think kids more often walk. </p>
<p>I can see it being popular for kids who will be taking classes around the SEC area. :)</p>
<p>I think Ridgecrest North will still be popular for those who take classes on the west side of campus and/or are pledging. </p>
<p>the new building is going in at C-5, and could be an issue for those who are attending classes on the southwest area of campus (note that the map doesn’t sit in regular “North up” style. In this map, North is where the words, “Black Warrior River” is written. )</p>
<p>Our situation is completely driven by the bottom line…D2 will go to the cheapest college…no question about it. Right now, that is not UA, so we have not sent in the deposit/housing $. But by the time March/April comes, the $$ offers could move UA to the top of the list…and by then the housing selection will be dire.</p>
<p>So, the housing deposit/timing issue is causing tension in our house…we cannot afford the $250 to secure the space. D2 is accepted with the 2/3 scholarship, and we also have D1 on full Pell, so I assume D2 will also receive the Pell.</p>
<p>Did you qualify for fee waivers for your apps? If so, you need to contact Bama, because your deposit may be waived as well.</p>
<p>M2CK-This is the first I’ve seen this…any idea who to contact to pursue this? (like, which office?)</p>
<p>I cannot post onto CC much, but I enjoy reading the Alabama forum…everyone is so helpful and welcoming. Please know that your comments, etc. are helping lots of folks you may never hear from. RTR :)</p>
<p>* D2 is accepted with the 2/3 scholarship, and we also have D1 on full Pell, so I assume D2 will also receive the Pell.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Yes, your D will get full Pell…$5550 per year and $5500 in student loans. If you submit your FAFSA as soon as you can, you might also get a SEOG grant…and probably work-study…and since she’s 0 EFC, she’d also might get a Perkins loan. </p>
<p>Does your D have larger scholarship offers elsewhere? If so, where and for how much?</p>
<p>Did you use application waivers to apply to Bama? </p>
<p>What is your child’s major?</p>