<p>My son is considering attending Rutgers SOE (it's at least in his top 5), but being able to live in Barr or Mattia Engineering Learning Community his freshman year is important to him. Does anyone have or know anyone with experience in getting into these dorms? Would he need to accept the Rutgers admissions offer and apply for housing early (how early?), or could he wait until late April and apply for housing then?</p>
<p>Why only Barr or Mattia? Why not Allen or Metzger? The chance of getting into the BAMM complex as an entering SOE student is very high, but don’t be disappointed if he gets placed into Allen or Metzger. I lived in Mattia, but I wish I lived in Allen instead.</p>
<p>^ Barr and Mattia supposedly have special programs for students in SOE (see [Engineering</a> Housing | Rutgers University School Of Engineering](<a href=“http://soe.rutgers.edu/oaa/engineering-housing]Engineering”>http://soe.rutgers.edu/oaa/engineering-housing)). </p>
<p>Now there’s <em>sometimes</em> a difference in the way things are described and the way things are in reality. Any insight which is the case here?</p>
<p>By the way, I was resident in Allen my freshman year and a Preceptor (do they still call them that?) in Metzger my Senior year. My wife (well, she wasn’t my wife back then), lived in Allen her Sophomore year. Of course, this was in the early-mid '80s, back when the BAMM dorms had those beautiful red painted wood exteriors. :-p</p>
<p>“The approximately 200 beds in each dormitory will be assigned only to new incoming first year School of Engineering students on a first request, first assigned basis.” </p>
<p>This would worry me if he plans on applying late. The housing application is usually available sometime in March. BAMM fills quickly so I would try to apply as soon as possible. When my son applied to SOE last year he was told honors housing wouldn’t be a problem but I am not sure about living/learning community.</p>
<p>If he doesn’t get housing in BAMM, he will most likely end up in the Quads on Livingston.</p>
<p>Barr and Mattia are “Engineering Living Learning Communities” in that the two dorms have residents who are all engineers. Mattia is also all male. Barr typically has about 1/4 girls (this is engineering after all). This year, they started a program as an extension of the Douglass Residential College where female engineers live on the same floor in Barr (not all girls choose this option). There is also the Honors Engineering floor in Barr. There are occasionally some programs geared more toward engineers from time to time, including tutoring sessions, an Engineering Majors night, etc.</p>
<p>My freshman year, I applied in late April for Barr and got it. Obviously the early you apply, the better chance you have, but even if you decide on Rutgers late and then apply for housing, you still have a good chance of getting into Barr. Regarding the other BAMM dorms, Allen has students of all majors including engineers and typically has a ratio closer to 50/50. Metzger is the same and also has a special program for students majors in the sciences (I think it is called AIMS but I’m not too familiar).</p>