<p>needing to figure out an apartment when they barely have landed on campus as a freshman</p>
<p>You do not have to find an apartment when you’ve just started school. A frosh can put in for campus housing in the fall (like normal), and then if campus housing is not available, then the student can find many nearby options in the Spring. Students generally do NOT contract their apts in the fall for the following fall.</p>
<p>I agree with M2CK, put in for on-campus housing, but be prepared to look for off-campus housing in the event that your student needs to move. Look for 12 month leases (they are the most cost efficient) and you will be happy not to have to move back and forth and into and out of storage. East Edge is a good option as are some of the housing units by the stadium. Your students can comfortably walk all over campus or use a bike. The shuttles do end early, but walking is such great exercise. Some students routinely walk to downtown just for a bite to eat or to have coffee. Also, there are some kids who like to keep a very low carbon footprint. You will find that UA’s campus is very bike and walker friendly. There are apartments that are located near campus that are almost as close as the Honors housing. Don’t forget to look at apartment or room rentals in private homes as well as those in apartment complexes. Some of the newer complexes are very “hotel” like with all their amenities.</p>
<p>Most colleges do not have housing for students after freshmen year, some do not even offer guaranteed housing for freshmen year and there are other colleges that have triples in a two person sized room. When we were looking at colleges, we knew that some would require an apartment from day one.</p>
<p>A lot of kids simply do not want to live on-campus after the first year. Yes, parents might feel more comfortable with that an on-campus situation, but most students successfully manage the transition from on to off campus with little difficulty. As an OOS parent, I can understand the desire to not wanting to purchase many big ticket items (like a sofa) but at the end of the school year there are a lot of freebies to be had or items which can be purchased rather cheaply. Why maybe we could even start a trade or sell thread somewhere. :)</p>
<p>Oh my goodness, I hope my comment about looking early didn’t contribute to the housing panic. I didn’t mean to imply freshmen arriving in the fall should consider signing a lease for housing for the next year. What I was suggesting it makes it easier for OOS students/parents to take an afternoon during a visit to explore off campus housing options.<br>
We actually did this before our daughter moved on campus her first year simply because we wanted to be familiar with our options for when she needed or chose to move off campus. She was granted on campus housing in Honors housing during her second year. In her case, it was our choice to move off campus. Because we are OOS, we looked at the app I mentioned, looked at a printed book of housing options, and made a few visits to places that met our criteria. In our case, planning ahead made the process simple and stress free. :)</p>
<p>I emailed housing about 2 weeks ago to inquire about East Edge option. Son is a freshman receiving scholarship that includes housing. Response was not optimistic. Basically that they expected to use East Edge again next year but would not likely have availability. My impression was that the school only uses a set number of East Edge units and they did not expect to have any availability from these units.</p>
<p>Son will have junior academic standing due to AP’s either at the end of this semester or next. Can’t remember. He lives in Burke as he also does athletics and that was most convenient and he wanted to live with teammates. He could have had Honors housing but chose not to use that option. If East Edge does not workout, seems likely, will he be eligible to live in Honors housing next year since he did not this year?</p>
<p>Thanks
Randy</p>
<p>^^^My understanding is that East Edge and The Bluffs will not be available for next year. I personally would not plan on that option if you are currently in either complex. Renting directly from East Edge or The Bluffs is probably a better choice for students who may not have on-campus housing next year. I would call ASAP and get on a waiting list, as those lists seem to be filling up quickly. Both of these apartment complexes are furnished, but I believe that East Edge is a closer walk. If your student has a car on campus that probably doesn’t matter as much.</p>
<p>slornow: If your student was not in honors housing this year and was not in a Learning Community such as Blount, the rule has been that he will not be allowed to live in honors housing, however I would still double check on that since he has a housing scholarship and perhaps that is treated differently. He can still elect to live on campus and he can live in a non-honors residence hall. The suites are just as nice as in honors and the Presidential Village is brand new. He will still have to go through the UA housing election process but because his scholarship includes housing he WILL be able to stay on campus. Was he an NMF?</p>
<p>This is really becoming a bigger concern to me now, OOS honors kids neeeding to move off campus sophomore year is not exactly meeting up with the honors acceptance letter that contains an entire paragraph on the benefit of the honors housing community, it doesn’t, however, mention that is likely only for one year. I honestly can’t imagine having to move off campus with no car and limited transportation in sophomore year, I realize that it can work out, but seems like a huge uncertainty. A big piece of the UA appeal is the campus commhnity. Space will only get tighter, and if you are an OOS without a housing scholarship and with AP credits to make you an ‘upper’ classman seems you may get somewhat the short end of the stick very early on.</p>
<p>The housing email states that a rising sophomore in terms of age is considered a rising soph. regardless of the status due to AP/transfer credit.</p>
<p>robotbldmom-yes he was NMF so scholarship includes housing. We were hoping he would stay on campus for at least 2 years to take advantage of that benefit. I’ll check to see if he may be eligible for Honors housing despite not being in it this year.
Randy</p>
<p>slornow: Yes, your son will be guaranteed housing for all four years in conjunction with his housing scholarship. So no worries there.
There is really no difference between honors and non-honors housing in regards to the suites. Some of the current non-honors suites will be honors designated next year. All of the residence houses have slightly different layouts. Most students see a suite in Ridgecrest South North Tower (honors) on their campus tour and fall in love, but all the residence halls are really super. The newest housing, Presidential Village, is only phase one of a two building/Recreation hall/dining complex. Phase two will be open in September 2014. I would suspect that the housing crunch will ease up after that building opens. I am sure that housing will do its’ best to place as many students on campus that want to stay. In the past there have been incentives to move seniors off campus; such as offering them apartments in The Bluffs. </p>
<p>If my student was a rising sophomore and met all the housing deadlines, I personally wouldn’t be too concerned.</p>
<p>· Some Somerville rooms will be triples, offering another lower cost housing option.</p>
<p>Unless they make some major improvements to Somerville, I hope the lower cost option means FREE! The only thing that makes Somerville livable is the size of the rooms. The bathrooms are disgusting. The bathroom on my D’s floor floods constantly with black water backing up, sometimes flowing into the hallway. She often has to run up to the next floor mid-shower to finish. When we arrived, we unplugged an electrical wire from the bathroom fan because it was a fire hazard. It was quite obvious this dorm was neglected because it was supposed to be demolished. I don’t think it would be fair to increase the population of this dorm in the current condition.</p>
<p>Update: D called housing earlier this week to ask whether they will be having agreements in place with ANY off campus apartment complexes that those students with housing scholarships may use for next year. She was told that as of “now” they do not anticipate signing agreements with any off campus locations … including East Edge. She said things may change, but for now all students with scholarships should go through the re-contracting process under the assumption that retaining on-campus housing is the only option. However, she was told that there are 2 on-campus apartment style options that she may choose. Bryce Lawn (German House) and The Highlands, which are both listed on the UA Housing site, are both fully furnished Apartment style options. Oh well, she was really hoping for something like the East End arrangement given that she’ll be entering her Junior year. I guess the only silver lining is that she’s currently in a “double” in RCS-N and she has the ability to re-contract for that. Obviously, it’s possible something may change, but for now it looks like there is no planned option for supporting off-campus use of housing scholarships. It appears that this is may even be the case for those that chose that option this year, if UA will be ending its agreement with EE. I hope those students with scholarships may be able to move back to the dorms if their intent is to retain their scholarships. :-)</p>
<p>Dad2ild: if a student has a housing scholarship then UA Housing has to find the student space on campus, it is guaranteed. However, if they are currently in East Edge, and that option is no longer available for next year, then they need to have an alternate residence house option in mind to choose, but I don’t believe that they are guaranteed that option just a placement on campus. If a student wants to remain on campus they must meet all recontracting deadlines.</p>
<p>UA Housing Specilist: Please weigh in on this if I am incorrect.</p>
<p>^^^ My comment was really based on UA housing informing my D that the EE students that were able to contract there this year were told that it was a 1 year deal with no promises that it would be extended. Therefore, as you’ve indicated, yes, since EE was a valid option to use for scholarship for THIS year, they should be allowed to xfer back on campus somewhere to retain their scholarships to an approved location. I know even from my own experience however all those years ago that once you move off campus, the thought of moving back on campus is likely considered a move backwards, so I wonder how many students will be choosing to give up their scholarships to remain off campus (East Edge or otherwise) … that would perhaps be an unexpected consequence of the decision by UA not to extend the same or similar off campus options to those that had already made the choice, even if they were not to extend the option going forward.</p>
<p>^^^Yes well, I guess that particular decision would lie more with the parent than the student since it would be based on the family’s finances. I don’t see too many students giving up free housing for paid housing. There is only a small percentage of students with housing scholarships. Now that is not to say that it never happens, just probably not too often.</p>
<p>It is worth noting that at some schools, housing is not guaranteed even for freshmen. Auburn is known for advertising its super-suite dorms, but doesn’t have enough to meet the demand. </p>
<p>As one of my professors recommended and many of my family members have done, there is always the option of living in a mobile home. There are a few such parks just across the river. UA or the Alabama Department of Mental Health could build a temporary campground/trailer park on the Bryce property and lease spots for around $175 per month, utilities included.</p>
<p>Look at a lot of places and consider your options for on-campus housing. There are a lot of places close to campus that many students don’t know about because they are smaller complexes than those further away from campus.</p>
<p>There is no way I would EVER consider a moble home in a tornado-prone area. EVER.</p>
<p>I have to agree about the mobile homes, and I know that UA would never want a mobile home park right on campus. The idea is to create upscale residence housing to attract students. The UA should be considering housing prices and come up with some more affordable options, especially for students that are paying their own way and have little parental support.</p>
<p>Mobile homes? No, that’s not necessary.</p>
<p>Ttown has PLENTY of apartments…plenty of vacancies.</p>
<p>That said, rising sophs who want on-campus housing should not be that worried. If you re-contract early, follow all the steps, then if you want on-campus housing, you’ll probably get it. </p>
<p>Since seniors and juniors NO LONGER have priority, that makes it much better for rising sophs. (and standing is by year, not by credit…so no worries that AP credits will bump your child).</p>
<p>Even if your child gets “wait-listed” for campus housing, it’s VERY likely that your child will still get campus housing. Many kids recontract (just in case), but then decide to move off campus…so their rooms become available.</p>
<p>After 2013, things will even get better…the Presidential Phase II will be built.</p>
<p>robotbldmom hit my main concern with on-campus housing, which is why I suggested mobile homes for their relatively low cost. UA has been increasing the cost of on-campus housing by 6-10% annually for the last few years. Not long ago, there was a financial benefit to living on campus, with the price increases there is now an effective surcharge to do so. I remember paying around $3300 per semester for my room in a super suite dorm during the 2009-2010 academic year. This year (2012-2013) the same room costs $4400 per semester. Especially since the 1831 Foundation, the UA-controlled legal owner of most of the residence halls, can borrow at municipal rates and has less pressure to make a profit, it should have lower costs than private developers even when considering that some of its costs, such as staffing, will be higher.</p>
<p>Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, UA had a “buy two years of housing, get two free” promotion. Granted, the student body and availability of non-traditional dorms was a lot different back then, but UA had difficulty getting students to take an offer which effectively made on-campus housing $500 per semester. Times sure have changed.</p>
<p>Well, I just wanted to share DS’s solution to this problem…he doesn’t seem to feel the concern and urgency I do. </p>
<p>While skyping last night, I asked if he has acted towards acquiring housing for next year and when he demurred, I noted that UA has lots of benches… His response: he thought he would find the basement at Gorgas more comfortable and then he would have the added advantage of being ‘ghostly’ to keep others away… I guess I really am getting old 
(p.s. may have to design special bedding for benches 
</p>
<p>For ‘new parents’: I am joking. I remain confident that while my son may not be doing things the way I would, he more than likely won’t be homeless for his senior year…</p>