On Campus Housing

Hi all. With Housing applications opening on February 4, I thought I would start a discussion.

The website from the University:
https://living.colorado.edu/application-timeline

My question is: If we get our application in at any time during this first “wave” (Feb 4 - Mar 25), will we have the same “first come/first serve” status? My D has an opportunity for a full scholarship at another large university. It will not complete it’s final interviews and selection until Mid-March. I don’t want to lose our preferred dorm at CU (Smith) if that falls through but if she were to get that, I would rather not spend $500 in deposits at CU .

Full disclosure: This is my third college student. One is a Senior at CU who spent two years in on campus housing (Andrews). I may be able to answer some housing/food questions…

If you cancel your contract IN WRITING by May 15th, looks like you can get your deposit back. If you download the contact, it provides all of the details. My son will also apply for housing early, then wait on his in-state decisions coming down in March, knowing we can cancel and get our deposit back.

How many dorms are there and could you describe the vibe at each one? I’m sure it changes someone from year to year.

Can someone explain the process to apply for housing once you accept the offer and pay the enrollment fee?

From the CU housing site.

“Once you are ready to apply, visit the Application Process section. Here you’ll find details on application timelines, contract types, roommate selection, room rates and other important factors that will help you start the application well prepared. 
The housing application is open and you can apply at any time. Residence hall rooms are assigned on a first-come, first-assigned basis so your application timeline will depend on when you successfully submit your housing application and pay the $300 deposit. If you apply before April 27, you can participate in the roommate selection process in June and July.”

My D just logged into the housing site and entered her credentials that she got when she accepted (I believe). Had to fill out basic info (takes a while) and upload a PDF of a parent consent form since she is <18. Then she got to list 6 choices of halls/room type (i.e. first choice- Baker with shared bathroom; 2nd choice Farrand with shared bathroom; Baker with community bathroom as 3rd choice and so on). Had to draft short description for roommate search feature and select desired number of roommates. I think maybe had to agree to RAP feature in halls that had it (all did for her). Paid $300 deposit at the end. It took quite a while (maybe close to 90 minutes) even though she knew what she wanted to do (except when she got down to choices 5 and 6 and whether hall or room type was top priority). She is waiting only on reaches at this point. So we were comfortable going forward especially since we can get deposit back.

I would love opinions on housing. My son and I went thru the same process. He did not want to be in a RAP program and wanted to be away from all the crazy party dorms as well as have AC. With that said I have done a bit of research and talked to people about the West Village area. Knowing it is a bus ride away it is my understanding that it is quite a nice community. The newest dorm East Village is opening in the fall and will be super nice. The dining facility there is apparently amazing and they have a rec center as well. From what I hear because they are away from the main campus it becomes its own little community where it is quieter and the kids really bond with each other? Others have said it sucks having to take the bus sometimes but in the winter it is nice to be dropped off near your classroom and not have to walk in the snow, wind, and cold. My son requested Village East, and Williams North, then Baker, Kitteridge Central, Darley South, and Farrand. Kitteridge area is supposed to be nice too since these buildings have AC and are a little removed from the noise of the main campus. He put Baker down because it has been redone and has AC even though it is on the main campus and has a RAP. He requested a shared bath in each. Would love any feedback or thoughts from someone familiar with these or knows anything I may be missing? I hope he hasn’t made a mistake by wanting to live in the Village area.

Based on the website, it looks like if you put down your deposit between Feb 4 - March 25, you are in the same priority pool for housing assignments. Some of the posts above made it sound like the earlier you do it the better chance you have of getting what you want. Does anyone know for sure if it is based on the actual date vs. being within the range for the housing application range?

Link to timeline.
https://living.colorado.edu/application-timeline

I think it is actual date because when signing up for housing it said if D submitted her parent consent form within 3 days it would count as the day she signed up for priority purposes. (She uploaded the form that day.) Otherwise she would lose that priority date.

I’ll call CU on Monday. The website is very vague. I’ll post their response.

I spoke to the housing office this morning. She said the time and date stamp DOES matter. The timeline range only tells you the date you will hear back by. I expressed my frustration and asked that they update their website. I had several people read the website this weekend and everyone agreed that it meant that the same priority would be given if in the same range. This is very confusing. I would suggest others call too. 303-492-6673

@hmorganbts Williams Village is a mile away, and walkable to the main campus. He could also get
a used bike and bike over, many students use bikes to get from Williams Village to campus and
back. We don’t get big snow storms here until March most years. But it is cold this winter, but almost no snow by normal standards. Occasional big storm in Oct Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, some years, but then that melts, as the temperatures can go up to 55-60 F in daytime, so there is no snow on the ground for much of the winter in Boulder. With that, we can get an occasional 2 foot storm, but its just not that common. We get snow in April, and the first week of May, but it does not stick ,or gone in one day… Its easy to walk in the winter from Williams Village to main campus.

Boulder is at 5000 feet. At 7000 feet which is not that far away, it snows a lot more.