<p>I see a lot of posting about renting PO Boxes. Why? Doesn’t the school give the kids an address or box at school? What am I missing?</p>
<p>No. The school allows packages to Paty, but not mail. If a student gets a P.O. box, their mail will go there. The Post Office will now also giive the student an address for Fed Ex and UPS IF a student has a P.O. box. They will even hold items if they are slightly too large to fit in the box. Mail is not delivered to the dorm or to Paty.</p>
<p>There are 25,000 students at Bama. Bama would need 25,000 PO boxes if each kid got one.</p>
<p>Those who live off campus won’t need them. I don’t know the number of boxes they have, but there are MANY. Those living off campus would find it easier to get their mail where they live.</p>
<p>I am assuming there is a post office on campus? Or very close to campus?</p>
<p>answered my own question, it is in the ferg</p>
<p>Inside the Ferg across from the Supe Store.</p>
<p>Post office is in Ferguson Center bottom floor. It’s really easy to set up (best to do at BB - note they have to be present) and they can keep the rental for the same one the whole time, during the summer you just set up a “temporary forwarding request”.</p>
<p>Many (most?) kids living on campus don’t have a PO Box. My kids never had one…never needed one. </p>
<p>The Post Office may have many PO boxes, but I doubt they have 7500 of them or even half that many…that’s the number of beds on campus.</p>
<p>What does the post office charge for a PO Box for the year? So if I understand correctly, if grandma wanted to send a Halloween/birthday/Easter card to her UA student, it could only be delivered if the student had a PO Box or if it was attached to a package being sent UPS or FedEx?</p>
<p>So if I want to send my kid an order from Amazon I need to rent him a PO Box?</p>
<p>Paty will accept packages but not mail.</p>
<p>There are slightly more than 10,000 PO Boxes in the Ferguson Center post office. A large proportion are not used. Some student organizations, including fraternities and sororities, have PO boxes, as do some local residents. Mail generally arrives a lot earlier if one has a post office, usually by 10:00 am. The smallest box is $46 per year and cannot be shared unless the people are related. UPS and FedEx packages usually arrive at Paty around 10:00 am, but sometimes as late as 2:00 pm.</p>
<p>If using Amazon Prime, most items will be shipped via UPS. Amazon may use USPS for standard shipping, which would necessitate having a PO Box.</p>
<p>I have a PO Box so I can receive letters, important documents, and care packages. Since my home is 2000+ miles away, USPS is often the quickest and cheapest. Care packages take 2 days, often 1.5 days, to arrive and letters take 3 days.</p>
<p>If shipping via UPS or FedEx, remind them that you are shipping to a business address and thus don’t have to pay the residential surcharge.</p>
<p>The three employees at the post office are all very nice and are always willing to help. Note that there are often long lines at the beginning of the semester. The post office is often open when UA is not as it is a USPS facility with USPS employees.</p>
<p>While it is possible to open a PO Box online, the process actually takes more time than registering in person. If attending the May 31-June 1 Bama Bound, get the PO Box on June 1 to get an extra month for free as PO Box renewals are always due at the end of the month.</p>
<p>SEA_Tide - very helpful explanation! Thank you so much.</p>
<p>Can packages which require a signature be sent to these PO boxes? For example, my son sends his laptop in for repairs and they mail it back. Does the Post Office leave a notice in the PO box for him to sign and pick up the package during office hours?</p>
<p>So if I want to send my kid an order from Amazon I need to rent him a PO Box?</p>
<p>No…you send it to Paty and he’ll pick it up there.</p>
<p>Things to remember when sending a package to campus:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use only UPS, FedEx or DHL. *(Please see information below regarding items sent via the Postal Service)</li>
<li>Address packages to:</li>
</ul>
<p>Student Name/Residence Hall (e.g., Jane Smith/Tutwiler Hall)</p>
<p>C/o Paty Hall, Package Delivery Center</p>
<p>210 McCorvey Dr.</p>
<p>Tuscaloosa, AL 35401</p>
<ul>
<li>Clearly indicate recipient’s phone number and campus email address on the outside of the package.</li>
<li>Include only shelf stable, non-perishable items. No fresh flowers or gift baskets will be accepted.</li>
</ul>
<p>Important Information regarding items sent through the Postal Service</p>
<p>Packages sent via the United States Postal Service (USPS) must be sent to the student’s post office box in the Ferguson Center. The Postal Service does not deliver to the Paty Package Center. Students can rent a post office box by visiting the on-campus Post Office located in the 1st Floor of the Ferguson Center.</p>
<p>When sending a package to a student’s post office box, the address should include the following information:</p>
<p>Student Name
P.O. Box 86______ (this is the student’s post office box number)
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486</p>
<p>So without a PO box, there is no way to receive an envelope?</p>
<p>correct. unless you figure a workaround by sending to a roomie or something.</p>
<p>No, it certainly isn’t necessary for every student to have a P.O. box. Each student’s situation is going to be different. As an OOS student, we have found it helpful to have although she doesn’t use it on a daily basis. I’m guessing Sea Tide is correct about there being 10,000 boxes because D’s box number is in the 8,000’s. She won’t need it next year since she will have a box at her apartment. Like anything else, it will be a matter of personal preference and what works best for each individual student and family.</p>
<p>FYI, the US Post office in the Ferg does not staff on Saturday. I think. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I remember sending an overnight package to the PO Box last summer. I mailed on Thursday afternoon. It didn’t arrive Friday. Saturday, my daughter went over to check if it arrived and there was no one staffed for Saturdays. This may just be a summer thing. I’m not sure. It’s super inexpensive if anyone hasn’t touched on that. I had my daughter set it up by herself with no problems. At the end of summer, I had her close it. I believe that she was refunded her deposit (maybe $10).
If you walk into the Ferg from the ground entrance, the Post is on the left (across from the Supe). It is closed on the weekends but it’s accessible 24 hours a day through a side entrance from an outside door.
My neighbor sent a care package (shoe box size) to the PO BOX. It was held at the counter for her. Once again, the counter is staffed only during certain hours. She enjoyed having a PO Box. She didn’t check it everyday but every few days. Hope that helps!</p>