<p>I would like to ask a question. Some State Universities(Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois…) have private dorms that Freshmen can opt to live in. Does Alabama?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help…</p>
<p>Not sure what you mean.</p>
<p>Bama has many 4 bedroom “super suites” which each child has a private bedroom within a 4 bedroom super suite. Each private bedroom has a locked door.</p>
<p>Would that suffice? I’ll try to get the floorplan link.</p>
<p>There are a few “1 bedroom” suites, but they can be hard to get and they are expensive.</p>
<p>I think he is referring to off campus, privately managed dorms vs. university managed dorms. </p>
<p>I don’t believe there is a private dorm.</p>
<p>Auburn has private dorms, while UA does not. UA requires freshmen to live on campus, while I’d assume that the other universities do not.</p>
<p>After freshman year, there are many privately-owned student apartment/cottage complexes, but no “dorms” per-se.</p>
<p>private dorms are usually in place at schools where there is a good bit more demand than supply. for instance, at texas a&m, if you don’t apply sort of early, you WON’T get a dorm, but there are many kids who want the dorm life as a freshman, so they go the private dorm route.</p>
<p>Auburn has private dorms, while UA does not.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that the OP means “private” as in “privately owned businesses”.</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but I think he’s asking about dorms with private rooms. Dorms where you don’t share a bedroom.</p>
<p>no, i think he means privately run dorms. google traditions college station, cambridge college station or callaway college station. these are all private dorms.</p>
<p>i think they have a cambridge at auburn.</p>
<p>they are comparable to the honors dorms, imo. </p>
<p>wonder why he is asking.</p>
<p>I agree with Mike. He specifically mentioned Texas and I know that there are 2 private dorms at UT, The Towers and Castilian. When I attended UT you were very lucky if you got an on campus dorm. The private dorms usually have a food service with a meal plan just like the University dorms, RA’s on the floors, etc. Made the parents feel better than having to put their new HS graduate into an apartment.</p>
<p>If he does mean “privately owned” dorms that are off-campus, I wonder why that would be desirable for an incoming frosh???</p>
<p>I wouldn’t think that would be a great idea. I think frosh should be on campus.</p>
<p>it is not a GREAT idea, it is just the next best thing when you are shut out of the real dorms.</p>
<p>I had never heard of private dorms until I moved from Alabama to Texas, but they are quite prevalent at the University of Texas. At the University of Texas two of the all female private dorms (Scottish Rite and Hardin House) are often seen as superior alternatives to the massive Jester freshman dorm (which is coed and so large that it has its own zip code). Living in Scottish Rite or Hardin House is often something of a cherished family tradition – and both dorms are popular with girls who wish to pledge sororities.</p>
<p>*it is just the next best thing when you are shut out of the real dorms. *</p>
<p>I can see that…but what makes them different from just privately-owned student apts??? I look at The Retreat where my younger son will be staying this year…and it’s all a bunch of students there. </p>
<p>And, I could see the desire IF the campus dorms were rather crappy and the private ones were nice (and very close to campus).</p>
<p>I guess I need to clarify, though my question was answered. Yes I meant privately owned and operated dorms. My d1 attends University of Texas. Private dorms abound. They have their own cafeteria, usually nicer accommodations, and are popular alternatives. They do not hinder your social life. In fact, my d loved it. She has friends at Wisconsin and Illinois that are in the same situation.
Since I do not know a lot about Bama, and it is a large State U, I thought I would ask.
Thanks for setting the record for me. I am hoping to get my d2 to apply this week.</p>
<p>well, for instance, at a&m, the newest dorms are not that new. so the private dorms may be nicer. there are also very few private bedrooms in on campus housing but more in the private dorms.</p>
<p>the difference between a private dorm and something like the woodlands or the retreat - no real kitchen in the private dorm suites. they have a dining hall onsite on the bottom floor. they also have apartments in college station (and other places) where you can just lease a room and the complex will fill the rest of the apartment with other kids who want to live there. so, the complex is mostly (completely) college kids, but still an apartment with a kitchen and such.</p>
<p>it is just another option. another class of students that uses the private dorms at a&m are kids who are going to a close by junior college (with no dorms). it gives them a dorm experience which they would not have access to otherwise. also, these kids can not get a meal plan at a&m (not enrolled students) but they will have a meal plan at the private dorms.</p>
<p>what bamamom said is true. it is preferred in the case she mentioned. i just don’t know how prevalent that is.</p>
<p>usually nicer accommodations,</p>
<p>Well, Bama has very nice accommodations for freshmen on campus, so if that is what’s wanted …</p>
<p>I can understand if your experience with campus dorms has been poor, but Bama has very nice dorms available. :)</p>
<p>Go to this website and look at the Residence Halls listed BELOW. THOSE are the Honors Dorms.</p>
<p>[Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/halls/hall_list.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/halls/hall_list.cfm)</p>
<h1>Lakeside East and West</h1>
<h1>Ridgecrest East and West</h1>
<h1>Ridgecrest South</h1>
<h1>Riverside North, East and West</h1>
<p>And…after frosh year, there are many off-campus options as well. The Bluff and The Retreat are on the Crimson Ride route. </p>
<p>Being at The Retreat would not hamper one’s social life at all. LOL It would definitely supplement it.<br>
[The</a> Retreat at Lake Tamaha - offering students a resort-like lifestyle in Tuscaloosa, Alabama](<a href=“http://retreatalabama.com/]The”>http://retreatalabama.com/)</p>
<p>I’m familiar with the private dorms at Illinois and Wisconsin. At UIUC, where they expect freshman to live on campus, it’s called “certified private housing” because those dorms “count” as being on campus. Wisconsin doesn’t require freshmen to live on campus so there’s no similar concept. I know a lot of kids who choose to live in the private dorms because they’re nicer than much of what’s available on campus. Others live there because they applied late and got shut out of the public dorms (not enough suppy to meet the demand). The dorms at Alabama (at least the super suite ones) are far nicer than the dorms at UIUC and UW according to my D, who has toured all 3 schools.</p>
<p>*The dorms at Alabama (at least the super suite ones) are far nicer than the dorms at UIUC and UW according to my D, who has toured all 3 schools. *</p>
<p>Exactly.</p>
<p>If the OP’s experience has been with Calif publics’ dorms (yuck to many of them) or with some other schools that don’t have nice dorms, then I can see the concern.</p>
<p>SoCalDad…
I should have clarified…when I wrote “honors dorms,” I should have said that there are “non-honors dorms” that are the same Super Suite style…EXACTLY. Lakeside East, Ridgecrest South and I think Ridgecrest East?? These all have non-honors Super Suites as well. :)</p>
<p>Anyway…there ARE private room Super Suites for non-honors kids. :)</p>
<p>Private dorms…that’s a new concept to me as well. Are they less expensive than living in a condo colony (such as the Retreat or whatever the one on Hargrove Rd is)? I can’t imagine the point of paying as much as an apartment to have less amenities.</p>