<p>I just submitted my Hall Preferences for UW Madison where I will be an incoming freshman. Would anyone have any insight as to whether I have good chances at being placed into my first dorm picks or not? I know that the selection is randomized and that students who requested specific roommates or housing communities get first dibs, but hey, a girl can dream, right?</p>
<p>I selected that I would prefer a single dormitory, which Tripp, Smith, and Barnard all offer. I also know that Tripp houses only 200-some residents and Smith accepts mostly returning students. Also, you'll notice that I listed the Open House and Green House learning communities according to my dorm preferences. I actually have no desire to join those communities. (Yes, yes. I'm a horrible liar.) If somehow they were to place me into that community (and hence, the hall), I could reject the offer, no?</p>
<p>1 Tripp Hall Lakeshore<br>
2 Smith Hall Southeast<br>
3 Barnard Hall Southeast<br>
4 Phillips Hall Lakeshore<br>
5 Open House
- Phillips Hall Lakeshore<br>
6 Ogg Hall Southeast<br>
7 Leopold Hall Lakeshore<br>
8 Green House
-Leopold Lakeshore<br>
9 Dejope Hall Lakeshore<br>
10 Liz Waters Lakeshore</p>
<p>Thank you for your response!</p>
<p>I read somewhere on the housing website that you have an equal chance of getting your first choice as your last choice. Today is the last day to make changes to your preference list.</p>
<p>I have never heard of the option to reject the hall you are placed in (I believe you are stuck with it).
However, you can contact housing and ask to be put on a waitlist for a different placement should openings occur.</p>
<p>Parent of UW student – I have never heard that you can “reject” a dorm assignment so if you are placed in a learning community that you don’t really like. Also, the whole point of a learning community is to live on the sam hall with people who share your interests. Kind of defeats that purpose if you don’t care about their priorities. I would definitely read up on procedures on the website, including wait list for other dorms etc. </p>
<p>You might consider Chad learning community as your first choice, with a preference for single room-- if that is possible – and maybe you will get Barnard. At least my son’s freshman year, the Chad learning community included Barnard. Chances of getting into Chad learning community are pretty good since it is a larger dorm. </p>
<p>I would think that singles in Smith are going to be in high demand among returning students, so chances of a freshman getting one are pretty slim. Also, Smith is further down Park than Ogg and could feel more isolated. Smith is across the street from the “sophomore slums” – several blocks of townhouse apartments called that because they are rented almost entirely by sophomore students, not because of the quality of the housing (which is entirely nice and livable). For a freshman, Smith could feel more isolated as you find yourself hiking up Park to meet friends at Gordon’s etc. </p>
<p>Chances of getting a single as a freshman, without a medical necessity, seem awfully slim. Start thinking about the upside of roommate, that you have someone to go to football games, dorm events etc. You don’t have to be best friends, you just have to respect each other’s space. </p>
<p>My son was told to assume he had as much chance as getting in to his last choice as his first, as Mad85 noted. Since his first and second choices were Sellery and Witte, he had a better than than good chance he would get into one of them, since there are over 2000 students in those two dorms, almost entirely freshman. Once you pick Lakeshore, and smaller dorms, your chances of getting even top 6 choice go way down. I would encourage you to double check your preferences, if today is the last day to change them. </p>
<p>Excellent suggestion from MMOB - if you pick Chadbourne learning community as your first choice and receive it, then you can log into rooms-online and choose your own room in Barnard from the ones that remain (Barnard has - many ‘singles’). You could also call housing today and ask if many singles are left in Barnard and if there is still space in Chadbourne Learning Community. 608-262-2522</p>
<p>FYI - There were still rooms available in Chadbourne this afternoon when my daughter selected hers.</p>
<p>Luck of the draw in being first to last for the computer to choose your dorm. Your list is all over campus. Choosing a learning community is the one way to be assured of getting what you choose. No matter where you end up you will have the same chance for a great freshman year. Enjoy.</p>
<p>Thank you for all of the advice! But darn, <em>snaps fingers</em> I didn’t realize that Barnard was included with the Chadbourne Learning Community. I rearranged my preferences and nixed the learning communities that I didn’t want. I realized that I would be happy if I received any of my first nine picks. Well, all is sealed now.</p>