After attempting to get info from a few parents I decided to make this thread. My roommates and I were wondering if you knew if either Ridgecrest East or West had media/game rooms like Ridgecrest South has? We are currently at a coin flip between these buildings and would like to know if both have these amenities? If RCE/RCW does not can we still access the RCS building for these rooms? Thank you and Roll Tide!
Ridgecrest East and West have a pool room. I believe. And a TV room on the first floor. Ridgecrest south is open during regular business hours to everyone. No act card swipe needed. I’ve lived in both Ridgecrest South and Ridgecrest West. I personally loved west more. I felt more of a community there and loved the larger living room.
Thanks @bamagirl18 for the insight. My biggest draw to RCE/RCW is the living room since it’s three times bigger than RCS. You mentioned that Ridgecrest South is open to everyone during business hours. Does that mean my roommates and I can just walk up to the second floor on RCS to hang out in their game room if we wanted to? That would be so cool
Correct! They also have games and pool sticks and all to check out at the front desk. I loved both buildings. Either way you go, you’ll probably make friends in the other building and hang out in both. Don’t stress too much about buildings!
Thanks for the help @bamagirl18! Roll Tide!
Glad to hear that RCS is open (no ACT card needed) during business hours. That wasn’t the case several years ago when my son was there.
I don’t think the living room is 3 times larger in Ridgecrest West and East. I agree that the living rooms are larger, but no way are 3 times larger. I think the misleading part is that in the pic, RCW and E are including the hallway and doorway n the measurement, which really isn’t fair…and in RCS they aren’t including the hallway in the measurement
I’ve had a child in Riverside and Ridgecrest South (Riverside used to be honors and its living room is the same size as Ridgecrest E&W), so I’m very familiar with both types of living rooms.
I think the big difference in RCS is that since the living room is smaller, they use a small cafe table instead of a bit larger table. That’s not really relevant since students don’t hardly ever use it.
Thanks @mom2collegekids for the reply. I only said it was three times bigger was because they listed the living room as being 12x31 while RCS was 12x10. Nonetheless a bigger living room is a nice selling point 
Yes, I know it says that but look at it and you’ll see that’s misleading…
http://housing.ua.edu/halls/ridgecrest/floorplans/RCW-Four_Bedroom.pdf
The measurement is including all the way to kitchen.
The living room pretty much ends at the start of the front door, which is probably about 16 feet.
I no longer have any skin in this game, but I would NOT like the fact that a dorm is freely open (no ACT required), regardless of the time of day (business hours or no). I feel that anyone, including students, should have to swipe a card to get into their UA residence, and especially if they are visitors using facilities of neighboring dorms such as gaming rooms. How else would UA keep a handle on who is using these facilities? People can’t just walk in off the street and enter apartment complexes, and it should be the same in a dorm. Maybe @uahousing will come on here and clarify this reversal of policy.
Tutwiler and Burke are also open but that’s because of the dining hall, math labs and things. But you still need an act card to get on the elevator. I wish RCS was like this. I personally did not like that it was open during business hours. I assume it’s because they have a 24 hour desk maybe? I’m not positive. Safety wise, I definitely preferred RCW and RCE.
With RCE (not sure about the others) the 4th floor has higher ceilings. This made the whole unit feel larger overall. And if you are on the top floor, you don’t have to worry about noise from above. One side has a nice view of the lake, too.
DS lived in RCE and loved it.
Just reporting that I have selected a third floor RCE suite. Thanks for the input. Roll Tide!
Scored Ridgecrest West for DS2 - woot!
@atomicPACMAN07 I have the second room selection day. Do you think there will be any Ridgecrest suites with four openings left?
@Raxterfawk I highly doubt it. Top floors were completely filled by the second selection. Everything is going fast. You may need to have a plan b 
@Raxterfawk , Ridgecrest West still had 50+ (out of initial 80) four room suites at the end of day 1.
East was more full- I’ve heard that’s the only place they allowed upperclassmen to select. If you (or your parent) were on the FB “Parents of Class of 2020” page, there are updates being put there through the day.
You’ll likely see suites on higher floors tonight in RCW and Ridgecrest North, which is the North tower in RCS… I think the name confuses people so it tends to fill up slower!
Hope this helps,
Janine
@khidhala @UAHousing Thanks! I’ll make sure to check when it’s my time to pick
If my son has a day 3 selection and does not have a preferred roommate is he better off finding a spot in ridgecrest assuming 1 is available or waiting to be assigned a room based on his profile. Or if he waits is the likelihood of being in Ridgecrest low.