<p>Can anyone answer some questions about Scholars housing?</p>
<ol>
<li>Does being in Scholars have any effect on whether or not we get put into a forced triple?</li>
<li>How is Bel Air compared to the high rises--are the room sizes and layouts basically the same? Does Bel Air have a lot of forced triples?</li>
</ol>
<p>I'm hoping with the opening of the new dorm, they won't be stuffing three people into a double anymore, but I guess they make a lot of money that way. </p>
<p>I'd appreciate any info. Thanks!</p>
<p>Scholars live in the Cambridge dorms. There are not only triples, but if they have too many they have what is called flex dorms. In other words certain doubles and triples are qualified to flex into triples and quads.</p>
<p>There will always be triples because the room is purposedly designed to be triples. They are larger than the doubles.</p>
<p>Statistically at least for Centreville there are only a few per floor. </p>
<p>Our DS has been off campus this yr., but I recall him saying that the new dorms were going to be filled mostly with sophomore +. The reason why is they get to register for housing via a lottery way before you as an incoming freshman, and it is a 1st come 1st serve process.</p>
<p>It’s been 2 yrs now since he went through the lottery, but I believe UMDCP kids registered for their dorms about a month ago, so those kids are already set.</p>
<p>I don’t know if Bel Air is designated Scholars, but my guess is if it is, returning sophomores will take it over existing Cambridge dorms. Again, it means you have a small chance of getting in. Most scholars students as sophomores opt not to live in Cambridge. </p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>Janet, my D is an Arts CP Scholar, and I believe the letter we received the other day said she would be placed in Bel Air. Did you get the same letter? Hadn’t thought much about being in a triple yet. We were there for accepted students day earlier this month and saw rooms in Centerville & Cumberland; I assume they are all the same as Bel Air.
D has not enrolled yet; still thinking about one or two other choices for college – but seems to be favoring UMD right now. We did not see the high rises.</p>
<p>My letter said the same thing. I didn’t see Bel Air on the tour, either. </p>
<p>I know someone who got put in a forced triple (the size of a double room) her freshman year, and it was pretty bad. They had to put one of the dressers in the closet. There was no room, and three girls sharing half a closet 
She ended up moving home!</p>
<p>I still haven’t decided where I’m going for sure, so I’m trying to think of everything! UMD’s the only school I’m looking at that does the forced triple thing, but I really like the school.</p>
<p>I did think the rooms were a little cramped, Janet, but my daughter doesn’t seem worried about it at all…we’ d definitely get creative with lofting beds, etc. to try to create space</p>
<p>If they convert your room from designated double to triple, they will reduce the cost of housing so you at least have that plus.</p>