<p>Hey Everyone!</p>
<p>As the time to submit applications is coming....the one question that I can't decide on is whether I should apply Summer B or Fall. Do your chances really increase if you apply for Summer B? Isn't it just better to apply for Fall and wait to see if they accept you for Summer B? I really need help guys!!! :(</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Confused Ana</p>
<p>Chances are not higher for summer. I'm also applying ED for UF. I'm applying for summer B. Theres a couple of reasoning points behind it.</p>
<p>1)I'm 99% sure that you MUST do at least 1 summer term. Why not do it the first summer? I mean come on, you can only drink THAT much before college starts/after high school ends.</p>
<p>2) Better dorm choices. Yum</p>
<p>3) Get to know the campus, find out where classes are, start a routine. You'll maybe be taking 1 or 2 classes summer B so its a little relaxed. You can use this time to get to know your roomate (if youll have one), if you're like me...you need to learn to study for classes haha, etc.</p>
<p>NO reason to apply for fall, really.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply Ruo, I applied for Summer B. I weighted out the pros and cons of each semester and your advice was a boost. Thank You!</p>
<p>Hey...If we both get accepted, we should get together sometime over there. College Confidential get-together!</p>
<p>No problem. I initially had the same debate as you, but from all my friends at UF they all suggested the same thing. </p>
<p>Message me at any time on AIM, ill pm it to you</p>
<p>:) I'll pm you mine also.</p>
<p>Ana and Ruo, you made a good choice applying for Summer B. My son is a freshman this year, and he started with the Summer B semester. It's quiet and not crowded, and it's a great way to learn your way around campus. Dorm choices were limited, because some of the dorms were being renovated, and a few were being used for summer conferences and Preview (orientation). He was in Jennings, and he didn't care because it was only for 7-8 weeks.</p>
<p>By the time Fall semester rolled around, he knew how he wanted to change his Fall schedule. He knew what kind of meal plan he wanted for the fall.</p>
<p>Another nice thing about going to Summer B is that at the end of the semester, they allowed him to move his things into his Fall semester room closet. You can't leave anything inside the room, itself. Just what you can fit into the closet. So we didn't have to bring home his file cabinet or small chest of drawers for the one week between semesters. And we locked his desk lamp and a lot of other stuff inside the file cabinet. That was a big help, because Fall move-in day is a hectic, crowded, nightmare kind of a day. </p>
<p>Keep in mind though, that Bright Futures doesn't kick in until Fall semester. And Florida Prepaid dorm does not cover Summer B dorm rent, but it was only something like $600. Florida Prepaid tuition does take care of Summer B semester, but not the fees. My son took two classes.</p>
<p>Best of luck to both of you!
g8trmom</p>
<p>summer B is terrible, don't do it</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice g8trmom, i have a few question sif you have time.</p>
<p>1) I definately have decided on summer B. Here's my issue though. If I'm applying ED to summer B, when do I pick my fall dorm? I know that ED students end up getting priority on dorm rooms, but does that mean that I get priority over fall AND summer? I'd like to live in Broward dorm, but I don't want to loose priority because I attended a summer course. Do you get to pick your choice of both term dorms when i first get my gatorlink?</p>
<p>2) I'm assuming that since he had a fall-dorm closet that he had already picked his fall dorm ahead of time. When was he given his information on his fall dorm? (what dorm he was assigned to, room key, etc)</p>
<p>3) Does he have a single or double? What kind would you recommend</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>and to kirst. Do you mind elaborating?</p>
<p>Thank you very much g8tmom!!! I appreciate your advice :)</p>
<p>Ruo,
You apply for your Summer and Fall dorm at the same time. My son wanted Broward for Summer and Fall, but Broward was being used all summer for Preview, so he had to make separate choices for Summer B and Fall semesters. Here's the timeline:</p>
<p>December 2: He received an e-mail telling him that he was accepted, and that his letter of acceptance and more information would follow in the mail. His deadline to send the $200 tuition deposit for Summer B was January 16th. (He has prepaid tuition and Bright Futures, so it was later credited to his account.)</p>
<p>December 5: He received a letter of congratulations in the mail from the President.</p>
<p>December 23: The Housing department mailed a color flyer with lots of information about dorms, and instructions on how to go online and select his dorms. The online instructions will tell you which dorms are available for Summer and Fall. You make a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice for each semester. </p>
<p>January 16: Deadline to send $200 tuition deposit.</p>
<p>January 23: Deadline to fill out Housing application and send $200 deposit.</p>
<p>We had to pay a $200 deposit for Summer dorm because it wasn't covered by his Florida Prepaid Dorm. We didn't have to send a housing deposit for his Fall dorm, because Prepaid covered it.</p>
<p>The form asks you which is more important to you, 1) the dorm, or 2) which type of room you get. My son wanted a single of course, so he indicated that the type of room was most important to him. He got a double and his 2nd choice dorm for Summer (Jennings). He got a double and his 1st choice dorm for Fall (Broward).</p>
<p>Since then, we have learned that there are very few singles, and they usually go to sophomores who stay in the dorms for their second year. You keep your housing priority date forever, so the sophomores' priority dates are a year older than the freshmen's dates.</p>
<p>My son likes both his Summer and Fall roommates, and I think he's glad he got a double now. And he has seen some awful triples in the dorms, so he's very, very, grateful he had an early priority date. He and his Fall roommate are so busy with classes and activities, that they hardly see each other. It's much busier in the Fall than it was in the Summer.</p>
<p>He got his dorm/room assignment about one month prior to the start of each semester. So he was on campus in July when he received his Fall dorm assignment. They also send you your roommate's name, address, phone, and email address in the same e-mail, in case you want to get in touch with him/her. You don't get your room key until you check in on move-in day.</p>
<p>I hope I've answered your questions, Ruo. And if you've got more, please feel free to ask away!<br>
Take care,
g8trmom</p>
<p>Ahh thanks that helps a lot. I'm probably rooming with a friend of mine from school at least for the summer term. It's not someone I'm close friends with, just I know and we both decided it'd be cool to get to know each other and room together if we're assigned doubles. By what you told me that changes my prespective what dorm to pick.</p>
<p>Although I would like a single, i would actually REALLY like a single, I have an open mind. I'd like the full college experience and I consider myself pretty social, so going to Broward would be my top choice.</p>
<p>I'm curious though, you said your son picked single room priority over dorm building priority, but he still got his first choice of broward. If the chances of a freshman getting a single ae so small, do you think its a good idea to just apply for building (not room) priority?</p>
<p>One more question, Is it possible to build a double loft? In other words, if I'm assigned to a double room in broward, is it possible to turn both our beds into lofts? (not bunk beds). For example, both our beds are in opposite sides of the room but are elevated with the study area being UNDER each of our respective beds. I know some schools offer the ability to "bunk" up their beds, but I'm not sure if the system allows for a double loft.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Ruo,
The Housing Dept. told me that if you want to room with a friend they can arrange that, but they'll always use the latest priority date. So if your priority date is September 20th, and your roommate applied RD with a priority date of October 20th, Housing is going to use the October 20th priority date for both of you when assigning your dormitory.</p>
<p>You have until May 1st to make changes to your housing request for Summer B semester, and until June 1st to make changes to your housing request for Fall semester. The changes are allowed, and they don't affect your priority date. It sounds like they don't even start assigning rooms until a month before they send the assignment notices out to the students.</p>
<p>Yes, my son's first priority was that he have a single room. Maybe they gave him his first choice dorm (Broward) because they couldn't give him the single room. Or maybe because the ED applicants have such early priority dates, they almost always get their first choice dorm. I'm not sure how they think, and I know it's a little bit of a roulette wheel for you. Maybe you could start a new thread here at CC, and get other people's opinions on that.</p>
<p>About Loft Beds: Housing told me that you are allowed to loft your bed. After you check into your room, tell your RA you'd like to loft the bed. The RA will give you a form, and your request has to be approved by the Area Housing office. Here's the clincher: After it has been approved, they give you directions, and you have to loft the bed yourself! Somewhere online, I saw directions on how to loft a bed at UF. It was probably on the UF Housing webpage. I remember that when I asked if the school or dorm would give us the wood we needed to raise the bed, she said, "No, you have to get that yourself." We never did it.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!
g8trmom</p>
<p>Ruo,</p>
<p>I just found the UF page that talks about bed lofts.</p>
<p>It's not easy.......</p>
<p>Haha its something out of McGeyver. That's ok, I can work it out. I'll need to email them myself to get the exact measurements and slot needs. It's actually a lot easier then they make it seem (if your son is still interested). There are companies online that supply the loft frames or even complete lofts. By what i've seen about UF dorms is that the beds themselves are made to be "bunked". All that's needed is 4 posts (4x4 with the pin hole) and then simply stick the bed on top of it. </p>
<p>I guess I'll give it further thought.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice</p>
<p>I'm just kidding, it's a nice transition for incoming freshmen</p>
<p>your tweakin me out! haha</p>
<p>;) just relax, everything will go fine</p>
<p>Ruo, if you think if would be easy to change your dorm bed into a loft bed, you're a LOT handier than my son and me. I can't even imagine doing it, and I'm so impressed that you think it would be so easy! My son raised his bed as high as it would go on the bedposts that are already there, and he can fit his small, extra chest of drawers, his file cabinet, and refrigerator underneath, so he's happy. His small TV sits on the dresser, so this way, he can watch TV from bed. (Not that that should be important, since he spends all his spare time studying. And of course, I believe him...... :-)</p>
<p>g9trmom</p>
<p>Haha, the only reason I think I'd be ok is because I've had some experience building stuff. I usually end up bleeding but it works out. Don't think it'll be easy but it'll end up built or me sleeping on the floor : )</p>
<p>The reason I wanted double lofts is because if I were to want a double (seems that way) in broward, I'd be with a friend from high school. We both are pretty excited to go to UF (assuming we both get in) and had the idea of a loft clearing about 30-40% of the room and setting up a big tv and a couch facing each other near the entrance. Ya know, for study groups....</p>