<p>Does anyone have a photo of a quadruple room in San Jac? My son will be in one and there are no room layouts for a quad room on the UT website. We would appreciate knowing what to expect.</p>
<p>I would also like to know that a triple in duren would be like. Usually how much bigger than a double would it be? I’m on the first floor</p>
<p>San Jac Quad Room-All the rooms in San Jac are double occupancy. The quadruple room is probably the study lounge converted to a dorm room. Each person will have a desk/chair, a bed and a portable wardrobe. Call the front desk at San Jac and they can tell you more about it.</p>
<p>Sunnydayfun: thanks very much! You scared us into calling housing to confirm they were not in supplemental housing. Mystery solved…they converted a 524 square-foot interior room that they used to use for movie nights into a proper quad occupancy dorm room. It has built in closets and a bath. Big relief…again, thanks!</p>
<p>Quad occupancy? That’s going to be a party</p>
<p>Can anyone describe the configuration – where is the door, the closets, etc. We were told the bathroom is actually outside the room - is this accurate - all 4 of our boys are moving in on different days so we need to make some basic decisions.</p>
<p>^ What dorm is your son staying in?</p>
<p>Can someone please explain to me about the University Towers
Can freshamans live there and is it affordable?</p>
<p>Please anyone reply to this.</p>
<p>University Towers is one of 6 private dorms that serve the university attending population and is not under the jurisdiction of UT. It is located just west of the campus – a relatively short walk to the the west side.</p>
<p>I can answer only part of your question: UT does not restrict where any of its students live. I would contact the University Towers to ask how much the rent is, as “affordable” means different things to different people.</p>
<p>Is the university towers close to the medical classes?</p>
<p>Which dorms are closer to the medical classes?
Do they have any gyms?</p>
<p>All the dorms are to the west of campus. I am not sure which courses you mean by “medical classes”. The nursing school is on the southeast side. Closest UT dorm is San Jacinto.</p>
<p>Most classes are in buildings within walking distance of all dorms, private or UT-owned.</p>
<p>There is a bus that runs around the campus which will help you get from one side to the other.</p>
<p>The University Towers is located in West Campus about 3-4 blocks from Guadalupe. If you are going Greek/rushing, this is probably where a good 80% of your fellow Greek brothers and sisters will be staying. That being said, it is your typical animal house- college co-eds peeing in elevators, pulling fire alarms, throwing mattresses off of balcony’s (yes this has happened). If you aren’t into a super social dorm, this is probably not your place.</p>
<p>We signed a lease at the Castilian for 2011-2012. Unfortunately, we agreed to re-lease for the 2012-13 school year before we realized the number of unresolved or inadequately resolved yet serious problems. I want to warn those considering the Castilian as to what is not mentioned on the tour or the website, and I also suggest some alternatives. The issues included:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Five weeks without hot water- The Castilian is 45 years old; it is not properly repaired. We immediately realized there was no hot water in my ds room last year. We reported the problem before regular move-in day, but instead of fixing it, management denied there was a problem. Only after weeks went by did management stop denying there was no hot water, but then, according to the Operations Manager, it took two weeks to trouble-shoot the issue: calcified pipes due to poor maintenance. The result: 5 weeks with no hot water. A few community bathrooms were to be shared by hundreds of residents only at scheduled times until the problem was fixed. The handful of over-used community bathrooms could not be kept clean. No compensation was offered.</p></li>
<li><p>One week without any water-Another poorly-maintained pipe for which the Castilian, not the City, was responsible. It burst below the building last year, resulting in no water at all (no bathrooms, not even at night, and no laundry) for a week. The Operations Manager said it was an accident, and asked, what did you expect us to do? The clear answer: maintain and repair the pipes before they burst. The Castilian provided five-gallon jugs of water to students, but that does not replace showers, toilets or washing machines. No compensation and no refunds were offered.</p></li>
<li><p>Other repair issues - last year, overhead pipes burst on two floors, resulting in water flooding the rooms. There is water damage on the ceilings of other floors. There are signs on the 10th floor of the parking garage warning students not to park there because the overhead pipes may burst. This year, the spout of my ds tub is held on with masking tape. Last year, the air conditioning window unit in her room poured dirty water into her room, causing the room to smell of mold. The wet carpet ruined her new book bag and several books. This year, toilets were clogged on move-in day, and air-conditioners were not working at all in several rooms. My ds upgraded furniture (an extra fee) was heavily gauged and scratched. Last year, one resident paid for, but did not receive the furniture upgrade and was simply told she would have to wait weeks until the Castilian might be able to comply. There was no compensation.</p></li>
<li><p>The lack of adequate security-the Castilian lacks a card-access, one point of entry security system. Anyone can enter the elevators on the ground floor during the day and evening, and although the front elevators are turned off late at night, leaving only parking garage access, there is a single security guard in the parking garage who cannot be everywhere at once. No one notices who comes in or out of the elevators and into the stairwells on the eleventh floor. Despite numerous complaints, management ignores the situation year after year. Hundreds of homeless are fed by the church a block away; they have followed students into elevators and down hallways.</p></li>
<li><p>Lack of direction during an emergency - last year, the buildings alarm was tripped in the early morning. There was no direction from Castilian management or the RAs. Students were unsure of whether the alarm was false or where they should go. There has been no attempt to remedy this problem of lack of adequate direction during an emergency.</p></li>
<li><p>Parking problems - students may park in any space before a certain date; this year, it was September 5th. There was a parking party on September 4th, when students were to relocate their cars to their assigned spaces. My ds space was already occupied by a resident who did not attend the party. My d tried that night and the next morning to move her car, but she was told she could do nothing until 10 a.m. She had class at 10 a.m. Her car was towed at 12:30. The management who staged the party made no attempt to: (1) give my d another space for the day until the situation could be worked out; (2) contact the offending resident whose information they had; or even (3) contact my d before her car was towed, knowing she tried to move her car. The offenders car was not towed. Managements response: the issue was cut and dried. In other words, she should have skipped class to move her car at 10 am, they were not going to help in any way. The cost of the tow was $200. </p></li>
<li><p>Internet fees- the Castilian does not provide free Internet service. The contracted service is not very good, forcing students to pay the premium rate ($395/year) to get even mediocre Internet service.</p></li>
<li><p>Other issues - the rooms on move-in date are not clean. Scrubbing the bathroom floors did not help. Last year, the bathroom cabinet was virtually unusable because the door was put on backwards. We asked it be fixed. It was not. The tracks for the closet doors were also not in proper repair, making it difficult to open and close them.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>For these and other reasons, we will not be back at the Castilian next year. For those looking for some alternatives to the Castilian, as a parent, I might suggest the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The Callaway House -opening Fall 2013. Located a block off campus, it is closer to many UT buildings than the Castilian. It will be brand new so, unlike the Castilian, there will not be massive debacles over pipes, water, air-conditioning. There will be a single, secure entrance point providing far greater security than the Castilian does. The suites will be clean, and the Internet and utilities are at no extra cost. There are options for shared bedrooms or private bed/bath in a four-bedroom suite. There will be a full-service dining hall with more meal plan options than the Castilian has. There will be professional staff on-site 24/7. There is a bi-weekly maid service and a parking garage. Downside: it is not built yet, but American Campus says they have not missed a move-in date yet.</p></li>
<li><p>The Penthouse at Callaway - opening Fall 2013. These are the top two floors of the Callaway House, with furnished apartments and full kitchens. Again, it will be new, secure, and clean. It is slightly more expensive, and utilities are not included. There are two- and three-bedroom apartments with private baths and parking garage access. The meal plan will be available to those who want it. Again, not built yet, but promised.</p></li>
<li><p>2400 Nueces - Another new furnished apartment complex a block away from the Castilian. One-four bedroom options. Full kitchens but no meal plans. 24-hour maintenance and a parking garage. Utilities are provided including Internet. Downside: not built yet, but construction seems farther along than Calloway House.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Hey anyone, and everyone. I really appreciated the first post on this thread! I was wondering if the post still rings true.</p>
<p>Jester
Everyone has heard of this one. It really does smell like p*ss. There really are parties and people do blast music and you can hear it 20 doors down (because the hallways really are that long). You have to wait for the elevator (sometimes even 5 minutes) to get to your room if you are on floor 6 or above. The beds are pull-out, so it’s kinda like a couch until you want to sleep. The windows are 2 by 4 feet, and they seem like prison windows. Ironically however, everyone I know that stays in Jester loves it. My guess is they love the two dining halls (JCL and J2) located within the dorm, in addition to the Wendy’s, Jesta Pizza, Freshen’s smoothie, etc. It also has one of the best locations on campus. You are across the street from the library and it is a centrally located dorm for all your classes. Overall, if you are a generally sociable person, you shouldn’t have any problems making the transition.</p>
<p>San Jacinto
The second largest dorm. In my opinion, if you are willing to pay the extra money (because it does cost more than Jester and the other dorms), it is the best dorm. It has its own cafe, Cypress Bend, which has pretty good food. The room sizes are nice and the private baths are nice as well. There are many study lounges and people actually use them (which is a great way to meet people). It is also in a great location on campus, a short walk from the library, and a short walk to classes. All the chairs (for your desk) double as a rocking chair, which is pretty cool too. lol</p>
<p>Duren
The newest dorm. The Duren rooms are pretty nice and spacious (especially if you stay on the first floor, where the rooms have 15+ feet ceilings for some reason). The private baths are nice as well. The study lounge situation in San Jacinto applies here as well. The major complaint with Duren is its location. You might as well live in a west campus apartment. I take the west campus bus to go to Duren if I am tired and I am across campus (where my classes are). It is an incredibly long walk to the gym (almost a mile, and then back). I wouldnt pay the extra money to live here if I could room at San Jacinto.</p>
<p>Brackenridge, Prather, Roberts
These three dorms are all really similar. They are all really small and you can really get to know your neighbors. However, they are very old and its noticeable. The doors look like they are 80 years old (in all honesty they probably are) and so are the locks. Many sophomores and upperclassmen live here because it is quieter than the other dorms. The community baths arent bad because there are usually 4 or 5 rooms assigned to a bath, and you usually never encounter someone else in there. And the community bath is cleaned daily.</p>
<p>Simkins
Dont live here.
**
Simkins is now called Creekside Hall**
Moore-Hill
Ive only been in here a few times, but its kind of like a more grown-up Jester. The rooms are similarly sized but they dont seem prison like. It is still sociable, but it is more quiet and tight-knit (in comparison to Jester, Moore-Hill is still a large dorm). Some rooms have a nice view of the Gregory pool.</p>
<p>Andrews, Blanton, Carothers
The honors quad is amazing. The people here are very social and nice. The rooms are average, but the social atmosphere makes a huge difference. I noticed this just visiting (I havent lived here), but friends that have lived in the honors dorms say its a great transition for incoming freshman to college.</p>
<p>Littlefield
Come to think of it, I havent been in a Littlefield room.
**
Since Fall 2012 Littlefileld is part of Honors Quad.**</p>
<p>Kinsolving
It looks like Jester as well. Not that great. The community is nice and Kinsolving dining hall is extremely convenient, but if I were a girl Id try to stay somewhere else.</p>
<p>Woah! Really? Glad they finally accepted Littlefield as part of the 4th dorm that actually makes the honor’s quad, the QUAD! I always sensed some kind of barrier knowing that I came from Littlefield whenever I’d be around the other dorms. And the whole thing about Littlefielders not having access to walk through the rest of those three dorms while they had the liberty to do so amongst themselves. But sneaking in through that one big door on the inside of the quad of Andrews was always fun - just to explore. </p>
<p>I hope it’s still all girls! That was nice at least too. And all of their traditions!!
Littlefield is great. Fully support it. It was my last pick and I’m still glad I got it.</p>
<p>Question: Assuming all goes well and I end up getting accepted in June (I’m a transfer with less than 30 hours at the time of my application but will have 36 hours by the end of this semester) how will housing work for me? Won’t everything be taken up by then? </p>
<p>If all else comes to worse I have a cousin up in Manor who offered to let me room with him. Only problem is the commute. I don’t have a car and really don’t want to save up the money for one if I don’t need it. That and rent will be about $350 which, considering the commute and parking fees, is barely even worth it. I’d much rather live on campus or in an apartment right near campus. I was hoping for something near the Communications building since I’m majoring in Film.</p>
<p>My daughter just signed a lease to live at 2400 Nueces for the 2013/14 school year. It’s expensive but brand new with leather furniture, pool, state of the art gym. It’s a great location but no cafeteria on site. </p>
<p>She will be a Junior and currently lives in Duren. 968.00 for 2/2 unit…</p>
<p>Maybe it’s been answered somewhere between those 60 pages, but which dorms have more upperclassmen in them?</p>
<p>I believe that each dorm reserves 30% of space for returning students, the rest are for freshman. It would appear that none of the dorms have many upper classmen. Most UT students live elsewhere.</p>