<p>I read the other thread. My son was assigned to a triple in highrise 5. It was his third choice. I just called housing and do not have any confidence in Cornell's computer science department because they say that there are people who wanted triples and didn't get them. </p>
<p>Is a triple in an old dorm like the middle seat of an airplane - why would anyone want to switch with him? </p>
<p>How is Highrise 5?</p>
<p>My D was in a triple in High Rise #5 for her freshman year. Rooms are in 4 wings (4-5 rooms per wing) per floor with a common lounge type area with windows overlooking the front entrance. Kitchenette on each floor with microwave. her floor was not that socail as far as using the lounge, so she spent alot of time at another floors lounge that was used more. Room was a little cramped with 3 in it, but she survived. The dorm doesn’t seem to be as appealing as the majority of other freshman dorms, but we try to live by the saying “things turn out the best for those that make the best of the way things turn out” … our D has loved & thrived at Cornell.</p>
<p>I can’t help being upset that we got the absolute worst situation - bad dorm and a triple. I used to be a computer programmer and I can’t understand how they can have a computer algorithm that gives people who want triples, doubles and vice versa. We had heard of people who requested doubles with singles as their second choice getting singles and my husband and I actually would have preferred our son to be in a single but don’t understand how he got his third choice. I’m worried that with 3 kids they won’t get any sleep if someone is always coming and going. My son stays up really late and naps.</p>
<p>Did your daughter try to switch? I thought at least that high rise 5 was supposed to be social.</p>
<p>Our D was upset that she didn’t get the dorm she wanted…however we never encouraged her to seek a change. Our attitude was “someone had to get this assignment, so why are you more entitled to another dorm than someone else”. Sometimes it was tough, but out of low level frustration comes growth, which is a big part of what you want your kid to get out of college. Alot of kids have lived through “less than ideal housing situations” & I’m sure your son could too.</p>
<p>Our daughter was a triple crown winner also her freshman year. SHe checked her angst at the door the day she moved in. In the next four years many things will happen that cannot be set to a computer algorithm. Depending on the students major they may spend less than 8 hours a day in the dorm. Stay tuned, wait until they move off campus for the real housing shockers!</p>
<p>That’s all very zen. We’re going to try to change. Maybe someone wants to be in a triple. Pay - was triple also your daughter’s third choice? </p>
<p>What was wrong with off campus housing? My daughter went to Wash U. She was put into a forced triple but we overheard people in the dorm talking about someone who left the first day so we swooped in and took her spot. Wash U lets you stay on campus all 4 years which is what she did.</p>
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<p>Watch this video & then add “my son didn’t get the rooming assignment he wanted at Cornell” </p>
<p>[First</a> World Problems - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2WzQzxuoA]First”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN2WzQzxuoA)</p>
<p>I agree with csdad. A little zen goes a long way at Cornell… </p>
<p>My D didn’t love the idea of living in the Low Rise housing when others got the best freshman dorm placements. We could have played the medical card for her b/c of her asthma/allergies and gotten one of those new dorms but she didn’t want us in there rescuing her from her dorm assignment. It wasn’t perfect but it wasn’t terrible either. In the end, it’s the people that make the dorm.</p>
<p>The dorm situation could end up equally as bad next year because of the lottery situation so this will just be preparation for that. By the time she is a junior, the off campus life begins and well…that’s a whole different topic.</p>
<p>Ouch. Not going to lie, but that’s about as bad as it gets. The only thing which would be worse is a triple in a Low Rise, if those even exist.</p>
<p>A lot of triples are forced triples, too, i.e. they’re really doubles but housing squeezes three people in anyway. That really sucks.</p>
<p>We are paying a lot of money. It really isn’t fair that there is such a disparity in outcomes. Triple was my son’s third choice. I know that we could be living in a slum in Calcutta and have leprosy. That is just not relevant.</p>
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<p>“Triple” was everyone’s third choice! Some have to get put in a triple, your son was unlucky, as was my daughter, but what is your argument that they are more entitled to their choice than anyone else?</p>
<p>“Ouch. Not going to lie, but that’s about as bad as it gets. The only thing which would be worse is a triple in a Low Rise, if those even exist.”</p>
<p>Yup. They exist. My son got assigned one. </p>
<p>And one of his roommates has radically different beliefs from him. </p>
<p>But we’re going the zen route, too. I think–I hope–it will be a learning experience. And I don’t want to start things with a negative vibe if we try to change and can’t. Better to just make the best of it. Perhaps it will help him meet more people. Trying to stay positive!!</p>
<p>What’s great about Cornell is there is no differential when it comes to housing, except for number of occupancy in a room. If your kid is not happy with the situation, he/she could put in a request with housing to swap if one should become available. There are people who do not want to pay for a single, so your son may be able swap if you are willing to pay for a single. My kid’s good friend requested for a triple due to cost and was quite happy with the choice. My kid was able to change her dorm room (from one building to another) by putting a request with Housing.</p>
<p>Cornell’s dorms are not Four Seasons, not even Motel 6. Both of my kids survived. I don’t remember them complaining about their rooms. They complained more about amount of work and weather.</p>
<p>According to Cornell housing, a triple is not everyone’s last choice which is why I am complaining about the computer algorithm. They told me today that he couldn’t put in a request to change. When can you do that? Thank you for a constructive suggestion. Do you mean there is no differential in what you can request? Because there is definitely a differential in quality of housing beyond how many are in a room.</p>
<p>He should be able to put one in within the first month - they need to wait for a room to open up. Don’t be surprised if he does not want to move though. Once they get settled the idea of packing up and moving isn’t very appealing.</p>
<p>I agree with Oldfort. The room will seem minor compared to the workload and the weather.</p>
<p>So there’s nothing that can be done before he moves in short of finding someone on Facebook who wants to switch?</p>
<p>Right. You could try to get someone to swap but it would unlikely unless someone had a single and didn’t want it and was willing to be in that dorm.</p>
<p>Yes and no. I don’e believe in “it is not possible” to get something changed. I would put in your request for room change and check back with housing regularly. There is a balance of being a pest vs being persistant.</p>
<p>I suppose it’s “possible but not really very probable” before the year begins that housing will switch him because all rooms are accounted for. They open up a waiting list as students drop out within the first several weeks.</p>
<p>My D filled out the housing with the exact same answer twice - a single and then a double. She did get her requested single doing this (yes it was a single in the Low Rise) but she did not get the building she wanted. I’m not sure how that plays into the algorithms.</p>
<p>ask your son to try posting room switch on facebook. last year dd used facebook class group to look for the switch,and she found 4+ students wanted to switch room with her. the process was very easy. both student just have to email housing at the same time and housing dept. will then send new contract for both student to sign.this way your son can move in to his new room otherwise he would have to wait till all students settle in and wait till something come avail and usually it would means that sometime in Sept~and moving twice…</p>