<p>We just found out that my D has been "tripled". When we called to get more information we were told that 80% of the freshmen are being tripled!!</p>
<p>While that number is huge, I keep hearing more and more about schools that are being "forced" to triple due to increasing numbers. I am furious! We are paying 50 K for a school that can't reasonably figure out acceptances, yields, etc. Can't they ever err on the side of the student instead of the side of more $$ for the school and maybe admit fewer kids? Use waitlists more? We will get a reduced room rate (big deal), but I am upset that my D's freshman experience will be diminished by cramped living and roommate issues. I am of course not venting to my daughter...she'll just have to deal.</p>
<p>Advice to parents of seniors: Ask the questions at Open House.</p>
<p>I wish there was a way to make these administrators more accountable.</p>
<p>We're approaching a demographic hump in kids so I think that many schools are making the decision not to build as they'd have unused space in a few years.</p>
<p>That said, I don't like the idea of a lot of people living in cramped quarters for health reasons and for reasons of needing personal space.</p>
<p>Interesting, deezmom. I hope it works out okay for your daughter (not too crowded). I talked to someone this weekend whose brother finished up his first year at U of MD College Park. He said that because of some sort of 'housing shortage' his brother, as a freshman, roomed with two other upper-classmen. It wasn't a bad situation, just not as fun/pleasant as it would have been to room with students who are in the same boat as you (new place, looking to establish friendships, etc.).</p>
<p>I wonder if you (as a student) can request/state a preference & if it would make a difference (e.g., prefer a double over a triple, prefer to room w/people in the same year)?</p>
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We are paying 50 K for a school that can't reasonably figure out acceptances, yields, etc.
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</p>
<p>Yeah, I'd be quite ****ed too... if you're paying that much for a school then it's quite reasonable to expect that you can at least live in a room built to hold the number of students assigned to it.</p>
<p>Hi deezmom - I know from your earlier posts that your D is going to the same school as my S this fall. There was a question relating to triples on the housing form the kids were sent earlier this summer. My S indicated he did not want to triple. (I forget how it was worded, either he had to check if he wouldn't mind or check if he would if "absolutely necessary" - something like that). He got his roommate assignment on Saturday and fortunately, he's in a double. I'm curious - did your D say on that form she'd be ok w/ a triple? (If not, I'd be ticked off, too). They announced at the summer orientation we attended that they had to triple more than they've ever had to because they had a much higher yield this year than ever before, but I never dreamed they meant 80% of the freshmen. That's just crazy. How could they possibly have underestimated the # of admitted students who'd enroll (and want to live on campus) by that amount?</p>
<p>TubamomNY - Thanks. I didn't want to single out Fordham because it the practice is pretty widespread. You may be right about the male/female thing.</p>
<p>My daughter indicated that she did not want to be tripled on the housing form. I am hoping for the best - after all if so many kids are in the same boat it may be an adventure for them. But it does detract from the "quality of life" for freshman. Its hard enough dealing with homesickness, new surroundings, new friends without the overcrowding.</p>
<p>My husband had a good point. If they are so over enrolled, how is that going to impact classes?</p>
<p>Yeah - I edited to delete Fordham, but apparently not in time...oops.
My son was far less worried about the tripling than I was - I can't imagine 3 kids in some of those rooms. But kids are amazing resilient.</p>
<p>As for class size, I know a lot of freshman core classes tend to be crowded, but I'm sure this will make it that much worse. </p>
<p>I'm just appalled at the 80%. That's just nuts.</p>
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Can't they ever err on the side of the student instead of the side of more $$ for the school and maybe admit fewer kids? Use waitlists more?
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I think it's a lose-lose for the school here. If they do rely on the more, people just complain that the school is playing the system simply waitlist to increase their ranking (even if said school has had over-enrollment issues in the past).</p>
<p>deezmom - I believe most freshmen (freshwomen?) take these kind of things in stride. If your D is an exception you might consider having her write a letter to the housing office describing why she requested a double in the first place. That way she might have a "leg up" when a spot in a double opens up. JMHO.</p>
<p>I would always recommend looking into the resources invested in housing as a proxie measure for the school's commitment to residential life. Look at:</p>
<p>a) Percentage of students living in campus housing
b) Is on campus housing guaranteed
c) How does the lottery/dorm selection process work.</p>
<p>Do a search in the online college newspaper for "housing" to see if there are ongoing issues.</p>
<p>Or what about a single room being doubled?
On the floor plan for her dorm, the room is marked single. But in fact she has a roommate. And this adds to the bathroom load which was designed for 7 and will have 8 or 9 (depends if the other singles are doubled).</p>
<p>And yes, I expect better for 50K$. We are not talking a big state U facing budget cuts......</p>
<p>DD thinks it will be fine and in the end likely it will be just fine.</p>
<p>"DD thinks it will be fine and in the end likely it will be just fine."</p>
<p>Here, here! I hope you are right. Here's to the resilience of youth...</p>
<p>Trying to look on the bright side:
a) more study time in the library
b) fewer "hook ups" in dorms
c) wider circle of friends with 2 instead of 3 roomies....</p>
<p>I agree with newHope33 that most students seem to weather this, and with the OP that since so many of the freshmen are going through this, it'll be a shared hardship that therefore becomes a good story. </p>
<p>Looking at this from another viewpoint: Even with many double rooms made into triples, my (public) college was notoriously short of on-campus housing, with a lottery for freshmen. I lost. My first months were spent in a rented room about a mile from campus; I'd have given anything for one of those crowded triple rooms!</p>
<p>From last August, posted in the Fordham forum</p>
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<p>I think a lot of colleges are low on dorm space in these "demographic hump" years with the highest number of HS grads applying to colleges. Fordham was hit hard by this last year and this year, I guess. As SlitheyTove said, a shared hardship that becomes a good story.</p>
<p>The University of Texas has an unusual solution to this problem. They don't have enough room on campus for all of the freshmen who want housing, but there are a number of off-campus-but-nearby private dorms available (with an R.A. on your floor to help you and a cafeteria and meal plan available - like an on campus dorm but with slightly better food).</p>
<p>Deezmom - so sorry that your daughter is tripled. Make sure she communicates with her roommates before move in day and that they all agree to not unpack until everyone is in the room. </p>
<p>Older S was in a forced triple freshman year at an expensive 2nd tier LAC. It was a disaster due to the extremely poor planning by the administration. Students were required to move in alphabetically, in waves hours apart and since the school offered no guidelines on proper ettiquete, early arrivers were free to lay claim to the limited space . In my son's forced triple room there were 3 beds and 3 computer jacks, but only 2 bureaus, 2 desks and 2 closets. One roommate with bad manners had the good fortune to have a last name beginning with B and he took the bed, a desk, a bureau and an entire closet leaving my son and the 3rd student with the bunked beds and sharing a desk, closet, and bureau. We ran into other families with kids in tears because early arriving roommates had bunked the beds on risers so that the last arriving student ended up on a top bunk a few feet from the ceiling. All of this could have been avoided if administration had arranged for roommates to be allowed to arrive at the same time and insist that no one unpack until everyone arrived.</p>
<p>My D was in a tripled double (3 in a room designed for 2) her first year at UCLA as are most of the Freshmen. It actually wasn't as bad as the initial gut reaction. They bunked one bed above another and the third bed was lofted with a desk and closet underneath and it really wasn't much more crowded than with just 2 beds except, of course, there were 3 people instead of 2. </p>
<p>One of the bright sides is that your D has doubled her odds of having a roommate she gets along well with. Also, if one of the roomies is a bit unsociable with your D (or maybe anyone) having the third roomie can break the awkward tension.</p>
<p>I hope you'll also get the bright side of reduced housing prices. The UCs reduce the housing prices when one gets tripled but I've heard that some colleges keep the same price (which is definitely unfair).</p>
<p>Realistically, your D will end up doing fine. Her angst now is probably the most she'll have.</p>
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Advice to parents of seniors: Ask the questions at Open House.
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<p>Same thing happened last year! I have a friend whose D went through the exact same situation. Did you ask at the Open House? And if so, did they not tell you that this isn't the first year that it's been an issue? I'd truly be annoyed if the question was asked and an honest answer wasn't given. I think I'd be more concerned about the effect this huge yield will have on classes than I would on the dorm situation.</p>
<p>It should be noted that many students got into that college <em>because</em> of the triple-room situation. Maybe OP's daughter would not have made the cut otherwise. </p>
<p>I figure the college chosen was for reasons other than how nice the dorm room. People survive and thrive on far less. The 50K tuition/board doesn't guarantee a double-room (I have never read small print to that fact) and it isn't like the college is withholding rooms - they just don't have it. Their other option is to deny enrollment. Again, back to my original point - maybe "your" daughter wouldn't have made the cut. Time to count some blessings, among which 1) your family can afford 50K a year 2) your daughter is healthy enough and smart enough to attend a private school 3) your biggest gripe of the day is worrying about your daughter being a bit "squished" in a dorm room. </p>
<p>I would be so happy with a triple at my D's school...she is in a five! And not a suite with a couple of bedrooms and a shared living area, either. We are talking five beds, five desks, five dressers, all in one room. We are paying 50K, too. For an only child who has lived only with her single mom for 14 years, this will be quite an adjustment. She has been treating me pretty badly of late...I hope it teaches her a lesson!</p>