<p>So after an agonizing college search and musical auditions, we finally decided on a college, largely based on its small size and very nice sized dorm rooms. Now, nearly a month after the deadline to accept elsewhere, we find that the college has substantially overadmitted and large numbers of freshmen, including our son, have been assigned to triple rooms. The dorm he is assigned to is new but the rooms are suite style with two rooms sharing a bathroom with a single toilet and shower. How are six boys supposed to get cleaned up and off to class at the same time in the morning with one bathroom? Do they draw lots to see who takes a shower at night and who gets to take one in the morning? Where is my son supposed to stash three guiitars (it's his major so, yes, he does need them), a practice amp, and a laptop computer? How do they fit three beds, desks and dressers into a room designed for two of each? </p>
<p>At least the school is reducing the housing charge to those in triples, but honestly my son would have thought twice about enrolling at this school if he had known about the triples. I guess this is not worth blowing off college entirely, but he was already lukewarm about this school as it was not his first choice. </p>
<p>Anyone else have any advice about triple dorm rooms? Are other colleges doing this more this year?</p>
<p>This happened last year with my son. It was fine and the guys had a great year. Fortunately they all got along really well. That’s what you should worry about most, not the bathrooms. They might have different class schedules and routines and they’ll work it out. Your son’s gear could end up staying at some practice hall, or in an unused closet somewhere. It will work out just fine. Stay positive and assume everything will be fine.</p>
<p>I think this happens a lot. It is hard for the admins to predict who is going to accept from year to year. It happened 30 years ago when I was in school. I wouldn’t worry about it unless S moves in and he is having problems. He will probably make friends for life while living in close quarters.</p>
<p>My son is finishing up his freshman year in a triple. The room is EXTREMELY small (and EXTREMELY expensive). Literally you can stand in the center and touch both beds. He has had a fabulous time and signed up for a triple next year. The good part about a triple is that likely you will like at least one of your roommates. I think it is very common for colleges to have triples.</p>
<p>Dorms were a part of our daughter’s reason for choosing her school as well, so I completely sympathize with your frustration. Regarding the instruments – my freshman roommate was a cello major. Her instrument was never in our room. She practiced (many hours) at the music school and stored her instrument in her music school locker. In fact, I’ve never known a music major who practices in the dorm. (At some schools it might be a violation of quiet hours.) So, at least perhaps the guitars and amp don’t need to live in the overly crowded dorm room.</p>
<p>I’ll answer one of the questions since my kid was in a tripled double at UCLA the first year. They bunked two of the beds and raised the other bed and put a desk under it. There were two other desks in the room also. It fit surprisingly well. </p>
<p>As far as overall room in there for everyone’s stuff - it’ll just depend on how big the room really is, how much can fit under the bunked beds and closets, and how much stuff the others bring.</p>
<p>On the showers - they’ll sort out who takes their shower when. They’ll probably won’t all try to take one in the morning. They probably also won’t all head to class at the same time (depending on the college somewhat).</p>
<p>tripling sounds dreadful. as a female, i can’t imagine a worse case scenario than having to share close, tight quarters with two other women. no thanks.</p>
<p>^^calimami: maybe girls don’t have to deal with triples as often as the guys do. I know the girl down the hall from my son’s dorm had a hard time getting along with her roommates. 3 girls = odd one out … 3 guys = party time!</p>
<p>I know several folks whose kids were “tripled.” They all managed OK and had a positive college experience. Our kids take cues from us, so please stay as upbeat as possible & your kid will do just fine. </p>
<p>As was posted, there are other places music majors can store things as appropriate and kids DO have different schedules. My kids’ idea of an ideal schedule was having classes start no earlier than noon. Freshman year, my S shared a room with a guy who loved waking early every weekend to watch his favorite team play hockey; during the week roomie woke early every day in the fall to practice & play hockey. The two otherwise got along great but did NOT share a place after that year.</p>
<p>The bathroom thing is a minor issue. They may work out a schedule, and it’s not a crisis if someone doesn’t have the opportunity to shower first thing in the morning. </p>
<p>Also, these are guys. They are not likely to object if someone else is shaving, brushing teeth, or even using the toilet while someone else is in the shower. In addition, there is likely to be a public bathroom (without shower) somewhere in the building.</p>
<p>As a music major, your son may be entitled to store his instruments in the music building – and he may want to because there may be a rule prohibiting the playing of instruments in the dorm anyway (for noise reasons). He will probably be doing his practicing in the music building.</p>
<p>My D was in a triple her first year. She got along great with both her roommates and had a very good experience. Her best friend from HS had a traditional double at her school and had a roommate from hell, which made her first year miserable.</p>
<p>6 guys all getting up early, all showering in the morning, at the same time, every day? Not at college…</p>
<p>I agree that the bathroom is likely not an issue. Some will have early classes, some later. Some will clean up before class, some will get up and go to class and clean up later. One of my D’s dormed for the summer in a triple that was made into a QUAD with 8 girls sharing a bathroom and I was amazed at how, even for girls, they worked it out. </p>
<p>Check out if there is a “tub” room on the floor. Many suite-style dorms have a tub room or extra bathroom on the floor open to anyone. Are there sinks in the rooms and the bathroom is just toilet and shower? This works out very well IMHO.</p>
<p>Also know that many students are “tripled” but due to movement, they end up with only two in their room. Wait-list movement, and change of heart, and dorm rearrangements often result in temporary triples. </p>
<p>Stay positive and help your son stay positive. And you can always ask about a bigger adjustment in the room fee. Never hurts to ask.</p>
<p>While I don’t think triples configured in a room meant for 2 are great, they can work. I agree with tohers the bathroom issue will be easily resolved by schedule differences and a bit of cooperation. DD had an unrequested triple in a semester away from her home school-the room was tight, but functional due to the old, but efficient furnishings. It required courtesy on the part of the roomies, but it was okay.
I would not be re-thinking college choice over freshman dorm assignments. Things can change, kids move, leave school, etc. and spaces can open up if it’s really not working. Rare is the first year who gets the best housing a school has to offer. While it may not be optimal, it’s not bad to learn how to manage the unexpected. When we were in college, it seemed parents hardly gave a thought to the quality of dorm assignments. Now that everything is so expensive , it’s hard not to think “this is what we are getting?” I wish your son the best.</p>
<p>It has become a problem at many colleges. My first two kids got rotton room assignments freshman year, and honestly, had I known, that could have been an issue on where they should go. However, what’s to say that their other choices would have been any different. My first 3 chose very different schools, one a top 25 university, one a large state school, one a LAC, and all three had acute housing shortages and the pickings were not good for freshman. One was put in a private apartment building a mile from campus, one was put in a satellite campus dorm with shuttle bus service 3 miles away, and one was given a triple. I am waiting with abated breath as to what this college kid is going to get in terms of room assignment. </p>
<p>My son with the triple ended up with a double. Summer melt does help the housing situation. So your son may not be stuck all year with that situation.</p>
<p>This is all great advice. Our kids are more resilient than we think. My daughter was “bumped” during the housing lottery her Sophomore year which meant that in order to stay on campus she had to find 3 friends who would take her as an extra person in a designated “triple overcrowd” room, so 4 girls in a room meant for 3. These rooms are suite style, which meant 8–yes eight!–girls sharing one shower and toilet and 2 sinks. Amazingly enough it rarely seemed to be a problem. Every girl was on a different schedule, and some girls liked to shower at night. It will work out.</p>
<p>And some times it does not. Even with one roommate, there is the risk that there can be problems. With two or more the chances go up. No, it is usually not a good situation at all. You make the best of it but it is often times not a good situation. My first two kids got bad roommates, and to be honest,they were no great catches either in terms of being a roommate to anyone. Actually neither was my third, though his freshman year roommate has stayed a good friend and they have gotten an apt together and next year will be sharing a house. Many times the roommate, housing situations are something to be tolerated. Most of the years I have not been pleased with my kids housing situations. They have rarely been what I feel ideal.</p>
<p>I would also politely communicate with the RD and ask them to give a heads up to the RAs on how to handle this. Remember the RAs are students too. </p>
<p>First kid gets everything not fair - I would suggest that email go out to kids as follows</p>
<p>We are hoping that over the summer, and the early fall, we can resolve the triples, in the meantime all 3 residents of triples will have to share. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>There are 2 closets for 3 kids. You will get 2/3 of a closet. It would be a good idea if anyone whose parents are coming for the first visiting weekend leave heavy coats home. Similiarly, agree with roommates, but if parents are coming to visit, see if you can leave home TV etc untill triples cleared. </p></li>
<li><p>Room resources should be allocated fairly. If there are only two desks, either have times when room residents can use, or if one person volunteers to have no desk, that person should get other benefit (maybe more closet space, or no bunk bed).</p></li>
<li><p>[if no wifi] There are two computer connections. One of the three might want to bring a splitter (hard to beleive that one of the SUNYs doesnt even give splitters for triples).</p></li>
</ol>