<p>I want to live in a dorm for 3 or 4 years but according to college board 74% of freshmen live on campus the first year and 34% of all undergraduates live on campus does that mean that almost all of the students living in the dormitories are freshmen?</p>
<p>I’m horrible in math, but there are dorms for upperclassmen. </p>
<p>My son lived in dorms for three years (two years in singles in Ellicott, and one year in Governors). He was an RA one of these years. Last year he decided to move off-campus. He does regret having to drive, losing access to free laundry machines and the cafeterias. On the other hand, he likes being able to cook for himself and has a dog. </p>
<p>Many of his friends are now in the on-campus apartments or the large apartment complex next to campus that offers a shuttle bus. Some of them stay at school during the summers for internships or research, so apartments make sense. Seniors can certainly stay in the dorms if they want, but there is a lot of cheap housing in Buffalo. Eventually your friends will be talking about getting an apartment together to save money, and to have more room and privacy.</p>
<p>Did your son like Ellicott or Governors better?</p>
<p>He says it really doesn’t make a big difference. Governors was good as a freshman, since it’s a little more convenient to the academic buildings and slightly quieter for studying. It wasn’t completely nerdy, and he did make some good friends there. On the other hand, he liked the Ellicott dining hall a lot better. He chose to make the switch to Ellicott since he found that overall Ellicott was more fun/social. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth, he suggested that his sister pick a double or triple in Ellicott last year when she was accepted (rather than a single). He said it really didn’t matter which dorm she chose, but that having roommates was important to break the ice. She ended up going to another university when UB eliminated its nursing guarantee program.</p>
<p>Another one of my kids went to UB for one year and lived in a single in Ellicott as a freshman. That kid said having a single was fine. (He ended up transferring when he changed majors to a major that UB doesn’t offer.) The difference was that kid #1 lived on a freshman floor where everyone kept their doors open and socialized, and kid #2 lived on a floor with sophomores and juniors where everyone kept their doors closed. You never know.</p>
<p>ok thanks for the info. I’m trying to decide between Ellicott and Governors.</p>
<p>My D is currently a junior, still dorming, and decided to stay in the dorms next year as well. She decided it was much less hassle (transportation, her on-campus job, taking care of an apartment, etc). She had a single in Ellicott freshman year (Richmond on a freshman floor), then moved to Governors for soph year, back to Ellicott this year (single) and next (sharing a large double with a friend). The good news is that your “lottery” number for room selection improves with every year, with seniority, and with fewer students competing for dorm housing. She liked the convenience of Governors being so close to the spine, but overall prefers Ellicott (the general vibe, larger room spaces, and the physicial setting).</p>
<p>There are certainly lots of sophomores in the dorms…maybe the 34% number doesn’t include the students living in UB apartments? All upperclassmen/grad students in those. My guess is that many, like my D, move off campus after sophomore year or into a UB apartment. They have their friends and like a bit more freedom and space than the dorms offer. </p>
<p>The pros are that off campus can save a bit on costs and, for us, the hassle of moving in/out for summer sessions was going to be a pain since she didn’t win the apartment lottery (you would think that 12-month students would get a preference, but not so at UB). My kid is moving 1/8 mile off North Campus. She could walk to Ellicott in 5 minutes or less (but, of course, we had to buy her a vehicle as she also has fieldwork coming up). The con is no free laundry in her new apt.</p>
<p>Most juniors/seniors get apartments. You are eligible for on-campus apartments after 4 semesters in dorms, and they don’t cost much more than dorms (Hadley is actually cheaper). So most juniors/seniors move out of the dorms into the apartments. You don’t have to, but that’s what most people do…most juniors/seniors in the residence halls are those who either didn’t get an apartment, haven’t lived on campus long enough, etc.</p>
<p>Questions about Apartments (On Campus)…
- Do they have laundry facilities in the complex?
- Is it free
- Do you need a meal plan if in on-campus apartments?
- Can you stay all year, or do you need to move out and back in?
Thanks in Advance…</p>
<ol>
<li>Yes.</li>
<li>Yes (laundry is free, if that is what you’re asking)</li>
<li>No</li>
<li>Yes, they have both 12 month and 10 month leases, so you can do either.</li>
</ol>
<p>Are the “suites” in governors actual suites or are they just four rooms in the same hallway with a bathroom? I have heard both.</p>
<p>Most are 4 rooms in a hallway with a bathroom. However, there are two suites in each building (so 8 total in the complex), that are locked off from the rest of the complex and have a private lounge area, 4 doubles, a bathroom, and private porch. They are extremely difficult to get, as they fill up right away, but are probably the best dorm you could ever live in.</p>