My son lived in Jester East for the 19-20 school year until COVID and it was very convenient. It wasn’t quiet but I don’t think it was unbearable either. All of Jester has now been renovated.
He did orientation in person and the first day was for parents and students. Day two and three were for students only. My younger daughter and I stayed local and that was nice to be able to do some sightseeing. The big stressor during orientation was registering for classes. Once they register for classes, then orientation is over and they are free to go.
My engineering son (now a junior) lived in San Jac 1st year. If he could do it all over, he would have picked Jester. Jester is at the top of a hill. San Jac is at the bottom. Jester sits at one end of Speedway (the main walkway through campus) and Jester sits next door to the library. He said he would have popped back to his room much more frequently between classes if he did not have to go down and then back up the San Jac hill. Also, the creek down by San Jac is not that well lit. Re: study atmosphere. He found San Jac very quiet. He also spent A LOT of time studying in Jester with new friends he met in classes. He found Jester a great place to study. Think about it y’all. The kids that get into UT are super smart and studious. They care tons about succeeding. That does not end when they leave home. Yes kids at every college have to test their independence and party. That happens. My son needed friends to suggest outings, he is NOT a partier and being surrounded by people who were not all honors A+ students was healthy. Just wanted to share that San Jac was plenty quiet and that he would pick big ol’ Jester if he could do all over b/c the food is there and b/c he could avoid the hill to San Jac. Remember, all the kids are smart and learning how to keep that up in a community of other super smart kids is a very big part of why one should pick UT. It is very humbling once your kid realizes everyone else is smart too, from the super silly loud mouth to the uber-quiet meek kid on his/her hall. Also, my son had friends in some of the older smaller dorms and he was envious of the bond those kids had with their dorm mates. They would have billiard nights and would go on fun outings together and would sit in the lounge and watch a weekly TV show together. He found his big dorm did nothing to help kids meet each other. After the 1st week or two’s RA meetings occurred (at which the RA’s focused on going over dorm rules), his RA’s organized nothing social. At San Jac, every 2 kids have their own bathroom. So, there are no suite mates at San Jac and there are no community baths for socializing. We have heard more than once that community bath dorms really do help kids get to know others. Brushing your teeth alongside others really does forge friendships. Something to think about. If my daughters end up at UT, our goal dorm for them would be Kinsolving, which is the all girls dorm version of Jester. There is a cafeteria in the dorm as well as a store and it is not at the bottom of a hill. Having food convenient really is important that 1st year. (BTW: my spouse and I each have 2 degrees from UT - neither of us got to live on campus due to not getting dorm rooms assigned to us, so we lived in private dorms and were both envious of our friends who lived on campus and had the true 1st year experience). Re: dorm process… When my son did it 1st year: we turned in housing app the day he applied (key: pay housing fee the moment you can at UT - whether you think you will attend or not - why? payment of fee determines when you get to pick a room & the school runs out of rooms, there are not enough UT-owned dorm rooms for every freshman, so pay the fee or seek a fee waiver ASAP if you qualify - THIS IS KEY, pay the housing fee the moment you submit your application). Son may have ranked dorms at some point, but ranking really is not relevant b/c the day you turn in housing app ranks your day to pick a room. You can pick ANY room you want when your time slot opens up. If you pick a roomie, whoever has the earlier time slot picks the room & then the 2nd student adds themself to the room when their time slot arises. Students literally see a floor plan and select the room on the floor plan. So VERY different from the 80’s when you were placed in a room pot luck by the university with little to no student input! Laundry is free in all UT dorms. Community baths have daily housekeeping. Private (San Jac & Duren) and suite style rooms have NO housekeeping, kids must step up and keep their bath clean all on their own. Another morsel for them to chew on before picking. When you are an alum, you have a “bond” with those who lived in the same dorm as you, even if decades apart. The chaplain at our school and many parents of my son’s friends all lived at Jester. I think learning that after his room was decided on (in San Jac) dispelled rumors he had heard that only partiers live in Jester. Jester houses all types. And, make sure and let your kid know that you let your hair down and had fun in college. Just like we encourage our kids to have fun with friends in high school, they need fun in college. At a big place like UT, it is essential to find friends and to share common experiences with them. Partying can take on so many forms. Make sure your kiddos realize you can party hardy without getting drunk. My son stayed up late many nights playing games at Jester with Doritos and gatorade. Partying and social time are super important. Breaks are needed if the kids are to succeed academically. They need to learn what kind of breaks energize and motivate them. There is SO much to learn freshman year!!! Re: engineering kids and Jester being too far… my engineering kid would say proximity to FOOD is MUCH more important than proximity to class. You can dash to any class in 2-20 minutes (depending on your pace), but how far does your kid want to walk minutes after waking to grab a cup of coffee or a slice of pizza, etc. Walking at UT is part of being a student at UT. Nearly all freshman and sophomores take their core classes all over the place, not in the buildings where their degree program’s offices reside. That will change Junior and Senior year. But, junior and senior year nearly every UT student will live OFF campus and at that point they will live MUCH farther from their classes than they will freshman year. So, if I were you all, I would worry MUCH less about what your kid’s degree is (and realize degrees do change) and how close they will be to that college’s office and I would worry MUCH more about where they can access coffee, a smoothie, a slice of pizza or a burger (Jendy’s is in Jester! Wendy’s burgers is in Jester and is open late). Also, look at a map and appreciate a dorm’s proximity to the rec center and the student activities building and the library - that proximity is as important as distance to class - maybe MORE important. Why? Classes they “have” to go to 2-3 days a week, but student activities and exercise are optional & something you want them to do daily. Busy, stressed college kids are MUCH more likely to join activities if they are convenient. If 2020 has taught mankind anything, it has framed just how important moving and socializing are for one’s mental health. College kids are much more likely to use a treadmill or exercise bike or a pool if it is proximate. Intramural sports are huge community building opportunities, encourage kids to give them a go. Hook Em. Congrats on your acceptances.
@momtexas I agree with all of your points about community baths! I have 2 sons in college right now and both chose older dorms with community bathrooms and found their halls to be very social. In fact, one of my dearest friends to this day I met the first week of college in Jester West via chatting at the sinks in the community bath. We ended up inviting her to go out with us and the rest is history (in each other’s wedding, etc.). It may be different for girls who might need a permanent place to have their skin care, etc. set up, but for boys the community bath is something to consider as a positive (and like you said, the fact that it is cleaned regularly is a huge plus).
Correct! Freshman and sophomores really do not take many if any classes specific to their degree program (and if they do, they will likely be BIG classes - referred to as weed out classes in the old days - those BIG (huge) classes must happen in auditorium-style classrooms, which are located all over, not necessarily in the engineering or business or nursing or computer science or biology or physics buildings). Gobs of kids have to take bio and chem and calc and physics and spanish and english and history - for all different kinds of majors these classes are required. So, these classes are full of kids with all different kinds of degree goals. The big auditorium-style classes will be all over, most within 5 mins of the tower/main building (in all 4 directions: North, South, East & West!).
@momtexas Wow! Thanks for taking the time to share these insights! It is confirming to hear about the community bathroom bonding!
@Texasmom2001, Thanks for the orientation info! That is helpful to know. Also, do the kids have to take a Math Placement Exam at orientation? From my reading, it looks like they go by the latest math class with a C or better and SAT/ACT scores instead of a Math test at Orientation like Texas A&M.
@momtexas , thank you. Your explanation is very enlightening. Another question, I was a little late making the $50 room deposit. Can he choose his room mate? I’m afraid since Jester is so large he may end up sharing the bedroom with somebody not compatible,
Yes students can select their own roommates. The roommate with the first available room selection date picks the room. Then when the 2nd student’s date comes, they select the room the roommate pre-selected for them. If your student does not know anyone, there is a roommate matching service they can partake in thru UT Housing now. They fill out a brief form, get match suggestions and then they can message each other. Each year kids use accepted student social media groups and groups specific to roommate searches to find roommates, too. My son roomed with the son of one of my friends from college. They were different and never “clicked” (mine engineering and not in a fraternity - roommate a geography major in a Christian fraternity). Roommate did not know he would pledge until after at UT. So, was impossible to know how different their schedules would be until after school started. The year wrapped up just fine for both young men. Freshman year has a lot to do with learning to be around those who are completely different from you. You just want to avoid big horrors and I think the matching programs that exist help with that. Truth to mull over: Roommate match ups will limit dorms. For example, my son’s roommate really wanted San Jac and had the earlier date to pick their room. My son was leaning toward community bath, but the roommate (son of friend of mine from college who my son had met once) wanted private bath. My son caved and let the roommate pick. They learn a lot freshman year. I can’t repeat that enough. …and you have to let them learn it as hard as that is! If they take mis-steps, they will remember and not do so again. My son was much more invested in picking his own roommates and apt location heading into sophomore year! Re: specific dorm and quality of roommate match, I do not think a “good match” via pot luck is any more likely in a small dorm than it is in a big dorm. But, being near food and rec center and library and student activity center will enable any student who needs time outside their room to have options. In a weird way, a big dorm would afford you more places beside your own room to go hang out, assuming you make the effort to connect with others thru study groups, student orgs, intramurals, etc! Good luck! There are no bad choices. Every dorm is the perfect dorm for so many! Memories for a lifetime made at all!!!
Has UT Austin already released decisions? I know some majors come out before others-- I applied as a government major and submitted my application mid november
@momtexas , thank you. My son wants a single room, he’s very concerned with privacy and cleanliness, but maybe it’s not easy to get a private room for a freshman. I wouldn’t mind spending more for that. Also. what about if his room mate snore (the bedrooms are so small). Also, what about if they go to sleep at different times. Lots of things to worry about.
For now, I’m waiting for the financial aid package. Hope we get something.
Not many singles to my knowledge. You might look into Castilian. It is a private dorm right across the street from campus. I have several friends whose kids wanted singles who stayed there. Re: snoring, a kid can ask that question, but who knows if other kids know if they themselves snore or not. Austin is the allergy capitol of TX. LOTS OF PEOPLE DEVELOP SEVERE ALLERGIES AND A SNORE ONCE HERE! I married a man who did not snore. 30+ years later he snores like a freight train barreling down the tracks. The solution for me is: love him and cope. The Golden Rule employed full throttle. Some nights I employ earplugs. Some nights I wake him up and ask him to roll over. But, I don’t ask him to move out! Ha ha! College kids have to learn to adapt. If they know they can’t, then a private dorm room should be sought out, likely in a private dorm. UT offers few scholarships. If you get one, you are blessed. That said, the early admits all have stellar stats, so anyone early admitted is more likely than the rest to see merit $, I suppose. Good luck with your hunt for the right school and dorm and coaching your child towards independence! Hook Em Horns!
I am not sure of how UT handled dorm contract cancellations. My niece kept her room (and all on her hall in Kinsolving ended up with their own rooms even though in a normal year, all those rooms in Kinsolving are doubles intended for two). She has gone back and forth, spending some weeks at home and some in Austin. My son’s apt had no way to opt out besides a sublet, so we just kept paying and he has mostly been there, with occasional breaks at home. You’ll have to get feedback from current freshman parents re: how on campus and off campus dorms handled kids who wanted out of their contracts. My engineering student is not honors. He has found his program plenty rigorous. Class sizes are big. If not in honors, make sure your engineering student gets in an engineering FIG (1st year interest group). I think honors basically is it’s own FIG. THERE ARE FIGS FOR ALL MAJORS, all kids not in an honor cluster or special admission group cohort can opt into a FIG and all should! A FIG is a peer group that takes 2-4 classes together, so they really get to know each other, they have a mentor who guides them, and FIGS give rise to study groups, etc. Besides a FIG, make sure your engineering student registers for any GE sections associated with their classes. GE’s are just for engineering classes (all those 1st year required survey classes that serve as prerequisites for later engineering classes). GE sections are small break outs of larger classes specifically for engineering students and they have a mentor, too. Each GE is an extra credit hour. The more mentors that kids have that 1st year, the better!!! So, if your kiddo enrolls at UT & is engineering, have them beg and plead their advisor to help get them into an engineering-related FIG and a GE section for any classes that have GE sections. Hook Em Horns! Congrats to all of you, once again.
@momtexas, again, thank you so much for taking the time with your responses! I had heard that there were many single rooms this year due to covid. What does GE stand for? Thanks for the heads up on that. I had heard about FIGS but not GE. Is it hard to get a schedule together with a FIG though? It seems hard enough just to get one kid’s schedule in place, much less lining up 2-4 classes all together. That task seems monumental to me!
I think it depends on what math they are trying to take. My son is a Liberal Arts major and had a dual credit Stats class when he went in, so he did not need a math class.
My son was offered a single about a week prior to move in. By then, he had already been messaging his roommate and didn’t want to switch to the single.
@Texasmom2001 I’m such a doofus. I just now noticed the reply to the poster’s name part in the upper right hand corner of a poster’s reply. I’m so used to the @poster’s name to tag people. I’m so stuck in my way…I will continue the @poster’s name because it makes me feel better.
@smithonian29, my electrical engineering son is super picky (okay, maybe lowkey OCD) about being clean, neat, and organized too! If your son decides to go to UT, let me know and maybe they will be interested in potentially rooming!
