Have any Honors admits already been rejected for housing in the “quad”?
If not, does anyone have a sense for when the honors quad fills up?
Lastly, does anyone have info or a link to the quality differences between the different honors dorms beyond just online info?
No way of knowing if anyone has been rejected… they won’t start sending out assignments until mid-July.
Also, it has been stated before but, if you choose the honors quad- you DO NOT get to specify which one of the 3 A-B-C dorms (since L is all girls) you would like- so you can think you like one better than the other but, you don’t really have an option to make it your first choice.
But, if you want more info- search here/google or reddit.
Toured the Honors dorms last Saturday and I learned that you do not have to be in Honors to live there. I asked if Honors students get priority and he didn’t even seem to think that was the case. Most of the halls (at least this year) seem to have alternating floors of all men and all women but Blanton did have a floor that was half men and half women with separate bathrooms. The bathrooms were near one another. He mentioned the Blanton bathrooms were recently renovated so are very nice. We walked down the hallways and in the common areas of all the dorms but did not get to see an actual room or bathroom.
Thanks, @bookmom7 and @parentof3kids, for the info.
I’ve read conflicting info on this site: one person says most honor students get in if they apply, while elsewhere on UT’s site is says only 40% of freshmen honors students live in Honors quad, perhaps meaning quite a few if not as much as half get turned away. Of course, some will want to be elsewhere, but it seems the majority get steered to the quad.
I would have thought by now some pretty clear trends like “apply by Dec to have a shot at the quad; apply by Jan to have a chance at San Jac; Few get into Jester if they apply after May…” You get the idea.
@jjloehr Don’t worry, it is way too early for honors quad notification, you have not been rejected from living there! Also, the majority of people in the honors quad are honors program students despite what some posters have said. Having had two kids who lived in two dorms on the honors quad, I can tell you with some confidence that there are not very many non-honors students living in those dorms, although there are a few. Not all honors students choose to live in the honors quad, and honors students can be found in many other living situations on and off campus. Honors dorms are not any nicer than regular dorms. Quite the contrary. But they do have a sense of community and other benefits.
@collegefind brings up a good point that I am also not clear on: if the honors dorms are not inviting, why would UT designate them as honors dorms to begin with? One idea is that all the honors students live together in a traditional dorm environment, bond together, study together. That part I get. But if many students don’t want to live there or choose more comfortable lodging like their non-honors friends in Jester or Duren…then why designate them as honors housing at all?
The honors dorms are older dorms and while some have been refurbished to some degree, some have not. They are a cheaper option though, and are some of the most affordable on campus if you compare with the newer dorms. And they have some charm and character because the buildings are so old. They tend to be pretty quiet too. And the location is good. But definitely not the nicest dorms on campus if that’s what you’re looking for.
I don’t understand exactly what “inviting” means.
My daughter lived in Honors Quad for 2 years.
pros
The location is very convenient. Cafeteria, medical services, Texas Union, the Drag are practically next door. Bus stop. Zipcar parking.
The dorms are quiet, and students are very decent. I heard only once about a student being drunk to compare with way too often stories from some other dorms. Never heard that anything was stolen.
The are all kind of weekly activities for students, BBQ, treasure hunts, some games, competitions etc, usually on weekends, of course.
There are study groups.
There is a small library in Carothers, University Honors Center organizes series of lectures and other events, also in Carothers.
cons
The buildings are old, the rooms are small. There are community bathrooms. You cannot choose which dorm is assigned.
Some honor students just want to live in a new building, or with private bathrooms, or without a roommate. Some students want a swimming pool on the premises and choose a private dorm.
Probably “only 40% of honor students live there” means that 60% live somewhere else.
As for non-honors students (not in honors programs like Plan II) who live in Honors Quad and were chosen by University Honors Center, I suspect that they received some kind of scholarship from UT, and it is considered honors.
Will a 40 acres scholarship recipient from College of Fine Arts, a Presidential scholar from the College of Social Work, or a Terry scholar from College of Education be honors students if they are not in any honors program?
My son is planning to live in honor dorm, we need to put the preference in the application form, any recommendations will be appreciated.
@TexasFootball - he will be given a chance to rank 5 choices for dorms. Just make sure he selects the Honors Dorms as his first choice- they are all community bath too. After that- he can rank 4 more dorms in case they need to assign him to a different dorm (if for some reason there is no space in the honors quad.)
@bookmom7 - thanks for your information. I thought we can put the three co-Ed dorms for first three choices, then other two non-honor dorms? We do not know the differences among those three honor dorms, Andrews, Carothers and Blankton
Unless there is a major change this year @TexasFootball - unfortunately no- you can’t choose between A, B & C- they will just put you in one of those dorms.
BTW- they are pretty similar- I think the main difference is that Blanton rooms do not have a sink in each room & there may be an issue with AC/ Heat control- although they do have 2 closets.
My dd was able to choose between the individual honors buildings- she chose Carothers first, then the next three honors buildings and finally Duren. She had no option for honors quad! Anyone have any idea why, or did my dd fill out the form wrong? 
Well, sounds like they have really changed things up! Good news for incoming freshman!!
@bookmom7 - thanks for the valuable information . Sink is good to have it, so we choose Carothers first, then Andrews, Blanton. Since little field is only for girls , so we did not choose it, is it also co-Ed now ?
Quick update if it’s of any value since this thread is still alive after a whole year…
LHS was honors in PII and DS. We missed putting our $50 deposit down in the fall, and didn’t do it until Feb. He didn’t get offer into Quad until the summer, which he accepted. That uncertainty was pretty annoying, but worked out fine in the end.
He has absolutely loved the convenience of the location. He had a bike, which was promptly stolen when he only locked up the front wheel. Since then, he’s been walking everywhere, and taking buses, with absolutely no complaints. At this point, a car would be a hassle to have down there due to crazy parking challenges.
All the above comments about the honors quad are pretty accurate. In LHS’s opinion, they all just pale in comparison to the location convenience. The dorm is quiet enough to do extensive studying in your room. It is decently clean. Not too much of a social life there, though. That is found outside the dorm if sought.
One surprise for newcomers like us: students start looking for and putting down deposits to move off of campus the following school year in October/November.