Buyer Beware! University of Tampa – they over committed for the Fall 2021 class of Freshman and didn’t tell anyone until May 19 that they had no housing for a large number of incoming Freshman. University of Tampa does not guarantee Freshman housing (ridiculous for a private school) however, they strictly told us that any overflow housing needed would be handled by a hotel the University took over, across from campus, and would be managed by the school. But, they over committed beyond the hotel capacity. Some think it was 500+ students.
It was quite a shock to find out 19 days after the deadline to accept that my daughter had no housing at a school 1000 miles away. She chose the school because she really liked the campus, the dorms, the idea of the school being her community. She didn’t choose the school to live in the city of Tampa at some off campus apartment complex and be a commuter. Really devastating. The school refunded her deposit when we "uncommitted’ and she was able to get into her runner up school but not until Spring 2022.
It was disgraceful and deceitful for the school not to be forthcoming in April and say that there would be a possibility of no housing for those who committed late. At least we could have made an educated decision. Then, the handling of it was horrible. One email to the students on May 19. No follow up until May 24. Which was after a million calls to the school, TV news stories in Florida and New York (apparently a large number of North East students were affected) and a huge Facebook outcry. And the follow up was not helpful. An offer to defer for ONE YEAR and get priority housing? really? The handling speaks volumes and tells me to be suspicious of not only a housing problem but perhaps a teacher/professor and number of classes offered and dining hall space problems.
If this is your school of choice, commit early, pay for housing early and watch your back.
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