<p>My son is an incoming freshman, and we would appreciate advice on what dormitory would be right. He is academically inclined, not (as of yet, and maybe never) a "partier". He likes music. He is not interested in cleaning his own bathroom, in case some dorms require that. He's not in the Honors Program, but may be interested in the Honors Dorm. Is it difficult for non-honors students to get into the Honor's Dorm? Is it a good idea in this situation? Do any of you have recommendations on other dorms? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>It does sound like a good idea, and I don’t think it is too hard for a non-honors student to get into Butler. One way to improve those odds is to find a roommate that is in the Honors Program using either the Facebook page that will be set up for this purpose, if it hasn’t already, or Roommate Click, which I think is what Tulane officially uses. Then if they both submit their housing applications asking to be roommates and selecting Butler as their first choice, they should get it. I think any other “non-party” dorms available to freshmen (Wall, Paterson) are suite style, which means you do clean your own bathroom. Actually Paterson might be a mix of suite and hall style, I cannot remember for sure. But I don’t know how he would request a hall room vs. a suite style. He could check with housing on that to see if I am right about the mixed room style. Monroe and Sharp are hall style so you don’t clean your own, but they are usually more raucous.</p>
<p>Edit - Paterson is mixed style, and the hall rooms are cleaned by the university. <a href=“http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/housing/under/paterson-house.cfm[/url]”>http://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/housing/under/paterson-house.cfm</a> So again, if they didn’t get Butler, Paterson should be the 2nd choice with a note that the non-suite room is preferred.</p>
<p>My son was in the honors dorm (Butler) and his roommate and several others on his floor were not in the honors program. He made some wonderful friends in that dorm, and he would not have wanted to live anywhere else. I am pretty sure your son can request Butler even though he is not in honors. It is an older building, but it is right across from Bruff and the LBC quad. </p>
<p>Here is info from the Butler dorm site:
First priority for spaces in the Honors Residence is for students with high school or college academic performance that qualifies them for the University Honors Program (504-865-5517).
Sound like you can call and ask about admission.
I may be repeating some of what FC posted…</p>
<p>Thank you FC and Gowill, you both gave us good direction on how to proceed.</p>
<p>Any place he ends up will be fine. Quick story, I’m a Tulane alum. Lived on campus all four years and as an incoming senior I had one of the first picks in room selection and had exactly what I wanted all planned out.</p>
<p>Only problem was that I fell asleep and totally missed the selection process, meaning that I was stuck with the dregs that none of the seniors, juniors, or sophomores took. I ended up taking a single room on the 10th floor of Monroe, the “junkiest” dorm on campus. But I had a million-dollar view of the city, one of the best years of my life, and maybe the favorite place I’ve ever lived. It really is what you make of it.</p>
<p>Thanks, axdfexpert. I just contacted Housing and was told something different: unless the student is in the Honors Program, the only way they get in Butler is if the student is in Honors!</p>
<p>Maybe you got someone new that just doesn’t know, because that has never been true. Every year there are people that are not in the HP in Butler. There would be empty rooms if that were not so, since a fair number of HP students prefer Monroe/Sharp or Wall, or sometimes Paterson. Honestly, ignore that person and continue on the path I outlined. Housing will always give priority to roommate preference requests when they match up, so I do strongly encourage he look for someone in the HP that also wants Butler, for insurance. Given his desire for a roommate that is on the upper end of academic seriousness, it is likely to be a better match for him anyway.</p>
<p>Thanks, FC. I told this person that her information is contrary to what I heard from numerous sources. I am confident your advice here is correct, as it repeatedly is on many topics!</p>
<p>One of my son’s best friends was in Butler freshman year when he selected Sharp and
Monroe for his first and second choices. He was not in Honors. I think the odds are that if your son wants Butler and lists it as his first choice, he will get it.</p>
<p>Try wall. Those kids are kinda quiet and not big into parties. Or paterson.</p>
<p>Butler is hit or miss as far as the parties go. You could be on a pretty intense floor or a pretty quiet floor. At least that’s how it’s been the past couple of years.</p>
<p>Smchls: thanks!</p>