Fall 2011.....College Dorms???

Kat,
Good luck on your search. So many friends of mine are in the same boat. They are all touring around looking at the same places you are. I will let you know if I hear any scoop

Can't comment on those particular dorms, but IMO the fewer the roommates the easier it is to avoid problems, and living on the top floor is the best way to reduce noise and keep off the freshman 15 (by taking the stairs). Better views and air circulation too.

Mama Scooterbug also suggests avoiding first floor rooms - people can get in the windows and thieves/other criminals hit those places first because they are closest to the door.

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Dorm for first year over off campus would get my vote largely because it is easier to make friends. Most of my daughter's friends are from the dorm and those from her high school, who she knew before. She knows people from her classes but doesn't do as much with them because of logistics.

They had 16 kids get together for a Thanksgiving meal before their break. 2 or 3 few of them cooked dressing, green bean casserole, and made pumpkin pies in a dorm kitchen.

I think the dorm has big plusses for Freshman. I never lived in a dorm though. Always off campus but it was with 10 or 12 others on two levels of a house, so similar.

They will adjust wherever they are, especially if they go with the attitude of really wanting to be there.

Agree with Scooty on avoiding first floor.


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All colleges and universities are required to report safety information to the U.S. government. Go to The Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool. This will give you real data, not just opinion.

As far as opinion goes, your child should live in dorms on campus during the freshman year. Campus police presence is the norm now, and your child will be safer going to class from an on-campus residence than from off-campus from my experience with our child.

Your child will give you the I-need-an-apartment-because-I-can't-study-in-the-dorms. That's true (about the studying part), but a child should prove that s/he is responsible enough to handle the freedom of off-campus living. It's easier to roll out of bed in the dorms and go to class than it is to commute and park and possibly take campus transit to get to class from off-campus. If you can afford an apartment off-campus for your child, good grades should be the first prerequisite for allowing that to happen.

Sorority/fraternity houses are party houses. I don't advise them at all. Our child tried that for about 6 months. Bad experience.

BTW I was pretty freaked out when our daughter decided to go to MIT after "accepted students weekend." The dorms (except for one all-female dorm which is pretty creepy) and bathrooms are co-ed, and male and female dorm rooms are side-by-side. 😱 Thank God there are locks on all of the bathroom stalls and shower stalls.

Kat,
Good luck on your search. So many friends of mine are in the same boat. They are all touring around looking at the same places you are. I will let you know if I hear any scoop

Thank you so much....and I will do the same.

Can't comment on those particular dorms, but IMO the fewer the roommates the easier it is to avoid problems, and living on the top floor is the best way to reduce noise and keep off the freshman 15 (by taking the stairs). Better views and air circulation too.

Mama Scooterbug also suggests avoiding first floor rooms - people can get in the windows and thieves/other criminals hit those places first because they are closest to the door.

Yes I had heard that. Makes sense doesn't it.....I just keep hoping for answers that will calm my nerve LOL

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Dorm for first year over off campus would get my vote largely because it is easier to make friends. Most of my daughter's friends are from the dorm and those from her high school, who she knew before. She knows people from her classes but doesn't do as much with them because of logistics.

They had 16 kids get together for a Thanksgiving meal before their break. 2 or 3 few of them cooked dressing, green bean casserole, and made pumpkin pies in a dorm kitchen.

I think the dorm has big plusses for Freshman. I never lived in a dorm though. Always off campus but it was with 10 or 12 others on two levels of a house, so similar.

They will adjust wherever they are, especially if they go with the attitude of really wanting to be there.

Agree with Scooty on avoiding first floor.


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I like that she would make friends faster in a dorm. She has about 12 friends and they have been together since Kindergarten at Butler....moved on to Seaside Neighborhood School then South Walton. But now they are going to different colleges....hopefully 1 or 2 will end up at the same place. Big sighhhhhh

All colleges and universities are required to report safety information to the U.S. government. Go to The Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool. This will give you real data, not just opinion.

As far as opinion goes, your child should live in dorms on campus during the freshman year. Campus police presence is the norm now, and your child will be safer going to class from an on-campus residence than from off-campus from my experience with our child.

Your child will give you the I-need-an-apartment-because-I-can't-study-in-the-dorms. That's true (about the studying part), but a child should prove that s/he is responsible enough to handle the freedom of off-campus living. It's easier to roll out of bed in the dorms and go to class than it is to commute and park and possibly take campus transit to get to class from off-campus. If you can afford an apartment off-campus for your child, good grades should be the first prerequisite for allowing that to happen.

Sorority/fraternity houses are party houses. I don't advise them at all. Our child tried that for about 6 months. Bad experience.

BTW I was pretty freaked out when our daughter decided to go to MIT after "accepted students weekend." The dorms (except for one all-female dorm which is pretty creepy) and bathrooms are co-ed, and male and female dorm rooms are side-by-side. 😱 Thank God there are locks on all of the bathroom stalls and shower stalls.

Actually she has not said anything to me about an apt.....it's mainly me wanting to make sure she is in the best place she can be in, so I won't worry so much. She's the baby and I'm getting all panicky about her going off. As far as I am concerned a year here at Northwest would not hurt my feelings.

She will do well I think anywhere she goes....I do like that there are many independently owned dorms right there as close if not closer to classrooms at UF.

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

She will do well I think anywhere she goes....I do like that there are many independently owned dorms right there as close if not closer to classrooms at UF.

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

I taught math at UF as a grad student and conducted my office hours at the Broward dorm pool so I could keep up my tan (back when tans were "in"). :blush: The pool was close to my office and the classrooms for the math department.