A question about living in dorms....

Akkus · #1 08-07-2006, 06:37 AM

I've never lived in dorms before but i might try that for a year in the future but i'm curious about one thing. I checked the school's dorm prices and it gives prices in terms of semester. Like if i stay in a dorm at my school, will I only get to stay there during the semester? What happens in between semesters? Like in summers, winter break and stuff like that? Do I have to leave the dorms at those times?

AlphaFrog · #2 08-07-2006, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akkus

I've never lived in dorms before but i might try that for a year in the future but i'm curious about one thing. I checked the school's dorm prices and it gives prices in terms of semester. Like if i stay in a dorm at my school, will I only get to stay there during the semester? What happens in between semesters? Like in summers, winter break and stuff like that? Do I have to leave the dorms at those times?

Usually, you have to move out for fall break (if your university has one) between semesters, spring break, and in the summer. There is sometime some alternative on campus housing to stay at during breaks, but you have to pay more for that.

jubilance1922 · #3 08-07-2006, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akkus

I've never lived in dorms before but i might try that for a year in the future but i'm curious about one thing. I checked the school's dorm prices and it gives prices in terms of semester. Like if i stay in a dorm at my school, will I only get to stay there during the semester? What happens in between semesters? Like in summers, winter break and stuff like that? Do I have to leave the dorms at those times?

At my undergrad, different dorms had different requirements. The freshman dorms were closed for winter break and summer break, so you had to be gone for winter break and be completely moved out for summer break.

Then there were dorms that were open all year round, even during breaks, but you have to pay a certain rate to live there during breaks or in the summer.

Check with your colleges housing department to find out when each dorm is open.

Aduladi · #4 08-07-2006, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akkus

I've never lived in dorms before but i might try that for a year in the future but i'm curious about one thing. I checked the school's dorm prices and it gives prices in terms of semester. Like if i stay in a dorm at my school, will I only get to stay there during the semester? What happens in between semesters? Like in summers, winter break and stuff like that? Do I have to leave the dorms at those times?

I've worked in Residential Life at several colleges and it really depends on your college. First of all while you do have to "check out" you don't have to move your belongings during most breaks-except for summer. You usually have to check out in the summer and take all your belongings out of the room. Many colleges and universities now have year round dorms that you don't have to move out of-but they may be reserved for international students. Also, some schools will allow you to sublet from a year rounder if you need to remain on campus. You should check with your Department of Housing to see what their policies are.

tunatartare · #5 08-07-2006, 09:46 AM

Usually, during breaks, you can stay at school. However, if they are longer breaks (winter or summer), you have to pay. How much it costs can sometimes depend on if you're taking classes or working on campus. At my school, if you worked or took classes during break, housing was $50/week. If you didn't, it was $100/week.

f8nacn · #6 08-07-2006, 11:22 AM

Normally during thanksgiving/winter/spring break, we were allowed to keep our stuff in the dorm...we didn't have to pack up everything until the summer time, but you can always request your same room upon your return. I moved off campus my junior year so I didn't have to pay room & board my senior year.

aephi alum · #7 08-07-2006, 05:39 PM

Depends on the school. At my alma mater, if you paid for housing for fall and spring semesters, you could stay in your dorm room from a few days before fall classes started through the day after spring finals. You did not have to vacate your room for any breaks, including winter break. If you wanted to stay through the summer, you had to pay for the summer semester.

There were plenty of people who stuck around because they (a) didn't want to go home for holidays or go on a spring break trip, (b) couldn't afford to go anywhere, (c) wanted to take the time off to hang out and explore the city, or (d) wanted to use breaks to catch up on classwork, so the dorms had to stay open.

Akkus · #8 08-07-2006, 05:55 PM

How about greek houses? Do people also have to move out of them during breaks also?

Drolefille · #9 08-07-2006, 06:53 PM

Depends on the house, the school, etc. Is the house on school property? Who's in charge in the house, a house mom, alumni?

So... Sometimes is the best answer I can give you.

shinerbock · #10 08-07-2006, 07:09 PM

I can only speak for my school, but you have to be out of the dorms for all extended breaks. Spring break, winter break, fall break, etc. Because we're only a couple hours from the Gulf, if the school closes for for a hurricane (4-5 day closing for Ivan) the students have to go as well. This causes problems, because all the sudden these kids have to go stay with friends, drive home, or for some, try and book a flight home.

As for fraternity houses, we stay in them all the time, summers, breaks, weather problems, everything.

*Edit, I would advise moving off campus sophomore year. Its pretty uncommon for sophomores to stay on campus at SEC schools, but I know at some schools it is normal. Either way, getting your own place would be a better bet.

AlphaFrog · #11 08-07-2006, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akkus

How about greek houses? Do people also have to move out of them during breaks also?

That totally depends on the org. It's different for every org on every campus. I'm not aware of any national groups that have bylaws about whether their houses can or cannot be open during breaks. There were some orgs on my campus that stayed year-round, and others that you had to leave for breaks.

Akkus · #12 08-07-2006, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinerbock

I can only speak for my school, but you have to be out of the dorms for all extended breaks. Spring break, winter break, fall break, etc. Because we're only a couple hours from the Gulf, if the school closes for for a hurricane (4-5 day closing for Ivan) the students have to go as well. This causes problems, because all the sudden these kids have to go stay with friends, drive home, or for some, try and book a flight home.

As for fraternity houses, we stay in them all the time, summers, breaks, weather problems, everything.

*Edit, I would advise moving off campus sophomore year. Its pretty uncommon for sophomores to stay on campus at SEC schools, but I know at some schools it is normal. Either way, getting your own place would be a better bet.

You are right but in california rentals are expeeeeensive. In either san francisco or san diego it costs more than 1000 dollars to rent a one bedroom apartment and you have to pay extra for utilities as well. In fraternity houses do you pay your rent monthly, or per semester?

tunatartare · #13 08-07-2006, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akkus

In either san francisco or san diego it costs more than 1000 dollars to rent a one bedroom apartment and you have to pay extra for utilities as well.

I hate you.

Drolefille · #14 08-07-2006, 08:53 PM

Please don't take her seriously as she's dealing with finding a place in NYC right now and doesn't understand that she lives in a tiny warped world

Anyway, cost of living in fraternity houses typically comes out of your dues. It seems that it's usually slightly cheaper to live in the house than on campus. This is NOT always the case. If apartments are about a thousand it may cost 4-5000 a month to live ON campus not counting meal plans etc. It seems these things work out about even. This is something I'd worry about later, once you have school/Greek life etc taken care of.