<ol>
<li><p>So it doesn’t look like there is any way to ask for a particular dorm. Is it totally random, dependent on major at all, or what?</p></li>
<li><p>Does putting in your deposit earlier have any bearing to where you get assigned?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Are you in some kind of program like Honors, Scholars, Gemstones, etc? If you’re in a living-learning program, they automatically place you in the same dorm w/ everyone else from that program unless you tell them not to do so. But other than that, yes, the dorm you get is assigned completely at random. The earlier you get ur info in, the less chance you have of being in a triple or a quad though (but I’m not completely sure if I remember it correctly). Most freshmen are placed into Elkton, Easton, or Denton unless you’re in scholars then they’ll for the most part place you in the Cambridge community.</p>
<p>It is not random. It’s based on what special program (if any) you are involved in.</p>
<p>Denton - general Honors students
Ellicott - Honors Gemstone students, women in engineering students
Cambridge community - Scholars students
Wicomico - Honors Humanities students
Elkton/Easton - non-honors and non-scholars students
students with allergies/disabilities may receive “weirder” placements (ex. La Plata Hall is air conditioned and some freshmen with asthma/bad allergies/etc. may get placed there) if requested and documented</p>
<p>After that, there is an element of “random” since all freshmen are guaranteed housing on campus but there is not necessarily space for all of a particularly type in one dorm. For example, some non-honors students will be placed in Denton. Some non-scholars students will find their way into the Cambridge community. </p>
<p>Some freshmen honors students may be placed in Queen Anne’s or Anne Arundel Hall (typically upper classmen dorms for honors students).</p>
<p>I have even heard of freshmen being placed in suites or apartments, usually Leonardtown.</p>
<p>Turning in your deposit earlier DOES have a bearing on where you live. It puts you priority for the place where you “belong.” Those that turn in their deposits later will find themselves in weirder housing situations (but again, it’s definitely the minority that find themselves in suits/etc…which is why it’s so bad if it happens…but I don’t want to scare you into thinking you have to put your deposit in asap or something, as in fact, as long as you submit by the due date it might be completely random…submitting AFTER the due date is when you run into trouble I’d imagine). </p>
<p>Additionally, if you have a particular preference for a dorm - ex. maybe you are an honors freshmen and want to make sure you don’t get placed in Queen Anne’s or Anne Arundel (AWESOME dorms with AC and a fantastic, beautiful location on the mall, but not as social and more difficult to meet people), you CAN request to be put into Denton. Alternatively, maybe you are a non honors and non scholars student but think you’ll like an honors/scholars dorm more - so you can request Cambridge community or Denton.</p>
<p>To make requests, call the resident life office after putting down your deposit.</p>
<p>Of course, requests are not guaranteed, but it they don’t hurt if you do have a strong preference and are definitely paid attention to if you have allergies/a disability/etc…</p>
<p>are the honor/scholar dorms better than the nonhonor – or whats the difference between their physical quality and social quality?</p>