I’m not sure how widespread this is but fyi there are certain CC’s that are apparently known to be “feeders” into certain UCs and may have other linkages too. For Cal, these seem to be Berkeley City College and DVC. A friend of D19’s (not engineering though) transferred from DVC to Cal and already knew a couple of the professors from there as they came to lecture at DVC sometimes. Not a UC, but I understand Cuesta has a lot of transfers into Cal Poly SLO, including in courses like architecture and engineering that are hard to get direct admits in. I believe such colleges have well structured articulation agreements and work well to ensure that all the transfer requirements are properly met. And then of course there are TAG options at some other UCs. If this is a route you are considering, it sounds like it’s worth researching which CCs seem to place well into the target colleges. (Edit: it looks like the link gumbymom posted will help with this.) That said, as noted above, it’s not guaranteed, but you can always fulfill TAG requirements for one UC while applying to Cal and UCLA too.
@OctoberKate - Living in a place where sunshine is at a premium, I’d pick the big windows, north-facing if heat’s a concern. And I’d go for the third floor since it looks like the second floor is the entrance. I am going to guess the laundry is on the ground floor, so I don’t know how far from that I’d want my kid to be so he doesn’t have one more reason not to get laundry done. I agree somewhat on the move-in/move-out problem with the higher floors, but that is a 2x/year issue as opposed to a more regular schlep, so I’d be more focused on the day-to-day/week-to-week. I also agree with not pre-screening the roommate because you may not have time. And that’s kind of the consequence for him not engaging in the earlier part of the process very well. I was after my son about this same issue a while ago, and finally I just let it go. My kid will have to live with the way he chose to handle the process - not me. And while I am anxious that he’ll have a good roommate for the year, it will work out somehow.
Update for us: we are closing in on graduation. My kid has basically had a week off, since he didn’t have any final exams, and for whatever reason they have three mornings of marching practice? We can’t understand why this should be so complicated if everyone knows their alphabet and understands how to put one foot in front of the other. Sorry if that sounds cheeky, but practicing this three times seems… excessive. I’m not sure my youngest practiced three times for his pre-4 “graduation” many moons ago, but who am I to judge, right?
Prom is this weekend, along with awards day (which counts as one of the marching practices), and then the big day. He seems relaxed and happy for the first time in a while. As for summer work, he opted to work in the family business for the summer, which makes sense since it affords him a smidge more flexibility with his schedule to visit friends. He took the easy way out on that one, despite encouraging him to look into working at a snack shack or local store to change things up a bit.
agree that is kind of funny.
My kid has 1 rehearsal, its like an hour total (not a tiny HS either).
We’re like @L_NewEngland - one rehearsal, for an hour, and it’s also the same hour when they will distribute caps and gowns. So yeah, I think three practices is a bit much, but who knows, maybe it will be some kind of fabulous Marching Band-Esque entrance! 
And yeah, I’m thinking the third floor is going to be the way to go. I’ve identified the rooms that seem best on the third and fourth floors in the two dorms with the biggest windows and I’m hoping one of them will work out. If not, well, what will be will be.
S25 had one rehearsal, and it wasn’t even in the actual space. Graduation was in a downtown arena. They made them drive down there on buses and they lined up in the parking garage. They didn’t even have access to the building. Not sure why they couldn’t do that on football field. He was not amused.
Somebody talk me down:
Good: My daughter found a roommate and suite mates. One of the other girls had the first slot so got to choose the room.
Bad: It is on the ground floor. IMO this is less than ideal (privacy, safety, noise, bugs) and the one thing my daughter specifically did not want. They could still change it but D won’t say anything because she doesn’t want to be the fussy one.
My niece was on the ground floor of her dorm freshman year and it worked out just fine. No issues with any of the things you listed. Easier for move in/move out too!
My son was on the ground floor and right by the exit door his freshman year. Not really any concerns with the things you listed. I know there was an occasional palmetto bug in the hallway but 1) it was the south, and 2) you could find those on any floor of the building.
If she has suitemates she is happy with, that is the important part. And it’s GOOD that people aren’t making a big deal out of the room choice. Hopefully it’s a sign that she has picked a chill, friendly group of ladies to live with!
This is an underrated factor — imagine waiting in crowded halls for a free elevator… blech.
S25 took a trip to Orlando for Disney and Universal with his friends for 4 days. We were looking at this as a trial run for figuring things out in college away from us… he planned and paid for the whole thing, navigate a plane diversion in Jacksonville, and got back while having a blast. So great success!
He has rehearsal this week and graduation one week from today.
Easier for fire alarms (which are common at some schools I gather).
I’d have little issue living on ground floor.
I lived in a first floor suite the first three years of college and loved it, much more than living on the third (top) floor my senior year. Hope it works out!
My D lived in a ground floor suite her first year and loved it. No issues with bugs or noise…her and her suitemates were all very social, so basically knew everyone in the dorm very quickly.
Oh, she’ll be so happy she doesn’t have to run up and down stairs when she realizes she forgot something or that she needs a sweater or umbrella. And kudos to her for not wanting to enter the group as a whiner - shows good awareness of group dynamics and a good ability to put things in perspective.
Thank you everyone for the positivity and the perspective!
Well I have successfully (?) selected a dorm room for S25. I ended up going with the all men’s dorm, even though that was originally a no-go in my mind. There are five dorms identical in shape. Three, including the men’s dorm, have large windows. The windows and light were the only thing S25 cared about. The two co-ed dorms have women on floors 3&4 and men on 1&2. The main entrance is on the second floor. The dorms are built into the hill so you can also enter on 1, but the rooms on the lowest floor are not as bright and do not get as much sun. (The buildings are pretty close to each other, and the angle just precludes sun.) S25 really wanted a higher up floor + large windows, so that lead me to think about the men’s dorm. It also happens to be closer to food, his window is on the route the marching band takes to the stadium, and I think he can see the stadium. I’m hoping that makes it not a bad choice. I know he was hoping to meet some girls in the dorm (prom is tomorrow and the kid is really feeling it that all his friends have dates and he doesn’t) so this means he’ll have to put himself out there a bit more to do that, but it is what it is. I asked, repeatedly, if he had a preference and he said no. Hopefully he meant that…
I was able to pick I think the best room on the floor. They are all the same size, but this is one that isn’t right in front of the bathroom or the stairs, and isn’t at the end of the hall, and should have an unobstructed view out the window. The down side was that there was no room on the floor that already had a roommate. So he had to be the first one in the room, which means he has no say in who matches with him. It’s whoever picks that other bed. I’m hoping it’s someone who at least has a vaguely similar sleep schedule, tolerance for noise, and level of general cleanliness…
Your reasoning sounds perfect, imo. Glad he wanted the large windows, that will make such a difference!
So his roommate has picked the room. Positives: he’s also a track guy, runs middle distance, so something they have in common. Sleep schedule seems similar. He says he cleans his room daily (my kid doesn’t, so hope my S25 is neat enough). He’s from SC - which is a positive because we won’t be able to bring S25 home for all the breaks - I’m hoping he gets along with the roommate and gets invited home for Thanksgiving.
Cons: the second sentence in his profile (after naming his hometown and major) says “I like to hangout all the time and enjoy social gatherings”. I don’t want S25 to have an antisocial roommate, but he struggles with focus and getting things done. A super social roommate could make it easier for S25 to follow along and goof off. I was hoping for some peer pressure of the positive kind. I was also hoping for an engineering student or someone that has a lot of homework. But really, grand scheme of things, this is a little thing. S25 needs to make his own way and manage himself.
D25 cleaned up at senior awards night. It was nice for her to finally be recognized after 4 years of being basically ignored. She won both of the academic scholarships from her school.
She has been getting almost daily emails from her college now. It’s fun to see what the daily email will be. Still waiting for the summer reading assignment and hope for that one daily so she can start on that. She has some sort of zoom meeting on Monday with the school. Looks like there will be 366 people in her class.
Prom is tonight.
My kid finished their last class/exam. They are wrapped up with HS academics!
There is still award night, rehearsal and gown pick/up and a sr lunch, before actual graduation.
It’s hard to believe!!