<p>A triple isn’t the end of the world. It’s what most students at Xavier have to live in recently because whoever was in charge of construction plans did not coordinate with whoever was in charge of capping admissions and they decided to bring in larger classes than we had roomy residence for (i.e. doubles) before building the new residence hall (to be completed fall 2011) which will house over 500 students, our soon-to-be-largest residence.</p>
<p>It’s good to hear he has a bed at least. Hopefully the rest of his semester will go more smoothly.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry you had to experience this. It makes me a bit nervous of what lies ahead (we have a rising Sr.). A triple isn’t usually what you would prefer, but at least you know where he will be laying his head. Feeling like you are not important enough to even assign a room is insulting if you ask me. I believe the goal with most schools is to move triples to a double as soon as possible. You may want to follow up with the school and ask if this is their policy and find out what percentage/how often they are able to do this. </p>
<p>If you have not done so, I would consider writing a letter to the Dean of Students with a concise description of your experience. I would politely let them know that it has left a very poor impression of how students are treated and will influence your recommendation of the school to other families. I will say, I am very quick to let people know when I am happy with service or an experience, however a disgruntled parent can spread information faster than a brushfire. Even the most laid back parent will bristle when you mess with either their money or their children. Combine the two and you are asking for trouble.</p>
<p>I am also glad it seems to be mostly settled but I also agree that you were not treated properly and it is my style to follow up with a letter to the Dean of Students. Polite but firm.</p>
<p>This particular room seems to be a permanent triple … and his two roommates are sophomores. But it’ll be OK. I think the situation is probably a pretty good match for my kid.</p>
<p>I’ve now seen a video of a triple in this building. It looks spacious and (dare i say) elegant. This is one of those schools using purpose-built dorms, rehabbed brownstones, converted hotels and just about everything else they can find in between to house their students. They have singles, doubles, triples, quads, and 5-student/2-rooms and bath set ups. Plus suites, apartments, doubles with private baths etc etc.</p>
<p>There is an upside to triples. When two roommates can’t agree, it helps to have a third person to break the tie! That’s the story I told my D when she was assigned a triple, and I am sticking to it!</p>
<p>There is also an upside and a downside to living with sophomores. They will know more about campus, and about the professors and classes. On the other hand, they will already have a place within campus and a group of friends. It should prove to be a very beneficial situation for him if he can befriend both sophomores and fellow freshmen. =)</p>
<p>I was getting anxious just reading this thread! I’m glad he finally got his assignment. Are the sophs transfers? My freshman year I lived in a dorm with a combination of transfers (sophs and jrs), freshman, and non-transfer sophomores. As a freshman, I thought it was quite cool to not be in a ‘traditional’ freshman dorm, and as it turned out, the 100% freshman dorms were very rowdy places which I was glad not to be a part of.</p>
<p>The ultimate upside I see in this situation is that YOU see the ‘upsides’ which means your son is most likely seeing ‘upsides’ as well. In the overall scheme of things, that’s all that’s important. The issue isn’t his housing (ie. double vs. triple or which dorm), it’s how he/you were treated in the process. If you do contact the school that is the point I would make.</p>
<p>^That’s cause they don’t have way too many purses and shoes and scarves and clothes in general, so there’s not much loss in having less closet space for guys. =P</p>
<p>My neighbor’s son spent his freshman year in a triple with 2 sophomores (not at BU). It worked out fine. </p>
<p>I’m wondering… when did you send in your deposit? At many colleges, it’s first-come-first-serve for rooming assignments based on when you send in your deposit. If your son waited till the last minute to decide, he’d have been on the bottom of the list for a room assignment. My H’s brother did that, back in the day, and ended up in a tiny triple in the basement of the oldest dorm at our LAC. </p>
<p>Also, my D’s college is currently ranked #1 on Princeton Review’s “Runs Like Butter” list, and they have the first-come-first-served housing thing. She knew a kid who received his housing notice when everyone else got theirs on July 1, except that their notice said, “Pending.” No roommate, no room - yet. The college’s website states that some students who sent their housing deposits near the end deadline wouldn’t have a room assignment on July 1, but that all WOULD have a room before the end of the summer, that was guaranteed. As we know, colleges tend to over-admit, to allow for “summer melt” and they may need to wait for the “melting” kids to leave so that they have room for everyone.</p>
<p>Just wondering if that’s why it took so long to get your son’s assignment. Glad he finally got it!</p>
<p>Glad he got his room. Triples can work out well. And he likes that part of the campus so that’s a plus.</p>
<p>D was supposed to be in a 2 bedroom apartment w/ 3 friends, but due to a housing office error she and 1 friend will be rooming with 2 transfer students. They have a good attitude and are looking forward to meeting the new girls.</p>
<p>My younger S wanted a triple when he was a freshman. He felt he’d meet more people that way. Afterward, he chose to live with 3 roommates in an on-campus two bedroom apartment.</p>
<p>My S did not want a freshman-only dorm. Thought he’d get better intel on profs and courses from older students, plus he hopes the partying will have toned down.</p>
<p>Having been an RA in a freshman dorm, I understand his reasoning!</p>
<p>My son (a BU grad) says the triples at BU are designed to be triples…they aren’t doubles that were made into triples. They have more floor space and his friends who lived in them really liked that extra space. The doubles are quite small in most of the BU dorms. The triples are typically corner rooms with more space. </p>
<p>Glad he has a place to head to for move in. Best of luck to him!! And BTW…move in at BU is one of the best organized of any college campus I’ve seen.</p>
<p>We’re back … his room is amazing. I did not meet the sophomore roommates – or the other guys on the floor, also sophomores, but I gather 2 of the 4 have arrived. This floor, in a brownstone, is one double, one triple, one bath and one extra large closet on the landing.</p>
<p>His friends – both old friends from home and school now going to BU and new BU friends – all are envious. BU should really put a brownstone on the tour – not just the tired high rise dorms!</p>
<p>I’m curious—is your son’s brownstone in the 800 block of Beacon Street? I used to live there and all the buildings around mine were bought by BU–in the early 80s.</p>
<p>He’s on Bay State … the road of brownstones that parallels Commonwealth, more or less in the center of campus. He’s close to both Towers or Warren Towers … great location!</p>