This thread is so helpful. Any tips on freshman housing requests?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of UVa upperclass housing is not directly walkable from central grounds. The Faulkner complex is at North Grounds, so needs a UVa bus ride to/from central grounds. Lambeth also is a bus ride away from central grounds, but is somewhat walkable to the A School.

I lived in Lambeth my third year a few decades ago. Not a bad walk at all if you go through the backside, through the colonnades, and then hop out on the street there. I was in the college and walked to the Lawn/Cabell all the time. I don’t know if I ever once took the bus.

Silly PP above. Lambeth is across the street from the rotunda. My kid was there his second year and never once had to take a bus to Lambeth. And he walked to the Anderson library back and forth at all hours.

Anonymous wrote:Is it hard to live off grounds if kid doesn't have a car? That is another concern I have regarding housing after the first year.

wasn't for my kid. second year was on campus. third year down main street, off campus, in a group house. no car. walked or bussed everywhere. no problems

Anonymous wrote:A lot of UVa upperclass housing is not directly walkable from central grounds. The Faulkner complex is at North Grounds, so needs a UVa bus ride to/from central grounds. Lambeth also is a bus ride away from central grounds, but is somewhat walkable to the A School.

I lived in Lambeth my third year a few decades ago. Not a bad walk at all if you go through the backside, through the colonnades, and then hop out on the street there. I was in the college and walked to the Lawn/Cabell all the time. I don’t know if I ever once took the bus.

Anonymous wrote:Is it hard to live off grounds if kid doesn't have a car? That is another concern I have regarding housing after the first year.

When I did that, the big problem was getting to a grocery store. It sounds easy to go with someone else, but schedules have to mesh and the student with the car might not need to go when DC needs to go. Success with off grounds and no car just varies.

A lot of UVa upperclass housing is not directly walkable from central grounds. The Faulkner complex is at North Grounds, so needs a UVa bus ride to/from central grounds. Lambeth also is a bus ride away from central grounds, but is somewhat walkable to the A School.

Anonymous wrote:My DC will be on significant financial aid so securing off campus leases can be problematic. From older child's experience at a different university, it was difficult to qualify for a lease when they had to go off campus as an upperclassman after Covid that reduced the number of beds available for on campus housing for underclassmen (everyone had single bedrooms)

UVA upperclass housing includes apartment-style options. So if that is the style they want, then that is available through the university. This can save money, as UVa undergrad housing is a 9 month agreement, not a 12 month lease as commercial apartments would require.

Anonymous wrote:Is it hard to live off grounds if kid doesn't have a car? That is another concern I have regarding housing after the first year.

Certain specific off-grounds locations are on a UVA Bus line (free for students and staff). When looking off-grounds for housing, take a UVa bus map and see whether there is a route at the apartment complex which is interesting to DC.

Anonymous wrote:Is it hard to live off grounds if kid doesn't have a car? That is another concern I have regarding housing after the first year.

No most off grounds housing is very close, and very walkable to grounds. They will only use a car to get groceries and stuff and most kids just carpool when it's time to go shopping.

Is it hard to live off grounds if kid doesn't have a car? That is another concern I have regarding housing after the first year.

My DC will be on significant financial aid so securing off campus leases can be problematic. From older child's experience at a different university, it was difficult to qualify for a lease when they had to go off campus as an upperclassman after Covid that reduced the number of beds available for on campus housing for underclassmen (everyone had single bedrooms)

Bump.

Hereford Residential College has bi-modal happiness outcomes. It works well for some students, but not at all for others; I will try to outline how and why.

1st year students who choose to live there (i.e., the student requested Hereford as 1st year housing) usually are happy with their choice and end up staying there for upper class housing. By contrast, 1st year students who choose a different 1st year housing location, but were “assigned” by UVa to Hereford, generally are not at all happy and nearly always leave after 1st year. Their standard complaint is too far to walk (although there is free UVa bus service to central grounds and The Lawn area).

Hereford’s location is pretty close to classes for an Engineering student (if walking, it is important to take Stadium Rd, not Alderman Rd), or to the Physics or Chemistry buildings, but Hereford is visibly farther from The Lawn and most “arts & letters” buildings than other 1st year housing. It is even farther from the Architecture School or Nursing School, which themselves are not on Central Grounds.

The other quirk of Hereford is that very very few students involved in fraternities/sororities choose to live there. Again, this is because of location; it is farther from Rugby Rd (where most greek houses and events occur). It thus attracts a more “nerdy” set of upper-class students who are less interested in fraternity/sorority involvement. Thus, by self-selection, it can be a very good choice for students who have no interest in the fraternity/sorority activities.

Anonymous wrote:We were just there on a tour last week or so -- Guide said that it is required 1st year and then guaranteed the 2nd year... and if you use it 2nd year, then it's guaranteed 3rd, if you use it 3rd, guaranteed 4th. Sounded like there were a lot of 2nd - 4th year options.

This.

Moving off grounds is popular for many students, but it is just personal preference. There is plenty of university housing available these days. For non-Greeks a smart housing play is to apply to one of the Residential Colleges and then stay there for all of the remaining time on grounds. Unlike many years ago, if one likes one’s 2nd year room/dorm, then the student is guaranteed the option to stay put in future years. If one dislikes that, one is still guaranteed housing, but can apply to live elsewhere. Some upperclass housing is in suites with a kitchen. Other upper lass housing is more like a traditional dorm. There are a range of options.

Anonymous wrote:UVA is building more upperclassmen housing. For now, especially check out Bond. Nearby, around Student Health, a new dorm is rising. I’m unsure of the finish date.

Finish date is 2024-25 school year.