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Welcome to Your College Dorm…err, Hotel Room

Welcome to Your College Dorm…err, Hotel Room
9/12/2011
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Suada Kolovic

Up until this point, you’ve done everything a college freshman is suppose to do before heading off to college. You’ve read every tip and advice column you could get your hands on. You filled out all the right paperwork, submitted all your fees on time and were excited to meet your new roommate. Move-in day was supposed to go off without a hitch but instead of being greeted by your school’s welcome wagon, you were directed to the nearest hotel. Wait, what?

Across the country, universities and colleges are dealing with more incoming freshmen and transfers than they can handle. And while the finger pointing was inevitable, a few factors played into the overcrowding: administrators’ ambitious over-admitting, poorly planned enrollment predictions and a down economy resulted in halted residence hall construction projects. But regardless of who’s to blame, the fact remains that overbooked students make up a sizable portion of the collegiate population.

Here are the five scenarios these undergraduates tend to face, according to USA Today:

  • They are put temporarily or permanently in hotels near their campus, coming and going via shuttle services.
  • They are offered vouchers and other perks in hopes of precipitating a move off campus.
  • They are focused to live in traditional double rooms with two or three more roommates.
  • They are placed in dorm lounges, study rooms and other converted campus facilities.
  • Some freshman are separated from their peers and moved into residence halls typically allotted to upperclassmen.

Are you or someone you know dealing with overbooking at your school? Share your story.

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