Trials and Tribulations (Part 20)- Accepting Your College Housing Offer

After careful thought and deliberation, I thought others would find this interesting about our battle with Asperger Syndrome. If anyone would like to post about their trials and tribulations, please leave a link so we can read your story. :)

This is written in the third person.


If UMBC is able to offer transfers housing, offers typically will not be made until after June 1st. Priority will be given to students whose permanent address is furthest from campus.


Housing Offers (Priority Consideration)

On-campus housing will be offered based on the following factors:

• Distance from campus: Students living the furthest away will receive first consideration. Distance is categorized into the following four categories: A (0-8 miles), B (9-25 miles), C (26-50 miles) and D (51 + miles)

(M is over 51 + miles to UMBC)

• Application Date: Within a given Distance and Class Standing they will look at application date to determine priority consideration.

• Priority for On-Campus Housing 2014-2015:
1. Incoming Transfer students distance C/D
2. Incoming Transfer students distance A/B
3. Commuter students distance C/D
4. Commuter students distance A/B


Things you can do if you are on the Waiting List:

• Make sure your campus housing application has the most up-to-date data for you.
• Make sure you are checking your myUMBC email account regularly.
• Make sure your contact information is updated in myUMBC so that if they mail communication to you it will be received.


After submitting his housing application on March 26, 2014, the dreaded waiting game began. M and his mother checked his account at Resident Life Login regularly to see if he was offered housing. On June 23, 2014, M received word from Residential Life via mail and by his RL account online to fill out the RL License (the license is for any RL assigned space in a residence hall or apartment and not for a specific room or bed) and pay the housing deposit by June 30, 2014.


Steps To Accepting Your Housing Offer at UMBC:

• Read and accept the terms of the Housing License online. If any student is under the age of 18, upon agreeing to the terms of this license they will need to print and sign the License Verification Page, along with a parent/guardian, and mail it to Residential Life.

• After signing the online license, you will need to pay your $200 Housing Deposit to guarantee your space. You can pay online or mail payment (check or money order) made out to UMBC by the indicated deadline. Online payment is the most efficient payment method (especially if given only a few days to pay).

M filled out the RL License, signed it online (he is over 18), and paid the $200 Housing Deposit online and was charged $5.50 for Simplicity Fee service charge.


Cancellations:

• Cancellations before June 1st – you will forfeit your $200 housing deposit
• Cancellations between June 1st and July 1st – you will forfeit your $200 housing deposit and incur an additional $200 cancellation fee
• Cancellations between July 2nd and August 30th – you will forfeit your $200 housing deposit and incur an additional $300 cancellation fee


At this time, M still did not know his housing assignment. Finally, on August 7, 2014, M was assigned housing at Harbor Hall. He will have a single room and share a bathroom with 3 other students.