Room Sharing
Hey, I have an offer for physics at Hatfield but saw that around 60% of first years are in shared rooms and I'm really against sharing, if I was told I would have to share I probably wouldn't go. That said I really like Durham, and was wondering if it is possible to guarantee a single room (even if it means changing college I'm not too concerned) as Durham is definitely my number one bar rooming issues.
Cheers
Cheers
Oh and I've tried to find an email to contact someone at the college but failed so if anyone good advise on a good place to look that would be handy
Original post by aeiouaeiou
Oh and I've tried to find an email to contact someone at the college but failed so if anyone good advise on a good place to look that would be handy
Hi. Generally you can request a single room but unless you have a genuine medical reason you cannot be guaranteed a single room. This is the nature of the colleges at Durham, especially those on the Bailey.
Just not fancying it is not really a genuine medical reason! It is quite clear on the Durham website which colleges have a high % of shared rooms so I am surprised you opted for Hatfield rather than some of the Hill colleges?
Original post by southernbelle123
Hi. Generally you can request a single room but unless you have a genuine medical reason you cannot be guaranteed a single room. This is the nature of the colleges at Durham, especially those on the Bailey.
Just not fancying it is not really a genuine medical reason! It is quite clear on the Durham website which colleges have a high % of shared rooms so I am surprised you opted for Hatfield rather than some of the Hill colleges?
Just not fancying it is not really a genuine medical reason! It is quite clear on the Durham website which colleges have a high % of shared rooms so I am surprised you opted for Hatfield rather than some of the Hill colleges?
I didn't choose Hatfield, I can't remember which exactly but it was one with a very low percentage of sharing for that reason but was given Hatfield unfortunately
You must be an only child.
Original post by aeiouaeiou
I didn't choose Hatfield, I can't remember which exactly but it was one with a very low percentage of sharing for that reason but was given Hatfield unfortunately
Surprising because Hatfield is so popular and so many are bounced from it.
Is there not stuff on the Hatfield website about room allocation? At John's you can request a single room but some people have to share. You fill in a questionnaire so they can match you but you don't find out whether you are sharing until you arrive in October.
This is what it says on the John's website
Previously, roughly a third of first years shared rooms, however, this year (2014) under a quarter of students will be share rooms. Sharing a room can be great fun, and often those who have shared a room end up being best friends throughout their time in John's and beyond, but if it becomes a problem, college staff will do their best to ensure that it does get resolved. A great deal of time and effort from College is put into matching up students who are likely to get on with one another, and therefore creating the fewest clashes.
Previously, roughly a third of first years shared rooms, however, this year (2014) under a quarter of students will be share rooms. Sharing a room can be great fun, and often those who have shared a room end up being best friends throughout their time in John's and beyond, but if it becomes a problem, college staff will do their best to ensure that it does get resolved. A great deal of time and effort from College is put into matching up students who are likely to get on with one another, and therefore creating the fewest clashes.
Original post by southernbelle123
This is what it says on the John's website
Previously, roughly a third of first years shared rooms, however, this year (2014) under a quarter of students will be share rooms. Sharing a room can be great fun, and often those who have shared a room end up being best friends throughout their time in John's and beyond, but if it becomes a problem, college staff will do their best to ensure that it does get resolved. A great deal of time and effort from College is put into matching up students who are likely to get on with one another, and therefore creating the fewest clashes.
Previously, roughly a third of first years shared rooms, however, this year (2014) under a quarter of students will be share rooms. Sharing a room can be great fun, and often those who have shared a room end up being best friends throughout their time in John's and beyond, but if it becomes a problem, college staff will do their best to ensure that it does get resolved. A great deal of time and effort from College is put into matching up students who are likely to get on with one another, and therefore creating the fewest clashes.
How do they know who will get on with who? Do they wave wands and whisper incantations?
Original post by Juichiro
How do they know who will get on with who? Do they wave wands and whisper incantations?
No. You have to fill in a detailed questionnaire.
Original post by southernbelle123
No. You have to fill in a detailed questionnaire.
Sounds like a matching algorithm like the one in OkCupid. But OkCupid uses robust mathematical algorithms to do it. And they still are not particularly succesful. What makes you think that humans with their slower brains can do a better job at iterating applicants and matching the ones that are likely to get along?
Original post by Juichiro
Sounds like a matching algorithm like the one in OkCupid. But OkCupid uses robust mathematical algorithms to do it. And they still are not particularly succesful. What makes you think that humans with their slower brains can do a better job at iterating applicants and matching the ones that are likely to get along?
I don't. I'm just saying what they do. Ultimately if room sharing is a real issue then Durham is not the university for you. There are plenty of people waiting for those precious places at the Bailey colleges.
To reiterate what has been said already but applying to all of Durham
1) You can't swap colleges at this stage, unless you have an incredibly good reason (medical etc.) that means your college does not fulfil your needs.
2) Within most colleges there are a number of shared rooms. You don't find out about/ apply for rooms until you have finally accepted your offer after results day in August.
3) That being the case, if you wont ever consider sharing a room you shouldn't pick Durham. However, in my opinion this is being remarkably short sighted. Durham is an amazing university, with fantastic prospects, and the college experience is pretty unique as a whole.
4) They really do put a lot of care into matching people up. Many of my friends found their room mates were one of their closest friends for their entire time at Durham. The questionnaires are very detailed, and whilst it is done by people they are generally very good. You compare it with OKCupid - that's quite different as they are matching people up for relationships. A relationship and whether or not that works out is very different to whether or not you are able to live with someone for a year! Many people say sharing a room actually made their experience better. Shared rooms also tend to be very big.
5) In some colleges, people swap rooms in different terms (not sure if this applies to Hatfield).
6) Most colleges enable you to say which kind of room you'd prefer, and they do take this into account. However lots of people say they want single rooms, and they have to give priority to those with valid medical/ other really good reasons (backed up with evidence, eg. doctor's note).
In your case, you really don't have any option other than is it worth giving up Durham entirely on the chance you end up having to share a room for a maximum of one year of your life, where you'll probably be sharing with someone fairly similar to you/ you will quite likely be friends with?
1) You can't swap colleges at this stage, unless you have an incredibly good reason (medical etc.) that means your college does not fulfil your needs.
2) Within most colleges there are a number of shared rooms. You don't find out about/ apply for rooms until you have finally accepted your offer after results day in August.
3) That being the case, if you wont ever consider sharing a room you shouldn't pick Durham. However, in my opinion this is being remarkably short sighted. Durham is an amazing university, with fantastic prospects, and the college experience is pretty unique as a whole.
4) They really do put a lot of care into matching people up. Many of my friends found their room mates were one of their closest friends for their entire time at Durham. The questionnaires are very detailed, and whilst it is done by people they are generally very good. You compare it with OKCupid - that's quite different as they are matching people up for relationships. A relationship and whether or not that works out is very different to whether or not you are able to live with someone for a year! Many people say sharing a room actually made their experience better. Shared rooms also tend to be very big.
5) In some colleges, people swap rooms in different terms (not sure if this applies to Hatfield).
6) Most colleges enable you to say which kind of room you'd prefer, and they do take this into account. However lots of people say they want single rooms, and they have to give priority to those with valid medical/ other really good reasons (backed up with evidence, eg. doctor's note).
In your case, you really don't have any option other than is it worth giving up Durham entirely on the chance you end up having to share a room for a maximum of one year of your life, where you'll probably be sharing with someone fairly similar to you/ you will quite likely be friends with?
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