Honors Housing Opportunities
Honors Housing is an exciting way to expand your experience in the Honors community beyond the classroom and into your living situation. Honors Houses are in McCarty Hall and freshman-only Lander Hall. Students will be assigned to either a double or triple room based on housing priority and date of application.
For the 2009 year, housing applications open April 2nd. The application deadline is May 15th. Again, space is allotted on a first come, first serve basis. For more information on housing and important dates, please visit hfs.washington.edu. Specifics to Honors Housing are addressed below.
Resident Advisers work with students to facilitate activities on the Honors floors, which may include:
- Sight-seeing excursions around Seattle and Western Washington
- Floor dinners hosted by Honors faculty and students
- Community-based volunteer opportunities
- Workshops on scholarships, personal statements, and research opportunities
- Social activities planned by the Resident Advisers and Honors students. Previous events include trivia and movie nights, monthly gallery or museum visits, pumpkin carving, research nights, and hiking and skiing trips.
If you would like to live in Honors House, select Honors House in the Special Interest House Preference portion of the housing application. Placement in Honors House is not guaranteed. Please apply as early as possible to increase your chances of being assigned to Honors House. Housing assignments are based on assignment priority and on date of application within priority groups. A request for placement in Honors House will supersede a request for other residence halls, and you may be assigned to a different room type than you would otherwise be assigned to in order to accommodate your Honors House request. Visit the UW Housing website for information on assignment priorities.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as early applicants get first choice of placement areas. We hope many of you will choose to participate in this housing option. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should I choose to live on an Honors floor rather than somewhere else in the residence halls or in the Greek system?
A: The primary benefit of the Honors floors is their dynamic community. Honors students are some of the most exciting individuals on campus, with interests as diverse as they come; these floors allow students to live with peers engaged in similar academic pursuits and to experience Honors community outside of the classroom environment. In addition to getting to know other Honors students, residents of these floors will also get to know students from other residence halls and different parts of campus through collaborative activities and events. This housing option is not intended to replace our students' residential experience but rather to enhance it through additional special events such as workshops, faculty speakers, and Honors community gatherings.
Q: Can I room with a student who is not in the Honors Program?
A: Yes! If you want to room with a student who is not in the Honors Program, please contact UW Housing and Food Services at hfsinfo@u.washington.edu and inform them of your preferences. Both of you will need to request each other on your respective housing applications, in addition to contacting HFS.
Q: I filled out the application with Housing and Food Services but still haven't received my assignment - what should I do?
A: Housing applications are administered and processed by UW Housing and Food Services, so your best bet will be to contact them directly at hfsinfo@u.washington.edu or by phone at (206) 543-4059. If this doesn't work or if you need further assistance, please contact the University Honors Program at uwhonors@u.washington.edu .
Q: Are the Honors floors freshmen-only?
A: The Lander Honors floor is freshman only while McCarty is open to returning students as well as freshmen.
Q: Do I get a price discount if I choose to live on one of the Honors floors?
A: No, we do not offer students discounts on housing. The primary benefits of the Honors floors are their unique community and atmosphere; other aspects of the floors operate in accordance with UW Housing and Food Services policies and practices.
Q: What types of activities can I expect on an Honors floor?
A: Activities will vary greatly depending on the interests of the Resident Advisers and residents on the floors. The floors' two Resident Advisers are their primary source of event planning and community building, but Honors Program faculty, staff, and student organizations will also work with them in order to provide unique opportunities such as faculty dinners, academic/professional workshops, speakers, trips, and other events. Residents should feel free to talk to and/or work with their RAs in order to suggest or plan activities that fit their interests and hobbies.
Q: What other kinds of student activities and events are there for Honors students?
A: Honors is an exciting place to be! The Honors Program hosts periodic events such as the Honors Freshman Welcome, the Non-Denominational Winter Celebration, and the End-of-the-Year Bash; students will receive announcements about these events as the year progresses. Honors also has student organizations that often organize their own events and activities. The Honors Croquet League hosts monthly croquet matches open to all students on campus, occasionally taking trips to Canada or other cities to challenge rival croquet organizations. The Honors Student Advisery Panel (HSAP) occasionally takes time from its role of advising the Honors Program administration to organize the HSAP Speaker Series and the Honors Research Colloquium.
Q: I'm interested in becoming a Resident Adviser for one of the Honors floors - what should I do?
A: We're always looking for enthusiastic students to become leaders in the Honors community. In order to be a Resident Adviser for one of the Honors floors, you must first successfully complete the RA application process administered by UW Housing and Food Services. Applications are generally available in late November or December and due sometime in early January. You must indicate your interest and participation in Honors to Housing and Food Services during the RA placement process. The Honors Program and HFS will work together to select the individuals that we think will fit best with our idea of floor and program community.
Q: I still need more information - where should I go now?
A: You are always welcome to contact Honors staff with any questions or concerns. You can reach us by e-mail at uwhonors@u.washington.edu, by phone at (206) 543-7444, or in person at our office (Mary Gates 211). UW Housing and Food Services is also a great resource, particularly for questions relating to details about the residence halls, problems with the application website, pricing information, etc. Check out their website at http://hfs.washington.edu, e-mail them at hfsinfo@u.washington.edu, or call them at (206) 543-4059. If you're interested in student perspectives on the residence halls, don't forget about your Honors Peer Mentor, who's always there to give you student input. If your Peer Mentor hasn't lived in the halls, he or she can probably get you in contact with a student who has, or you can search through various Peer Mentors by clicking here. Hope that helps!