College dorms

[Roadrunner]

Are most carpeted? I have been looking at pictures of some of the schools DS is considering and most dorms look carpeted. What do kids with severe allergies and asthma do in situations like this? 
 

[fourisenough]

None my girls have been in were carpeted.

[Selkie]

I have three kids in dorm rooms now (at two different colleges) and none of their rooms are carpeted. I don't think I've ever seen a carpeted dorm room - seems like it would be very difficult to keep clean. 

[Kassia]

9 minutes ago, Selkie said:

I have three kids in dorm rooms now (at two different colleges) and none of their rooms are carpeted. I don't think I've ever seen a carpeted dorm room - seems like it would be very difficult to keep clean. 

I've had four kids in dorm rooms - no carpets.  And mine didn't either (100 years ago).

[NewnameC]

Agreeing with everyone else. No carpet.

[ShepCarlin]

From all the college tours we have had, no carpet. I do know people will get a piece of carpet that essentially fits the room to use just for the year. You just roll it up when it's time to move out. That might be what you are seeing. 

[Roadrunner]

This is promising.

We were in brand new Santa Clara University dorm last summer and it was carpeted. The school is off our list now. 
Looking at University if Chicago and it’s also all carpeted other than one. 

UC Santa Barbara all carpeted were we know people. So no there again. 

Some of the smaller LACs with old dorms have wood or linoleum. We can’t really visit before applying. How weird would it be if I called colleges asking about their dorm flooring?😞 No point to apply if DS can’t breath there. 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Roadrunner

[kokotg]

My son has had three dorm rooms now, all carpeted. I don't think it would be weird at all to call and ask...I wouldn't just eliminate anywhere with carpet, though, without asking if they can make accommodations for kids with allergies. Even somewhere with mostly carpeted rooms they may have some somewhere that aren't and can prioritize giving them to kids who need them for health reasons. I have a friend whose daughter has severe allergies and who goes to a school a lot of older dorm buildings that have had mold issues. They guaranteed that she would be in their brand new dorm so she wouldn't have any issues.

Edited December 29, 2021 by kokotg

[Roadrunner]

@kokotgi didn’t think of mold 😞

We find at least in CA newer dorms all have carpets. Mold would be equally devastating for DS. 

 

[EKS]

My dorm room in CA was carpeted (built in 1969 and this would have been in the mid 80s) as was the dorm room my son stayed in one summer at the University of Washington (built around 2010).

[Roadrunner]

I am going to start calling whoever deals with housing at each school DS considers. 

[Arcadia]

42 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

 

We were in brand new Santa Clara University dorm last summer and it was carpeted. The school is off our list now. 

Swig looks like its not carpeted 

https://www.scu.edu/living/residential-living-options/video-tours--room-layouts/residence-hall-room-layouts/

My teens are more sensitive to mold than carpets.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Arcadia

[GoodGrief3]

1 hour ago, Roadrunner said:

Are most carpeted? I have been looking at pictures of some of the schools DS is considering and most dorms look carpeted. What do kids with severe allergies and asthma do in situations like this? 
 

My experience is that the rooms themselves are generally not carpeted. People might bring in area rugs

[GoodGrief3]

41 minutes ago, EKS said:

My dorm room in CA was carpeted (built in 1969 and this would have been in the mid 80s) as was the dorm room my son stayed in one summer at the University of Washington (built around 2010).

My daughter's various dorm rooms at UW were not carpeted. She graduated 2017

[Roadrunner]

44 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

Swig looks like its not carpeted 

https://www.scu.edu/living/residential-living-options/video-tours--room-layouts/residence-hall-room-layouts/

My teens are more sensitive to mold than carpets.

Have you seen UCB dorms? Or other UC dorms? 

[Arcadia]

1 minute ago, Roadrunner said:

Have you seen UCB dorms? Or other UC dorms? 

The UCB dorms were not open to visitors when we did the campus tour a few months ago. We intend to rent nearby though since DS17 doesn’t want dorms.

[Ditto]

Mine was carpeted.

[EKS]

55 minutes ago, GoodGrief3 said:

My daughter's various dorm rooms at UW were not carpeted. She graduated 2017

Ok.

[Farrar]

In my experience, most are not. But obviously it'll vary. I don't know the west coast schools as well and it sounds like maybe it's more common to have carpeted rooms there? 

I don't think it would be weird at all to ask that. I mean, schools field questions from families about food allergies and availability of really niche clubs and sports. I don't think dorm carpeting is any different.

[Roadrunner]

11 minutes ago, Farrar said:

In my experience, most are not. But obviously it'll vary. I don't know the west coast schools as well and it sounds like maybe it's more common to have carpeted rooms there? 

I don't think it would be weird at all to ask that. I mean, schools field questions from families about food allergies and availability of really niche clubs and sports. I don't think dorm carpeting is any different.

He would prefer to go to college on the east coast, so maybe this is a good thing. 
I also wonder if a college with a mixture of carpeted and not carpeted dorms would accommodate a student with documented allergies. 
This is a major headache because it affects dorm rooms and study areas. Libraries are almost all universally carpeted (at least here), so they are out as study spaces. I know we will have to visit wherever he ends up to see if the schools are workable. 

[Farrar]

1 minute ago, Roadrunner said:

He would prefer to go to college on the east coast, so maybe this is a good thing. 
I also wonder if a college with a mixture of carpeted and not carpeted dorms would accommodate a student with documented allergies. 
This is a major headache because it affects dorm rooms and study areas. Libraries are almost all universally carpeted (at least here), so they are out as study spaces. I know we will have to visit wherever he ends up to see if the schools are workable. 

I'd be shocked if a college didn't try to accommodate a student with allergies like that. Most schools really do try. 

[Dmmetler]

We didn't see carpet in any of the dorms we've visited, except for area rugs, but hallways, study rooms, etc sometimes are. I am very glad L's dorm isn't. There were already mold problems in some rooms in fall term, due to the dorm being vacant the prior year and moisture building up in the HVAC, so carpet would have been horrid. 

 

I strongly suggest air purifiers. I sent one with L, and we ended up ordering a dehumidifier which also had a second HEPA filter, so the room is very, very well filtered. 

[easypeasy]

DD1s rooms were not carpeted - in any of the dorms she stayed in through her 4 years. DSs dorm room this year is also not carpeted.

So, we were shocked to arrive and find that DD2s room was carpeted. She moved dorms for sophomore year - and more carpet.

It's as disgusting as you'd imagine. Last year, she vacuumed daily and the amount of stuff she'd pull up every time was alarming. Considering she and her roommate were the ONLY STUDENTS she knew with a vacuum, she thinks that the room hadn't been vacuumed since installation. It was disgusting.

This year, it's less bad (she's not in a freshman dorm anymore, so I imagine that makes a difference). She has a Roomba and programs the thing to run when she's not in the dorm every single day.

Her allergies have been gawd awful due to that nasty carpeting. Who knows what's under it? She's currently undergoing allergy testing so we can see what her triggers are. If mold is highlighted (we imagine it will be), I don't know what we're going to do. Her apartment next year is also carpeted. 🥴

Honestly - WHO thought it was a good idea to put carpeting in college dorms? Just the amount of alcohol college students spill! EEEEEW.

DD1 and DS had nice tile floors that were so easy to sweep clean. DD1 had a heavy wool rug that was kind of a PITA, but we bought DS a washable rug and it's worked out so great!!

[BusyMom5]

My DD dorm is carpeted with those square carpet squares.  We got a rug for her room and living room.  The halls are also carpeted  🤢  Never go barefoot!

[Arcadia]

21 hours ago, easypeasy said:

Honestly - WHO thought it was a good idea to put carpeting in college dorms? Just the amount of alcohol college students spill! EEEEEW.

Carpet is a cheap way to reduce noise in apartments and dorms. (https://education.seattlepi.com/soundproofing-dorm-room-cheaply-1454.html) Also, it is cheap and fast for a corporation to redo the carpet if needed. When we were staying in a rental apartment, it was common for the management company to redo the carpet when a tenant moves out. 

[SoCal_Bear]

I'm pretty sure UCB dorms are still carpeted. They were when I was there. I just scrolled around looking at photos...Looks like carpet...very low pile industrial style carpet that you see in office buildings.

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by calbear

[fourisenough]

Ugh, I find carpet disgusting even at home (kids, pets, outdoor shoes inevitably make a mess of it). I can’t imagine having it in a college dorm. Yuck. I like being able to sweep and wash my floors weekly. 

[historically accurate]

DD's room & suite living room are carpeted. There is linoleum in the entrance, kitchenette and bathroom. 

[Roadrunner]

I wonder if it’s a regional variation. 
CA seems to have carpets. 
Even with daily meds, my kid’s dust allergies as asthma can’t tolerate more than couple of hours in such buildings. 

[Roadrunner]

10 hours ago, Arcadia said:

Carpet is a cheap way to reduce noise in apartments and dorms. (https://education.seattlepi.com/soundproofing-dorm-room-cheaply-1454.html) Also, it is cheap and fast for a corporation to redo the carpet if needed. When we were staying in a rental apartment, it was common for the management company to redo the carpet when a tenant moves out. 

Yes, noise is the reason libraries have them. 😞

DS spends one hour in any library and sinuses take over with full force. 

I would think linoleum in dorms would be equally cheap and more sanitary. 

 

[J-rap]

I would definitely not rule out schools based on your findings that they have carpet.  I think most schools will help as needed if there's a disability or other health conditions.  

Our apartment building, for example, rips out carpet regularly between tenants.  It's not that big a deal for large institutions.  They might easily offer to do that for you in the room your dd is in.

[Roadrunner]

14 minutes ago, J-rap said:

I would definitely not rule out schools based on your findings that they have carpet.  I think most schools will help as needed if there's a disability or other health conditions.  

Our apartment building, for example, rips out carpet regularly between tenants.  It's not that big a deal for large institutions.  They might easily offer to do that for you in the room your dd is in.

It’s not just a room though. These massive dorms, floor after floor all carpeted. sadly ripping out just his room won’t be enough help. 
If he can’t breath and can’t find a space to study, the school is out. 
I would rather put application/essay efforts into colleges with livable dorms. It’s a sad situation. 
Also since he is homeschooled, I want him to be in dorms with other kids to socialize. Sigh. 

[J-rap]

5 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

It’s not just a room though. These massive dorms, floor after floor all carpeted. sadly ripping out just his room won’t be enough help. 
If he can’t breath and can’t find a space to study, the school is out. 
I would rather put application/essay efforts into colleges with livable dorms. It’s a sad situation. 
Also since he is homeschooled, I want him to be in dorms with other kids to socialize. Sigh. 

Ah, I see.  Well at the very least, I'd call the school and ask them.  I remember when I was in college, there was a student who practically lived in a bubble due to severe allergies.  The school -- which was very old, figured out a way to accommodate him. 

But I do understand the severe allergies and asthma.  We have a dd like that.  She ended up going to all four years of college in Costa Rica where all the floors were tiled, the hallways were outdoors, and student gathering places had ceilings but no walls.  Also, strangely, her severe fruit/veggie allergies in the US didn't exist in Costa Rica.  That made us realize that it was something in the import process (maybe being shipped while unripe, or chemicals used for shipping, etc.) were probably a big part of what contributed to her oral allergies.  

[Arcadia]

28 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

I would think linoleum in dorms would be equally cheap and more sanitary. 

Linoleum is cheap but colder and not an effective noise reducer.
My dorm room was kind of like industrial vinyl and having to walk down a corridor to the bathroom to rinse out the mop and pail means that I never mop. I just use wipes. In my case, engineering school’s computer labs stay open 24/7 so my schoolmates and I spent most of our time outside of lectures and tutorials there. 

[skimomma]

Dd's dorm room and hallways are carpeted.  Mine was too.  I think the building would be very noisy without it.  That said, dd says there is at least one (maybe more) wing of one dorm that is carpet free for people with allergies.  

[Dmmetler]

An easier option might be to find an off campus apartment that doesn't have carpeting. Even at LAC's that require on campus living, that can be waived for health reasons. And scholarships which cover housing can usually be arranged to give funds to be spent on off campus housing instead. 

 

Depending on the school, they may be set up for this even more directly. Agnes Scott owns quite a few houses right off campus that are used for campus housing for small groups of grad students or for faculty, and I imagine it would be far easier to make one of those carpet-free (they're actually old enough that hardwood is likely) than a dorm. 

[Roadrunner]

2 hours ago, Dmmetler said:

An easier option might be to find an off campus apartment that doesn't have carpeting. Even at LAC's that require on campus living, that can be waived for health reasons. And scholarships which cover housing can usually be arranged to give funds to be spent on off campus housing instead. 

 

Depending on the school, they may be set up for this even more directly. Agnes Scott owns quite a few houses right off campus that are used for campus housing for small groups of grad students or for faculty, and I imagine it would be far easier to make one of those carpet-free (they're actually old enough that hardwood is likely) than a dorm. 

Makes logical sense,  but this kid has been isolated as a homeschooler and really needs to be in the dorm if he stands to integrate at all with kids. 

[Dmmetler]

Some off campus housing options are effectively dorms in their own right, just not owned/run by the university. And at least for my homeschooled kid, the cafeteria has been more important than the dorm, despite it being a residential college, although part of that might be that many of my kid’s friends are juniors due to class placement, so aren’t in the first year dorms.  So I wouldn’t rule out a school if off campus housing works, but on campus does not. For some schools (Mizzou comes to mind) it was possible to have off campus housing that was actually closer to the academic buildings than some of the on-campus options open to freshmen.