“See Ya Later!” is what Residential Director Angela Nunez says to students who failed to pay for their dorm rooms. The payment due date for the dorms is approaching faster than students realize, and money must be paid in order to be guaranteed a dorm.
“If a student is returning and has not paid by June 1, they will be dropped,” said Nunez.
TJC has nine residential halls with 534 rooms available.
The dorms are first-come, first-served so if a student decides she wants to live in the dorms, she must apply fairly early, especially for the fall semester. The dorms for the fall are usually full by the middle of July. Payments for the fall semester are due June 1.The $100 that is due is not a deposit; it is an application fee that is non-refundable. A new student’s Master Promissory Note must be signed by the last week of July for their dorm to be considered paid.
On the housing application, students are allowed to designate their top dorm choices, but the students who pay first get first choice. There are three residential halls reserved for athletes only.
Students are also allowed to live in the dorms during the maymester and summer semesters. Both Vaughn and Holley Hall are open during these two semesters. Only current students are able to live on campus during the maymester, but during the summer semesters new students can live on campus as well. The price to live on campus during those semesters is $400 per semester without a meal plan and the payment is due May 3.
During the regular fall and spring semesters, the price to live in the Ornelas Residential Complex is $757 per month with the meal plan included. The cost for the older dorms is $575 a month with a meal plan.
“Although I did live in the dorms, I had to be on the waiting list before because the dorms were full,” said Jasmine Tatum, former resident of Vaughn Hall.
The waiting list for the dorms also gets long for the fall semester, but as students get dropped from the dorms the next person on the list will be called and notified. The waiting list is also based on first-come, first-served. The students who are next on the list and ready to pay are the ones who get a dorm.
“Sometimes a dorm can open up in the middle of the semester and students can be placed,” said Nunez. “During the spring semester there are usually more openings.”
Dorms become available throughout the semester for various reasons, so if a student is on the waiting list they may get a dorm if one becomes available.
“I applied for a dorm and never got in. So for the first two weeks of school, I had to live in a hotel until I got an apartment,” said Ardreka Gray, former Tyler Junior College student.
For students who can’t get in the dorms, there are always other options available such as apartments.
There are various student housing options in Tyler such as, The Cambridge, The Reserve and Varsity Place.
For information about living on campus, contact the Residential Life and Housing office (903) 510-2345.
To contact The Cambridge call (903) 566-9200, The Reserve call (903) 565- 4700 and Varsity Place call (903) 566-9506.
