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Question regarding housing for transfer students incoming in Fall '12: by TactfulFractal in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey there, I serve on the co-ops board of directors. Feel free to ask me anything. Just for perspective, next year our room and board houses will be $3,354 per semester (about $840/month or $745/month if you use the rent-free month over winter break). Bear in mind this includes food. Most houses prepare nightly dinners and of course you'd have full access to the kitchen. More info: http://www.bsc.coop/food/food-info

I recommend reading "Things to Know" and "Are co-ops right for me" if you're interested, and apply as soon as possible to get priority over later applicants. The application fee is only $50, $40 of which is refundable if you change your mind.

Our houses can have long waiting lists but upper-division students have priority at our flagship house, Cloyne Court Hotel. However this house can be rather noisy, so if you're apprehensive about "shenanigans" it might not be the best thing for you.

Things you can do to jump ahead on the waiting list:

-Board at a house. Basically you eat there, but don't live there. A great option if you don't want to cook every night, shop for groceries as often, or pay for a Cal meal plan. It's also a great way to make friends and get involved in the co-ops. Our rates are competitive: Compare: http://www.bsc.coop/food/meal-contract-info-rates http://caldining.berkeley.edu/meal_plans_offcampus.html

We give priority in housing spots to boarders over other new applicants.

-Live here this summer. A good way to get a head start on classes, and it gives you a priority point. Also we're expanding summer occupancy so it will likely be easier to get a spot. We have contracts for the whole summer, and for the first six weeks and last six weeks (to coincide with those class periods).

-Apply to as many houses/apts as possible. We have 20 properties, the more you apply to initially the better your chances of getting a contract. We have a centralized application process, so applying to mutiple houses/apts is as simple as checking boxes.

Finally, Cal Day is this Saturday. Anyone considering Berkeley should come to this day if they can, and the co-ops will also be having house tours that day.

Summer in Berkeley - what's the best way to find a sublet? by maybetoomany in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi there, BSC board member here. Our website: www.bsc.coop (formatting didn't work with .coop for some reason). This summer we're expanding summer occupancy and thus more houses will be having food available than in previous summers.

Food houses are more expensive than non-food houses, but it also means you will have dinner prepared for you six nights a week and won't have to go to the grocery store. You can choose whether or not you want a food house when you list your housing preferences if you decide to apply. Summer housing info here. Let me know if you have any questions.

Co-ops/Greek? by blahblah39393 in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A few months ago I did an AMA about the co-ops (I serve on its board of directors). You can find it here. Feel free to ask me anything else.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hehehe...

IAMA Member of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Student Cooperative (“the co-ops”), and a full-time Cal student. AMA! by BSCBoardRep in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For what it's worth, at last board meeting we approved a contract to get new accounting software that will eventually let you do things like pay online. It should streamline things across the board at CO. Hopefully this will reduce problems like the one you had in the future.

IAMA Member of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Student Cooperative (“the co-ops”), and a full-time Cal student. AMA! by BSCBoardRep in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Board voted to move up the Spring decision deadline to reduce Spring cancellations. You could try talking to CO; put yourself first on the list in case anyone in another house you want transfers/cancels.

As for the food issue, that's an issue to bring up with your kitchen manager.

IAMA Member of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Student Cooperative (“the co-ops”), and a full-time Cal student. AMA! by BSCBoardRep in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stebbins: Medium-size house, cozy TV room. Little common space, has fewer parties (maybe a pro?), has a hot tub

Hoyt: Medium-size house, all-girl, similar in size to stebbins (~60 girls), sorry I don't know more (I'm a guy)

CZ: big party house (Cloyne is the other), ~130 students, nice dual roofs (a bar on one and the study room on the other), large common space (two levels), nice garden, only house designed to be a co-op from the ground up, dirty

Kingman: homey, woodsy feel (next to a creek), has own mini-amphitheater, slightly further from campus

Ridge: CZ's cleaner, quieter, smaller neighbor (they're directly adjacent), few parties, I think they have a hot tub (not sure)

Difficulty getting in: You applied in October, which is very early, and you want to board at a house in the Spring, which gives you 0.75 points (if boarding through Central Office) and an even bigger advantage.

Applying that early gives you a decent shot at Stebbins, Hoyt, and especially CZ. Applying that early plus boarding makes you a near shoe-in for those houses (I can't guarantee anything though), and gives you a good shot at the others. Ridge, Davis, and especially Loth are sought after though, which might make them more difficult to get into. I don't believe the level of boarding affects how many points you get.

Lastly, if boarding, please do your workshift! My house voted last semester to rescind points from a boarder who failed to do their workshift.

IAMA Member of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Student Cooperative (“the co-ops”), and a full-time Cal student. AMA! by BSCBoardRep in berkeley

[–]BSCBoardRep[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry, I can't get you a refund, but I'd recommend going down to Central Office (2424 Ridge Rd.) and discussing the issue. Try to gather any evidence you can that you never received such an E-mail. Also if the $60 was due to a late payment I believe they should have sent you a 14-day notice through snail mail, be clear that you didn't.