<p>I am thinking about choosing UW for my college next year and was wondering what is the best dorm for an incoming freshman? I noticed there were 2 new dorms opening up, but could a freshman get in those? What about Poplar? I know I would have to pay more, but that is okay. Can freshman get into these dorms? I am going to be studying engineering. I would prefer a dorm where you share a bathroom between like 4 people instead of the whole floor.
thanks</p>
<p>Whatever you do, try not to get Haggett.</p>
<p>I personally thought Haggett was a great dorm as a freshman…</p>
<p>But to answer OP, the sign up for dorms gives returning residents first pick, so whether or not you could get into the new dorms depends a lot on how many returning residents want to live there. I think the price will deter some however, so I think you could have pretty good odds at getting into one of them. The new dorms (Poplar, Alder, Elm) have very large rooms, no chances of the dreaded “triple,” are close to all the new west campus amenities, and have personal bathrooms, so if those things are really important to you then go for it. Honestly it is no one’s ideal situation to use a hall bathroom, but I do want to say from experience that you can get used it and it shouldn’t be a primary reason for taking a dorm off your list if you like other things about it. </p>
<p>Since you are in engineering you should look into the engineering community. I believe it is located in McCarty Hall. If living with people who are going to be in similar classes to you, have similar career goals, etc. sounds cool to you then it could be a good fit.</p>
<p>Thanks. I wouldn’t take A dorm off my list just because of bathrooms, but it would be nice to just share with a roommate. Are the newer dorms near engineering? You said west side, so is the engineering department on the west side?</p>
<p>That’s a good point. SarSarHanHan, McCarty is close but McMahon is even closer. Just please try to avoid Haggett.</p>
<p>@JonathanG7: The new dorms are nowhere near Engineering. They’re pretty much as far away as you can get from them.</p>
<p>How far is that?</p>
<p>But realize that as a freshman, you may not have any “engineering” classes per se. You will be doing your pre-requisites (math, chem, phys, etc).</p>
<p>Very true. Do you think a lot of people will be going for the newer dorms?</p>
<p>Also, do you know what dorms most people go for when signing up?</p>
<p>Here is a map of UW: [Campus</a> Maps - washington.edu](<a href=“http://www.washington.edu/maps/]Campus”>Campus Maps) The North campus dorms (McMahon, Haggett, McCarty, Hansee and 2104 House) are in the Northeast corner of campus (if you can’t spot them, type one of the names in the search bar and it will show you). West campus dorms (Lander-Terry, Steven’s Court, Alder, Poplar, Elm) are west of 15th Ave. And the engineering buildings are clustered pretty close to the Engineering Library (besides the ones with engineering in the name, there’s Loew, More, Roberts, Mueller, etc.). So McMahon is the closest dorm, but in the long term 5 more minutes from West campus isn’t really a big deal. And cellopop is spot on in pointing out you probably won’t have many engineering classes in your freshman year, and even if you do, they could end up being in a completely different part of campus (its just the way UW works, haha). So I think location isn’t a very important factor to dorm selection in your freshman year.</p>
<p>My personal opinion is that I don’t think it will be very hard to get into the new dorms, especially if you put more than one on your list. The price jump is a barrier that keeps some people from wanting to be in them. Many returning residents who live in the old dorms probably won’t want to pay the increased price. Alder and Elm will both be opening so there will be a greater supply of new dorm rooms than there was this year. I think HFS will fill all of their beds (because they always do), but if you apply for housing as soon as it opens I think you should have an okay shot. And FYI you can change the order of your preferences after you submit your app (without sacrificing your place in line), so if you decide a week later that you want to change your list you can. Look at the HFS info, though, to get more info on that, because I don’t know specific dates for the open and close of the app.</p>
<p>Dorms in order of popularity for Freshman I think would go Lander, Terry, McCarty, McMahon, Haggett, Steven’s Court, Hansee (new dorms not listed, because when I was a freshman they weren’t open so I can’t accurately rate). Lander is the freshman only dorm and is very popular for its social scene. Terry is connected to Lander and it is not technically freshman only, but I would bet it is 90%+ freshman and gives an experience very similar to Lander. I think you know if you are or aren’t the kind of person who wants to live in Lander. It’s harder to study in your room there and high percentage of triples, but if you want to socialize/make lots of friends, you may love it. I am just putting this as a disclaimer so you won’t automatically think Lander is the best dorm and that you MUST put it on your list. Each dorm has its own personality.</p>
<p>Dorms in order of popularity for upperclassmen/returning residents: McMahon, Steven’s Court, Hansee, McCarty, Haggett, Terry. Again I can’t accurately predict where the new dorms fit because they are so new.</p>
<p>I have lived in Haggett, McMahon and Cedar Apartments, and I have been inside all of the dorms at some point, so if anyone has more questions post them and I can try to help you.</p>
<p>What are the main differences between Lander and Terry besides the fact that the former is a freshman only dorm?</p>
<p>I don’t really want to be in a loud dorm. I would like it quiet so I could study and sleep. I am not super social, but don’t get me wrong, I have a lot of friends, but I just like privacy and don’t like being with them all the time. I would really love to be in one of the new dorms. Thanks for the advice. When does housing applications open?</p>
<p>Also, I was reading about how you get your food. So you have something like a pre paid debit card? Is it included in the housing cost? Is the food reasonably priced?</p>
<p>The Upper Campus Dorms are like 5 min walk at the most from the Engineering stuff, the West Campus dorms are like 15 min walk, the farthest being Steven’s Court.</p>
<p>McMahon is better than Terry-Lander imo because your bathroom stuff is limited to those in your pod. Also, there’s something to be said for the great view from McMahon, as opposed to the dreary view from any of the dorms on West Campus.</p>
<p>Also, if you’re really lazy and can’t take the 15 min walk from lander/terry, steven’s court to the engineering area…there are like 3-4 buses that stop in front of lander terry and go through the campus, stopping right in engineering along their way</p>
<p>Honestly, location should be the least of your worries. You’re going to end up in classrooms all over campus anyways. I promise.</p>
<p>@travelgirl: I disagree. I know people whose living situation is literally dragging them under…admittedly other than one they’re all in Haggett…</p>
<p>I’m not sure I follow xavi.</p>
<p>I said that the least of his worries when choosing a dorm is the physical location of the dorm in it’s distance from the dorm to engineering. </p>
<p>The physical location is the least important factor in choosing dorms, imo</p>
<p>Oh, I get it. Yeah, happiness is much more important.</p>