<p>I would love to get some advice on the best dorms for a Freshman. There are so many different options and they are spread out on the campus (My son plans on majoring in Engineering, if that matters). Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Most all of the Freshmen live in East dorms, which are the older ones. So if he can get somewhere other than East, there will be less freshmen around (and less chances to make new friends), but the living space will be better</p>
<p>There is an engineering house with all engineering majors!</p>
<p>I don’t totally agree with Etuck24…my friend is a freshman this year, and his whole hall (thats 4 full floors, the whole building) is freshman. They’re in south halls. Now, do you really need to be surrounded by thousands of freshman? Anyway, he actually likes it better than living in East, and he did find friends. So I definitely don’t think it’s true when people say “you only get ‘the freshmen experience’ when you’re in East.” Come on, do they even know what the “freshmen experience” is anyway? If you’re a freshman at penn state you’re going to get that “experience” no matter what, so relax :D</p>
<p>I agree with edawns. I would try for West or South Halls due to location, then Pollack Halls. My son is hoping to get into one of the engineering special living options. Engineering classes involve a lot more work than many other majors. There are major weedout classes for freshman engineers to get through. You have to keep your GPA up to get into your major. Your son may still end up in East Halls which will be okay too but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
It surprises me that post after post so many people say “all freshman live in East Halls” and “you won’t get the freshman experience if you don’t live in East Halls” and “you won’t make any friends if you don’t live in East Halls”. NOT true! Many upperclassmen move off campus~its cheaper, less suppervision, they couldn’t get a housing contract, ect. Most freshman are required to live on campus. East Halls won’t hold them all. Every hall has freshman! Dorm life is what you make of it. Engineering classes are a LONG haul from East Halls. Almost everything is a LONG haul from East Halls. Every other dorm is closer to the engineering buildings. One of the things that makes Penn State great is that there are so many students that no matter what you are into there are other people with similar likes. You may or maynot live with them. You need to and will meet people who live in other dorms. You will even meet and become friends with some non-freshman! Not everyone wants that “freshman experience” of partying. My daughter (not at PSU) lived in a true freshman dorm~1000 freshman in four buildings. She hated it, too much immature behavior for her. She made friends elsewhere. She would tell you that “the freshman experience” sucked!</p>
<p>I would advise him to apply for EASI House (in Pollock) or E-House ( in West). Yes, most freshmen live in East, but as the previous poster stated, there are plenty of Freshmen in the other dorm areas. The special living options (these are both for engineers) improve your chances of gettting a room assignment in one of these more desirable locations (proximity to downtown, classrooms, etc. and less craziness.) Don’t despair if he does end up in East, he’ll have lots of fun and can transfer out in his sophomore year. Just be sure to buy him a very warm coat and good walking shoes!</p>
<p>Thank you for all the feedback - it is really helpful. PSU was not his first choice, just because of the size of the school. He is not really an introvert or an extrovert, he’s somewhere in between so I think it will be really important to pick the right dorm. I just don’t want him to get lost among the 35,000 students.</p>
<p>He also has a lot of friends from high school going to PSU but doesn’t want to room with them, for various reasons. What are your thoughts about rooming with a HS friend? Thanks!</p>
<p>From what I have heard from my daughter and her friends at a variety of colleges is that rooming with a high school friend works as well as having a random roommate. Many work out fine but some are true disasters. Also consider that if the rooming situation goes bad the friendship often ends. If they share a common group of friends on campus or at home this can get tricky. Although more of the failures I have heard of deal with girls, guys don’t always work it out either. The other thing you hear a lot is that some people don’t make as much effort to meet new people if they hang out with their high school friends. That being said, my husband successfully roomed for 4 years at PSU with his best friend from HS. </p>
<p>As for picking the right dorm - you can’t. Every year the people in any one dorm change which changes the overall nature of the building. What may be a quiet dorm one year may be the party dorm the next year. All you can do is consider your options regarding location, room types and sizes, special living options, etc and hope for the best. This is true of most college housing. Freshman get put where there are rooms left after upperclassmen choose rooms. Have you considered a special living option? They at least have a purpose or theme that you know going in. </p>
<p>If you make no effort you can be lost at a small school. Penn State has soooo much to offer if you get out and check it out. It is a hugh place but most people seem to find their own group. My daughter (at a different school) is an introvert. She joined some groups - music related - and it has made a world of difference. Encourage him to find something to join - intermurals, campus ministry groups, a band or chorus, something in his major, even a job on campus can help students meet people.</p>
<p>As far as introverts, it’s good to remember that sometimes the anonymity of a large school makes them happy. Instead of a small LAC where everyone knows you (and therefore everyone seems like a friendly acquaintance if not a good friend), the lack of pressure to always be “on” in a big school can be nice for introverts. My introvert DH also reminds me that “enough” friends is a variable number — extroverts like to have many good friends, and introverts are happiest with a much smaller circle. </p>
<p>The “freshman experience” has more to do with the groups students join than anything else. No matter where they live, their best friends will come from long-term common interests/experiences.</p>
<p>I am currently a freshman. I lived in McElwain (South) during the Summer and then in the Fall I was living in Tener (East) with a friend from high school. Long story short, I now live in Hartranft (Pollock) and do not talk to my friend from HS. I have friends in every single living area! My entire building and Mifflin next to me is entirely freshmen! I really don’t think there is a better area over another. It is all about your personal preferences! I really recommend looking at the layouts of the dorms because all three rooms I have lived in have different layouts! I know I prefer Pollock or South because of location to downtown and the HUB!</p>
<p>bluepulaski, Don’t worry about the size of PSU. There is a unique and special sense of belonging to something great at Penn State. The spirit is infectious. Please urge your son to attend the activity fair in the fall and to join, or at least check out , a few groups he might be interested in. It’s an easy first step in finding like-minded folks to mingle with. I would also suggest, even if he’s not a big football fan, that he try to attend at least one FB game. You’ll see, pretty soon he’ll be Penn State Proud. And for you, take comfort in knowing that University Park and State College are comfortable and safe places to live.My D is there now (ChemE) and she is not a very social person, but she is very involved and active, and she loves it!</p>