<p>Any opinions on the best dorm for a male freshman engineer major desiring quiet study time, good food and a good location? Thanks!</p>
<p>You need all three? Best for quiet study time, good food and good location? Are you sure you applied to Illinois? </p>
<p>Actually, they are different views on this. ISR (Illinois Street Residence) is heavily occupied by engineering students (particularly upperclassmen) and therefore can be somewhat quiter than others. It is the dorm closest to the Engineering quad (but note as a freshman you really won't spend much time at that quad because almost all of your classes are not engineering classes freshman year but math, science, rhetoric and some general ed; however, ISR is also close to the Main Quad where most those classes will be). ISR can be difficult for freshman to get into (particularly if they don't apply for housing early, which you can do as soon as you accept the offer of admission), has heating/air units for the rooms that are often noisy, food is no better or worse than elsewhere and has small rooms in comparison to the already small rooms that you find in the six-pack area. </p>
<p>However, many freshman engineering students stay elsewhere and prefer being elsewhere, such as the dorms in the six-pack area (more partyish but with those "larger" small rooms; the "six-pack" are halls in the Gregory Drive and Peabody Drive area), and many try to avoid, but as freshman, end up at the Pennsylvania Avenue or Florida Avenue residence halls (those have the smaller rooms like ISR, are not really bad, but have long walks to classes -- althougn campus bus available). As to private certified housing, you can also find a number of engineering students at the Hendrick House because it is close to the engineering quad.</p>
<p>Thanks for the good info. Someone told me they like Illini Towers. Any advantages there?</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with that choice either. Fairly close to main quad (and engineering quad which is just north of main quad. One thing with private certified housing, besides that it costs more than dorms, is that those tend to be somewhat less active than dorms, have more upperclassmen, and, as a result, you do not get the complete "freshman" experience that you get with most of the dorms, meaning you are mostly with freshman, melding with those in your own class and going through the same struggles. Some need or want that. The other issue is the same one with most private certified housing -- can be difficult to get in as a freshman if you do not get that housing app in early.</p>
<p>Drusba- Your description was impressive. I'm a current freshman engineer housing in ISR and I highly recommend it. Super close to the engineering campus AND the quad. Walking to class in 5 minutes is great. And the food IS better than other cafeterias since I've heard our presentation and food layout is better. Additionally, we do have a nice, open cafeteria.</p>
<p>Rooms are definitely small and heating very loud (no idea how you knew that lol,) but I think the small downsides are far outweighed by the quiet atmosphere and conveniences. For instance, Suburban Express buses stop right in front of ISR for trips home while other dorms require a far walk, book buy back comes to ISR instead of having to go to book stores, some of the longest cafeteria hours, best security, NEW FURNITURE, and more.</p>
<p>If you want it, apply early. I applied the first day housing opened and got in. With that said, there are still lots of freshmen here. My floor is almost all freshmen, so you certainly won't be alone :)</p>
<p>ISR is what you want, but it's gonna be real tough to get in, especially Wardall:</p>
<p>Wardall: some boys and mostly girls
Townsend: ALL boys</p>
<p>So uh if you don't get into Wardall, then it's up to you if you want Townsend... ISR is considered the dorm for Engineers, and is great for studying and is very very close to the quad. However the food I wouldn't be so confident about - I found that the food at ISR is more disgusting than at the Six Pack (where I am). But you'll live, I guess.</p>
<p>well....quiet study time can be solved by going to the library. grainger and aces are the quietest. good food: you can go to any university dorm to eat with your meal plan. close to the quad: well...buses from all the dorms take you to the quad, but walking distance, ISR is the closest.</p>
<p>I was looking at requesting either Gregory or Peabody. Where do most of the Freshman live? I read that Lundgren has larger rooms and it's close to the six pack area. Any recommendations?</p>
<p>Do you have a recommendation for freshman business major for housing?</p>
<p>business majors usually are in the six pack. since the six pack is so large, it has quite a few people from every college, even engineering contrary to popular belief. yes lundgren has fairly larger rooms (and is right across the street from my frat :),) but its fairly secluded from the rest of the six pack and you have to walk outside to get to the dinging halls. also it usually fills up w/ upper class men first with a few spots left for freshmen. if you're lucky you might get a corner triple in the main dorms. You don't get to choose specifically what dorm in the six pack you get to live in, unless they changed that, only the street, unless you choose a living learning community i.e Weston or Garner. I would preferablly choose Weston or Garner because they're basically right in the middle and next to the main bus stop but be foreworn, they are doing construction where the Illini Orange was and then you'll be subjected to lots of construction.</p>
<p>When you sign up for housing do you select six pack or do you have to select Gregory or Peabody? If you are able to select, is one better than the other? I am from out of state and only saw the dorm across from the campus tour office. I would like a dorm with more freshman since I don't have any friends attending.</p>
<p>LOL you only got to see ISR? you get to pick either Gregory or Peabody. Peabody has Scott which I lived in, WEston, which is a living learning, and Snyder which is the substance free one. I guess you could say its a little less funner than Gregory. Well....if you really want a whole bunch of Freshmen than pick PAR or FAR, all the upperclassmen who lived there get the hell out of there after their first year.</p>
<p>ISR or Hendrick House. ISR fills up pretty fast though. Hendrick House (where I live) costs a bit more but has better food, cleaning service and semi-private bathrooms. The cafeteria is getting renovated as well. Only downside is that it is not very social. Both ISR and Hendrick House are like right next to the Engineering Quad. Easily the best places to be for a Engineering major.</p>