<p>Hey everyone,</p>
<p>I sent in my deposit yesterday and want to get going on my housing stuff.</p>
<p>I hear mixed things about every dorm and would like to get some other opinions.</p>
<p>I want to live with other freshmen, and thats really my only criteria.</p>
<p>At first I thought I wanted just one room mate, but being in a quad is something I could do now.</p>
<p>So what are the best dorms? I have heard Daniels is not good, but not much else beyond that.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Honestly most freshmen dorms are crappy. The one big advantage of them is that you will meet a LOT of people. Many times friendships are forms from the dorm contacts. My daughter was in a quad in Daniels during her freshmen year. It really wasn’t too bad. If I remember, Daniels is an honors dorm. Everyone in her freshmen room graduated with Cum Laude or higher!</p>
<p>Taxguy: My son was also admitted in the Honors Program in addition to DAAP ID. He is definitely signing up for Daniels and wants to be on a DAAP floor. But, can you share your daughter’s experience on the Honors floor? Did she regret not being on a DAAP floor or did it not matter? Do most students only stay in dorms the first year?</p>
<p>Also, this probably belongs on a new thread, but what was her Honors experience like? The UC Honors Program seems pretty amazing from what we’ve read.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>momofdesignkid, my daughter definitely didn’t miss being on the DAAP floor. She could always go to that floor and study or meet people. Honestly, if the kid is working at the level that they should in freshmen year, they will be REALLY busy.
Yes, most students stay in dorms the first year. Some stay in dorms throughout their career since they don’t get charged in some dorms when they are on internships, plus they can usually find people to live their when they are gone on internships. In my daughter’s sophomore year, she stayed off campus for a year and then came back to one of the newer dorms, whose name I can’t remember.
As for the honors experience, my daughter dropped out of it. In fact, most DAAP kids don’t stay in honors. The primary purpose of honors is that you get first dibs on classes. However, you usually have to take both harder courses and some courses that are not that related to your major. My daughter NEVER had a hard time getting the classes that she wanted in her concentration. This was also true for everyone that she knew at DAAP. I personally didn’t see the benefit of participating in Honors for DAAP kids either.Living in the honors dorm during freshmen year was probably good since she interfaced with mostly smart and driven kids, which I believe helped motivate her during her freshmen year. However, after the freshmen year, I don’t see the benefit.</p>
<p>Two of my triplets are at UC…just finishing up their Soph years. DD is a nursing major. Freshman year she lived in Siddall, and this year is in Stratford. As has been mentioned, the dorms aren’t great. However, she ended up loving Siddall and made tons of new friends.</p>
<p>DS3 is a DAAPer. He lived in Daniels last year on the DAAP floor. It was a great choice. The DAAP students spend so much time studying and working (studio), I think it was a real advantage for him to be living with other kids doing the same. It would have been difficult if he lived with other freshman majors…with more time on their hands to burn. Now he lives at UPA…it’s been alright, but he won’t mind leaving there. He started as an Arch major, but switched to ID and is very happy there.</p>
<p>Next year, DD and S3 will share a 2 BR apartment off campus. As parents, we are thrilled…housing costs will be cut tremendously. Pretty funny…two years ago they fought like normal siblings, but have now become good friends…still hard to believe though they will be sharing an apartment!</p>
<p>entering fourth year as B.S.Arch student. wow time has flown by</p>
<p>Most just stay in dorms for one year
I’ve stayed longer with a few friends with similar scholarships (cover on-campus housing)</p>
<p>freshman year: Daniels Hall - Honors Floor
cleaner floor than others (general floors can get quite nasty, but daap floors kept decently neat) and fewer roommates here. I didn’t mind living here but might have preferred the daap floor to be honest.</p>
<p>soph year: Turner Hall
cleaner, newer, suite-style living. completely anti-social from suite to suite, which was fine for me as an upper-classmen living with friends.</p>
<p>Summer Term: UPA
nice location for eating and shopping, but far from daap (fine for cool, late-night walks I suppose but wished I had been closer). Place was a mess but mostly due to my suite-mates. Has kitchens which is a plus</p>
<p>junior year: Stratford Heights
Favorite upper-classman dorm. Great location, decent rooms, newer, clean. Lack of kitchens stinks but its decently easy to get by with a hot-pot and a microwave.</p>
<p>I think for freshman, the larger, nastier dorms are best! Daniels, Clahoun, Siddal (maybe Dabney?) are where you meet the most people. You really won’t socialize easily elsewhere. It’s college living and it’s only for a year, but the friends you make will last much longer.</p>
<p>As for honors - hasn’t been a huge factor in my college experience. Nicer dorms and priority registration are perks but I could definitely get by without them. I do know a few students who have really benefitted from it (non-daap students).</p>
<p>Have fun! time will fly by</p>