<p>So, I've been searching the boards and the internet but haven't quite found the answer I'm looking for.</p>
<p>I realize my preferences probably won't hold much weight since I am a waitlist accept and most spots are already taken... but I might as well try. </p>
<p>I'm looking for a dorm that combines a good, active social life (drinking, partying, etc.) with good location most of the classes I will be taking, which will include business prerequisites which I assume will be held at KF?</p>
<p>Also, I'm looking to avoid a high rise if possible. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>I would recommend Granville, if you are more concerned about a social life and big dorm rooms. The majority of classes are held on North Campus, and you could easily take a bus to south campus if any of your classes wind up being in KF (I’m about 99% sure that they won’t, for your freshman year you won’t be taking any business classes, just Econ and math).</p>
<p>Morrison. But it’s hard to get into as a freshman.</p>
<p>Morrison has a good location, some of the north campus dorms are a little secluded socially but are really close to class. I lived in Hinton James last year as a freshman and it was pretty annoying having to walk up to classes (it’s like a 10-15 minute walk) but the bus system is pretty good with nextbus.com. In terms of social life, the hinton james/morrison layout (4 rooms 1 bathroom per suite) can bring you really close to your suitmates like it did for me, but it doesnt do much for getting to know other people on your hall, hall style dorms are better for that. I’ve heard some good things about Granville, especially the food, and those rooms are pretty nice. In terms of business classes the only ones you’ll be taking at KF are busi 100 and 101 so i wouldn’t make any decisions on how close anything is to the b-school; it’s a lot more better to be closer to classes/dining hall. In all, it doesn’t really matter THAT much where you live, it’s more what you make of it. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>None of the real dorms have much partying going on. Morrison does now and then, but the majority don’t hold parties. In fact, most all parties are held in apartments and in the frat houses of Frat Court.</p>
<p>Now Granville does have parties, but there are a few drawbacks.</p>
<p>1) To those of us that stay in REAL dorms, Granville is looked upon as a place where the kids who think they are better than the rest of us stay. Many Granvillers will deny this, but it is an underlying truth.
2) Granville is more expensive than a regular dorm. The staff their will twist the numbers around to make you think it’s about the same, but it certainly is not.
3) A lot of the kids in Granville rush (join frats and sororities). Hence why they party. This adds to the #1 theory above.
4) If you take BUSI 100 and/or 101 during your freshman year, as many BUSI majors do, you will more likely than not have those at KF, which is SUPER far away from Granville.
5) And contrary to popular belief, the rooms in Granville are not bigger than the rooms in any other dorm on campus. I’ve been in their rooms; I was completely unimpressed that people would pay more for the same thing you get in a dorm.
6) At first the food is good, but sooner than later you’ll get tired of it (had 3 friends in Granville last year who assured me of this).</p>
<p>As you can see, I don’t like Granville Towers.</p>
<p>I stayed in Hinton James and got the real freshman experience. Ex. having the men’s a capella groups come by and sing to us as we all stood out on the balcony OR yelling across the street to Craige dorm “TAR” and they yell back “HEELS” after a big upset. Great stuff. You don’t get that at Granville.</p>
<p>A lot of people are like “ew. highrise.” All the freshmen are there. Location can be inconveniencing, but I still wouldn’t trade it. Just something to experience for a year at Carolina…</p>
<p>My daughter will be an incoming freshman and chose Granville. She negotiated it with her dad as a perk for choosing Chapel Hill. She is a pretty good negotiator because she ended up with a private suite at Granville and a car for choosing Chapel Hill. At this point, FSU with scholarship $$ (and Honors and guaranteed Honors housing) would have been less expensive. We toured Granville and found it to be nicer than the other dorms plus a pool, work out facilities and air conditioning. It is approx. 2 miles from the Chapel Hill School of Ballet where she is hoping to take classes if her schedule allows. She is not a business major so BUSI 100 and/or 101 at KF is not a great concern. </p>
<p>I have to be honest. She was not completely sold on UNC. Our campus visit was dampened by our car being broken into and her backpack stolen. The only thing she liked about the visit was the chemistry department (her intended major) and Granville. I hope it works out for her.</p>
<p>My daughter is also a entering freshman this year. She chose to stay in on campus housing instead of Granville. She wants to have a true freshman experience on campus, even if you did end up in Ehringhaus in an non-air conditioned room. As previously stated, Granville seems to be the mecca for students who plan to pledge, want to party, want to be closer to Franklin St, and live in newer, larger housing. I guess the housing choice made depends on the students, interests, wants and needs. If you are interested in frats and sororities you may choose Granville. If you want to be were most incoming freshmen are and do not mind the distance from most classes, you choose on campus housing. No matter your choice, the experience will remain for years to come.</p>
<p>I hate Granville.</p>
<p>I loved Kenan my first year so much that I squatted there for sophomore year. For dorms, what’s social or not social just depends on who’s living there year-to-year. I will say that all my friends on south campus would come hang out in my room on weekend nights rather than me going down there. I didn’t miss out on the first-year experience AND I was so close to everything (Franklin, library/classes, arboretum, the gym). Kenan community ftw.</p>
<p>NCDanceMom, if your daughter is coming to UNC only for Granville and the chemistry department, she might be in for a rude awakening… Chemistry is incredibly, incredibly hard here. You kind of need to have other things you love about UNC to make it all worthwhile.</p>
<p>Well, unfortunately, those are the only two things she currently likes about UNC. I am from WV/PA area so I am not a die hard UNC fan. I just wanted her to choose a place where she would happy. I am still not convinced it is UNC (but I keep that to myself). I think UW-Madison (honors) with Chemistry and a Dance program was a better fit followed by FSU (honors, $$$). (Wake not worth the $$$; NYU just not a campus experience; Harvard waitlisted but too liberal for her). She was advised that a degree from UNC would look better when applying to Medical or Grad school. I am not convinced how true that is. </p>
<p>As for difficulty of chemistry, I am sure she is up for the challenge. Her two passions are chemistry and dance. Her biggest hope is find other chemistry enthusiasts. I am not saying it is going to be easy but she loves challenges. </p>
<p>While I know several have commented that they hate Granville, what is surprising is those comments are from those that have not lived in Granville. How does one hate something they have not tried? We received positive feedback from friends that lived in Granville so I am sure it is not a bad choice. With the option of a single suite (no room-mate hassles), work-out facilities, and close proximity to a ballet school, Granville was the best choice for her.</p>
<p>My daughter stayed at Granville her first year and loved it. She still talks about how good the food was and the location to classes, so I believe your daughter will be happy. My daughter stayed in Rams Village the second year and really loved it there and still sometimes says she should have just stayed at Rams Village. Rams Village is a good walk to class, but she never did mind it and she said it kept her legs in good shape. For the people who think the people at Granville think they are better than others, maybe you should get your calculator out. If you take the price you are paying for a dorm on campus plus the food plan you pick, it is the same or even cheaper to live at Granville where the meal plan is included in the cost. If you are living at Granville you can purchase a flex plan to use on campus to eat for as little as $200 or $300 for the semester. If UNC has a chemistry club maybe your daughter should think about joining so she will get out and meet new people plus get to know the campus and Chapel Hill area.</p>
<p>I don’t really think you should pick a school based on what you think might appeal to grad schools - grad school is just so far off and you can’t possibly plan that far ahead when you are a freshman in college. Most people have big plans when they come to college, but a lot of times those plans change. Everyone I met freshman year wanted to be a cardiothoracic pediatric surgeon, and now I know maybe two people who are legit pre-med. I’m not saying she can’t handle the chemistry - trust me, people figure out pretty early on whether or not they can cut it in the science classes.</p>
<p>Granville is not for everybody, but I did have several friends who lived there and really liked it (loved the Agora, etc). It’s a personal thing. Ironically I did know two girls who lived in Granville and had horrible roommate experiences (excessive drinking, boyfriends sleeping over, etc), so it’s probably in her favor to be roommate free. And at least she’ll be super close to Franklin!</p>
<p>Instead of trying to think of all the reasons why she can’t possibly be happy at UNC, just embrace it! UNC is a fabulous school with a gorgeous campus and great people. I’m sure she will have a blast. : )</p>
<p>Just a quick note–</p>
<p>I’m living in Granville this year. After doing the calculations, it is only $300 dollars more expensive than living in on-campus housing. Not too bad, eh? Granville has this strange stigma of being a “rich person’s” dorm, but that certainly isn’t the case.</p>
<p>My freshman son will also be living in Granville. He is planning to major in chemistry and not planning to join a frat. I’m guessing there will be a variety of “types” of students at Granville, just like there will be a variety of students in other dorms.</p>
<p>NCDanceMom, one of my neighbors is also a dancer living at Granville. She is planning to attend a nearby dance studio, so there will be students who are similar to your daughter.</p>
<p>BUandBC82 ~ Thanks for the info on the other dancer. Maybe they will find themselves at the same studio. She had her very last rehearsal her current studio last night. After 11 years, it was hard for her to leave. She sat in her car for 30 minutes watching the younger dancers come and go. We are off to Vegas for her last National Dance Competition. </p>
<p>We come home in 10 days and she goes to CTOPS and then packs for the move.</p>
<p>Thanks again for the information.</p>
<p>Parents and students - Please don’t kid yourselves thinking that if your student lives in South campus, north campus or anywhere else on campus they will be immune to partying. I’ve had kids, nieces, nephews, friends’ children all live in various dorms INCLUDING Granville. They are all the same. In fact, I thought Granville was the least worrisome of them all! The partying, alcohol, drugs and everything else is present in EVERY dorm. It is up to your student to participate or not. Thinking your student is safe because they live in a certain dorm is ridiculous. Also, South campus breeds partying because it is easier to stay in the dorm and party when you are too far to go anywhere else. Wake up people, say your prayers and hope for the best. I wish all of your students success and best wishes for a happy and healthy Carolina experience - BUT don’t kid yourself anymore!</p>
<p>I disagree that the dorms are all the same when it comes to partying (my dorm is definitely NOT a party dorm). The reason you give why South Campus “breeds” partying is actually more relevant to Granville because Granville is isolated. South Campus houses so many dorms that there are always places to go and lots of convenient bus stops. Granville is all by itself.</p>
<p>IMO, hardcore partying is not an issue at UNC. Sure, people drink, but the crazy stuff is usually reserved for frat houses, etc. Unless you go looking for trouble, you’d probably be hard up to find it.</p>
<p>Granville is isolated?? It is right on Franklin Street last time I checked.</p>
<p>Granville is completely isolated from other dorms/other students. It’s like its own private club. If you meet someone who lives in Granville, there’s a good chance you will never see them again if you don’t live in Granville too. In my mind, it is the polar opposite of social life on South Campus.</p>
<p>Sorry carolinamom11, but I totally disagree with your statement.
To start off with, UNC is a heavy-partier, but not at all hardcore parities, with the exception of Granville & the Frat Houses.
Also UNC is rated as one of the best schools in the nation on safety, so alcohol will be there for the students of age, and drugs aren’t a big prob in typical cases with the exception of Frat Court i guess.
I disagree that all of this is present in every dorm. I wouldn’t call South Campus the freshman party zone, but the freshman social scene. And this stuff is relatively calmer on North Campus.</p>