<p>I was looking into housing a little bit more and I want a traditional style dorm. Beta and Castor seem very similar, what are the main differences between them? Like pros and cons?</p>
<p>Just emailed someone from housing. On their website was last years housing options! Once the fall n summer 2014 housing contract is avaiable they will post the dorm styles and options. There is no guarentee beta or castor woll even be available for frehman! So let them post the options before u decide</p>
<p>I really got my hopes up on a single aprtmet style like holly and after mesaging them they said that may not even be an option for freshman and to check the page in a couple weks to see what the options are!</p>
<p>Im really hoping rooms like that are still avaiable next uear, no resaon they shouldnt be though</p>
<p>Imgona b a freshman to so cant really say ! But they are both all freshman halls so i would think thy will defintly b available</p>
<p>Thank you. It would be weird if the halls weren’t available for freshmen since the website says that beta and castor are for freshmen only.</p>
<p>Exactly i realized that after! They seem very similar both nice</p>
<p>Hey jules. I lived in beta my freshman year, and let me tell you, it wasn’t what I was expecting. First of all, the Juniper-Poplar dorms, although not traditional, are much newer, have dining hall and starbucks built in, and a printer for use. You may not think much of that, but trust me, it’s much better to print in the building than go all the way to the Marshall center or library. Additionally, the dorms have better common areas, and I feel that the dorms in JP are much more of a community than the traditional dorms because of the large common area. If you insist on living in beta or castor, I would consider the following: Beta is a little bit further away from most of the classrooms than castor, which can take a good bit of time to walk. Beta, I believe, has nicer furniture (slightly) and a different bathroom set up, although I’m not sure on the details. I know that the floors are co-ed, which I can’t say for sure about Castor. Anyways, I hoped this helped. Feel free to mail me with any questions that you have!</p>
<p>@arose3- wow, thank you!! that was really helpful. the only reason i was mainly focusing on beta or castor was because they were the cheapest, but i will look into the juniper poplar dorms. Are there a lot of freshmen in JP dorms?</p>
<p>Lots of freshman in JP. You have to be in the Honors College to love in Juniper and Poplar has a great deal of LLCs. Best way to get into those halls is to be in an LLC. </p>
<p>The difference between Beta and Castor (for at least this year…things can change) is that Castor is coed by floors and single sex by wings and Beta is coed entirely. This means while Castor has sides that are strictly for girls or guys, Beta dorms alternate. Your neighboring dorm could be guys or girls. Each situation has it pros and cons. </p>
<p>JP, I believe, does a better job at providing a social environment. You have the pods which are surrounded by the dorms rather than Beta/Castor where you have a common area adjacent to the dorms. </p>
<p>I didn’t care for Castor, mainly for the communal bathrooms and cramped living space. JP is roomier and you can easily spend an entire day not having to go outside. You can go eat downstairs, print what you like, go to class (some classes are in JP), and return to your room without feeling the sun’s warmth on your skin (or the torrential rain soaking through your jacket).</p>
<p>Now this is not to say that Beta and Castor don’t have their pros. Castor ha a beach right on the back of it in front of Castor Lake. It’s great. The have umbrellas, tables, and lounge chairs (used to have hammocks…they got taken down…). Parties are sometime hosted their. Beta has a sand volleyball court right in the back of it where people regularly play games. Kosove/Castor Lawn in right in front of Fresh Foods so there’s always people walking about, sunbathing, or playing sports. Sometimes the Acro Club and Quidditch club practice on the front lawn. It’s a fun sight to see. Additionally, Castor has two parking lots near it (Beta has one). JP has a parking lot and a parking garage near it. So if you have a car…take your pick. I much prefer parking in a parking garage than to have my car baking all day. </p>
<p>Yep…that’s all I can think of right now…</p>