Brown College vs. Scholars housing

<p>So I am trying to decide on where to live for my first year at the good ol U of Va and its becoming a difficult experience. I have been told that one of the most amazing parts of being selected for Echols/Rodman/CSS is the first year living experience, but the more I learn about this Brown college the more I like it. A few days ago I was like eh… I’ll like in Scholars dorms for my first and then apply to Brown, but Brown just seems so cool.</p>

<p>So I am turning to you guys for input as to whether I should stick with the Rodmans for the first year and then take my chances applying to Brown for 2nd-4th years or Scholars dorms and apply for Brown from day 1 (with a much higher probability of getting accepted).</p>

<p>So I’m working out Pro’s and Con’s, any input?</p>

<p>Couple more questions:</p>

<li>Does it cost more money to live in Brown?</li>
<li>Are ALL of the rooms definitely singles? On the UVa website it says doubles…?</li>
<li>Pants?</li>
</ol>

<p>I am not a Brownie so I can't give you the multitude of benefits that Brown offers. However, there are a few benefits in living in Webb (scholar dorm building in New Dorms) like the study lounge and the short distance to O'Hill. </p>

<p>If you really like Brown, then just go for it. What's an extra $700 for housing? Even though the website says that the Brown rooms are doubles, the layout given on the website and my experiences with two friends who live in different parts of Brown prove that the rooms are singles. You have a "roommate" whose room connects to yours so one of you has to go through the other's room to go to the bathroom. It's awkward, but people manage.</p>

<p>I can't say anything about the pants.</p>

<p>Ah, I can see that. It makes sense if thats what they consider a 'double.'</p>

<p>benefits of Brown:
- Upperclassmen there to help guide you
- Own room
- AC
- ...fireplace??
- artsy kids
- intellectuals (is this true?)
- larger endowment=more stuff
- almost no one rushes
- odd quirky kids like me
- right near everything
- pants?</p>

<p>benefits of scholars housing
- I'll get to know my fellow scholars better
- Study lounge (anything like this in Brown?)
- more roommate interaction
- short distance to O'hill
- intelligent/focused students</p>

<p>cons of Brown
- out casted from other first years?
- wont have a roommate (bad/good)
- different first year experience</p>

<p>cons of scholars housing
- have to deal with a roommate
- smaller rooms</p>

<p>anymore input from the scholars and brownies on here? all help appreciated!</p>

<p>I'd go with first year housing. There's nothing like going through an experience like your first year in college with dozens and dozens of people your own age and in the same situation. Having a roommate isn't "bad" either, as long as your roommate isn't a one-in-a-hundred kind of slob or something.</p>

<p>well do you have a roommate, theres just a door you can close when you need to. there are diagrams on the housing website i think. you should think of it this way:
if you will regret not having lived in 1st yr housing, you should live there
if you will regret not having applied/lived in brown your 1st yr, you should do that.
ive already talked w you a lot about this and whatever choice you end up making will be fine. housing is great wherever you are as a first year here. :) again like ive also said you have an in to brown, so you can come visit whenever you want. we have plenty of people who at the end of the year, people say, "xxx doesn't live in brown?" so thats an option too. good luck w your decision, but seriously whichever one you make you will be happy.</p>

<p>Haha, thats the bulk of the problem. I don't know which one I may regret if I make the decision right now.</p>

<p>I did see the diagrams, but on a diagram for another dorm is says 'triple' and there are two beds in the room so I could only be so sure.</p>

<p>triples usually have at least one bed bunked or lofted</p>

<p>haha, right. that makes sense. slow moment</p>

<p>I'd go with first year housing. The friends you'll make will likely last all four years, and you'll get the full first year experience. Also, since you're engineering, you'll be more likely to be around people who are also in engineering and thus you can study and pow-wow with when you haven't slept in two days, your diet is ramen noodles, and you still have a calc and chem test to study for. You can always re-apply for Brown for your second-year, but you can never get back the first year housing experience.</p>