<p>Now it's time for us to choose residence halls. Can current student come and comment on the halls and dorms that you live in?
Which one is the most convenient? which serves the best meals? which has most or least people? closest to libraries? closest to classrooms? biggest rooms? newest facilities? with or without kitchens? how to have best roommates?
Please give us some inputs! Thank you!</p>
<p>I'll try to help with what I know.</p>
<p>*Which one is the most convenient? *
It depends on where you'll spend the majority of your time. If you're an athlete then Ham, MacGregor, and Torrey are good choices since you'd be close to the sports stuff/Kendal and equestrian center. The dorms on the green (Brigham, Mead, Wilder, Rockies, Porter) are closest to a lot of the academic buildings. Abbey and Buckland are closest to the theatre. And Prospect is pretty close to the science, art, psych and language buildings.</p>
<p>*Which serves the best meals? *
Prospect.</p>
<p>*Which has smallest/largest number of people? *
Excluding Dickinson, the smallest dorms are North New Dorm, Safford (but it won't be open until the spring, so don't list this unless you're a spring admit), and Brigham. The largest are 1837, Ham, Mead, and Pearsons. Keep mind that there isn't THAT big of a difference in sizes though. For example, Brigham is supposed to house around 85 students, but Ham and 1837 still only house around 160 each. </p>
<p>*Closest to library? *
Pearsons. Pearsons is also right by the village commons, which is cool. </p>
<p>*Biggest rooms? *
If you want to pretty much guarantee a good-sized room as a firstie, Abbey, Buckland, or Macgregor are the way to go. If you are on the green (Brigham, Mead, Wilder, Rockies, Porter) then you're likely to get a converted double (TINY) unless you are ridiculously lucky or stuck in a triple. The lakeside and newer dorms have more consistent layouts, so you'll probably get a bigger room in them too (Ham, Prospect, 1837, New Dorm). Keep in mind that all of MHC's dorms are AMAZING compared to almost all those found at colleges across the USA, so I'm just basically comparing our dorms against each other, not the norm (tiny dorms for us are still really good). </p>
<p>Newest facilities?
The New Dorm. As you may have noticed, it is currently without a name. You can just write "new dorm" if that is what you want. The next newest is MacGregor, built in the late 60s. MacG has modern architecture so it isn't as pretty as some of the other dorms on the outside, but the rooms are REALLY nice. </p>
<p>*With or without kitchens? *
All dorms have kitchenettes, most with one on each floor. 1837, Mead, the Mandelles, Wilder, and the New Dorm have full kitchens. </p>
<p>How to have best roommates?
Be honest on your housing form. Once you're assigned to your roomie, be willing to compromise and open to communicating issues. </p>
<p>Other dorm comments:</p>
<p>MacGregor has AMAZING bay windows that are so huge that guests can comfortably sleep on them. </p>
<p>Ham, MacGregor, Prospect, and 1837 have lovely lake views (Ham/MacG of upper lake, Prospect/18 of lower lake). The Rockies are the coolest looking dorms (in my opinion) and are "social" dorms. 1837 will have lots of firsties, so you'll probably make a lot of friends there, but it is farther from the green (as are Prospect and the Delles). 1837 also has nice big windows for that beautiful lake view, but it is to compensate for the ugliness of the outside of the building lol. The Mandelles are beautiful and seem like good choices for quieter people. North and South New Dorm are supposed to have some suites and thermostats for every room. </p>
<p>Also, transfers have the option of Dickinson. It is the smallest dorm (around 60 students) and farthest from the green (but close to the auditorium and LGBT center). Dickinson has really nice rooms (some even have their own porches!), two full kitchens, and convenient parking.</p>
<p>Hope this helped!</p>
<p>Hey, so I was tired when I typed this and forgot to mention that kitchens are NOT the same as dining halls. Abbey/Buckland, Ham/MacGregor, Prospect, Wilder, and the Rockies all have dining halls. Brigham, Safford, Porter, Pearsons, the Mandelles, Mead, and 1837 offer continental breakfast, but you'll have to go to another dorm--or Blanchard or Kendade (for grab-and-go breakfast and lunch)--for other meals. Torrey has grab-and-go also. Wilder offers Kosher and Halal meals every meal time. Prospect and Ham/MacGregor also offer outdoor eating with a lakeside view. </p>
<p>If you want to read more, here is a link to dining services:
[url=<a href="http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/dining/centers/all.shtml%5DAll-You-Can-Eat%5B/url">http://www.mtholyoke.edu/offices/dining/centers/all.shtml]All-You-Can-Eat[/url</a>]</p>
<p>thanks so much for the inputs!
I'll probably be a economics and IR major and would like to take some courses in nearby colleges.
I hope to live in a dorm that's very close to the library and buildings where I'll take most of my classes(within 5 min walk). I prefer halls that house more people and it'd better be a newer one. I prefer a double. can you please suggest any halls? thank you!</p>
<p>Hey, you're welcome!</p>
<p>Econ and IR classes seem to be all over (based on course locations listed online). As a firstie, you'll be taking classes outside your major too, so you'll be in different buildings anyway. The dorms on the green, Torrey, and Pearsons are closest to the buildings you'll most likely be in for classes. The closest to the library are Pearsons and then probably Brigham and Safford.</p>
<p>Here is a map of the campus, if you want to check it out yourself: Mount</a> Holyoke College :: Campus Map</p>
<p>Based on what you're saying, I suggest listing Pearsons or Mead. </p>
<p>Pearsons is closest to the library, very close to the academic buildings, and one of the largest on campus (around 140 students). It isn't new (it was built in the late 1890s), but it is a beautiful dorm with really nice common rooms and hardwood floors. It is across the road with the admissions office, but obviously the location is still awesome. </p>
<p>Mead is also very nice, and while it was built only a few years after Pearsons, it was recently renovated. It has around the same number of students. Unfortunately, you're twice as likely to get a triple in Mead, but there are also many doubles so it is just up to the luck of the draw. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you really want a new dorm, list MacGregor or South New Dorm (which will have over 100 students, but with the North Dorm could feel bigger... though I'm not sure how that will work exactly). The new dorm (located by Pratt Hall FYI, since NewD is not on the map yet) and MacGregor are about equal distance from the class buildings and library. MacG is a bit closer to the main "block" of buildings and New Dorm a bit closer to Skinner. </p>
<p>I stayed overnight in MacG as a prospie and I can tell you from experience that the rooms are REALLY gorgeous. Seriously, they blew my mind. And MacG's dining hall always has 4 different flavors of Edy's ice cream! :) You won't have the location of Pearsons, but it is still a pretty short walk to the academic buildings (less than 10 minutes? I'm not sure exactly). </p>
<p>The New Dorm, based on what I've read, has rooms with their own thermostats, really nice lighting, and awesome common spaces. Like MacG, the new dorm will have a few rooms with window seats (all of MacG's rooms have them, so you're only guaranteed one there). It sounds like it is going to be REALLY nice. The administration built it specifically to become the new "popular" dorm.</p>
<p>Anyway, it depends on whether you want a bigger dorm with a better location or a bigger new dorm with some cool amenities. You could always list a few choices on your housing forms. That way res life will have the chance to consider your second or third choice if your first choice is already filled.</p>
<p>My D lived in Pearsons for her 1st year (before transferring out) and really loved the place. The room had character, huge windows, and she liked the feeling of being "off campus" (albeit across the street). Great "public" rooms too, with a distinctly old-world feel and charm. No meals there though, so those winter mornings can include a blood-pumping walk to get a 'real' breakfast (Pearsons did have muffins, yogurt, cold cereal, fruit, coffee/tea). She didn't mind it.</p>
<p>This is a great topic and thanks for all the help.... I'll be a transfer student, Math and Economics major. Reading people's comments and such, Wilder seems to be a nice residence hall. I just have some questions to ask. ..</p>
<p>Will the school put the freshmen together and transfer students together? If so, then which halls are for which group? I mean, on the paper it says I can choose a preference but it would be silly of me to put on a hall that is exclusively for freshmen. </p>
<p>More, I see on the campus map academic buildings.... but how do I check where the major courses locations are? I looked at the course catalogue but couldn't find the location/hall. </p>
<p>Lastly, about Wilder, it says that during the Winter break those students that live in Wilder and are going away for breaktime will be asked to lend the rooms for those that stay for the break. Did you guys find it comfortable?</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch for all the help!!! :)</p>
<p>thanks frazzledmaybe and justamom.
I am just wondering if it is common to ride a bicycle to get around on campus.
Also, where do you usually study? in the library or in the dorms?
does horror things(like...ghost) take place in old dorms?!</p>
<p>isa087: bikes are very common on campus, my D's roommate had one and my D even borrowed it several times. Can't speak for others but my D never studied in the library, she used her room or the public rooms in the dorm (living room, etc.). </p>
<p>Ghosts...I've heard stories but they were always the kind like...a friend of a friend...not...it happened to me.</p>
<p>Wow all this information is overwhelming, but very helpful. Thanks so much.</p>
<p>I was wondering if either of you, frazzledmaybe or "just"aMom, knew of the dorms that have air conditioning, or are somewhat cold in the winter.</p>
<p>thanks very much!
how do you think of safford? I'm considering choosing safford, but i am really afraid of the ghost stories, since safford is a reaaaally old building
which one is closer to the center? MacG or New Dorm?
thank you again for all your help!:)</p>
<p>@RogueXGirl: I read on their website that every hall houses all the 4 classes. So there'll be nothing like freshmen are grouped together :D
BTW, here's a nice link for those who care about ghost stories at MHC:
Ghost</a> stories index
And the basic info about each res hall:
Mount</a> Holyoke College :: Floor Plans
I have sent in my room assignment form, hoping I'll land in Wilder in the fall :).</p>
<p>Elleyea: none of the dorms will have air conditioning available during the winter. If this is something you need, I would consider a small plug in fan for your personal use, because most likely your roommate will not enjoy air conditioning during those cold winters!</p>
<p>isa087:</p>
<p>Safford will be closed for the fall semester, to be re-opened in the spring.</p>
<p>RogueXgirl, The reason you couldn't find the locations for fall classes is because they haven't been determined yet. If you want to get a feel for class locations, sign in to ISIS and go here: <a href="https://isis.mtholyoke.edu/isis/WebAdvisor?&TOKENIDX=1650853353&CONSTITUENCY=WBST&TYPE=M&PID=CORE-WBST%5B/url%5D">https://isis.mtholyoke.edu/isis/WebAdvisor?&TOKENIDX=1650853353&CONSTITUENCY=WBST&TYPE=M&PID=CORE-WBST</a>
Click on the link in the black bar that says "Search for Classes." Then change the "term" area to say "Spring Semester 2008" and choose your major areas below. The search should list the locations within the meeting information area. Department classes are in different buildings though, so you'll probably be all over. :)</p>
<p>With the exception of Dickinson, all dorms house all four classes. Dickinson doesn't have freshmen. </p>
<p>Wilder is supposed to be the most haunted. :)</p>
<p>Safford is a lovely (and highly desired) dorm, but, as ittknee mentioned, is closed in the fall. :(</p>
<p>frazzled - did you request a dorm as a first year?</p>
<p>My roommate and I are interested in the dorms on Skinner (specifically Porter, Mead, and The Rockies) and we're just curious how likely it is we'll be placed here if we list each in a preferential order. I know the dorms on the green are highly coveted and we don't want to be bumped somewhere we don't want to be.</p>
<p>Do you much about these three? Something really small, but hardwood floors? haha. And any other info you have would be nice. :)</p>
<p>And also, do you know if we're requesting to live with someone, will Res Life place us in a triple with another roommate that we have NOT requested (ie - a random match) or is this an unlikely situation?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer these! :)</p>
<p>ittknee, hey! I know you (from facebook) lol. </p>
<p>Anyway, I’m entering in the fall also/going through the same process as you. I just did a lot of research.</p>
<p>I don’t know about the situation you’re asking about, but I suppose it is possible. I would think that res life would try to avoid a situation where someone could feel like the third wheel, but it all depends on space. Honestly, if you end up in the Rockies then you probably WANT a triple because the triples there are HUGE, whereas most of the doubles available for firsties are tiny. </p>
<p>If you want a small dorm with hardwood floors, Mead is out. Porter and each Rocky house less than 100 students. Mead houses almost 150. Although, the Rockies together house almost 200 students, but they seem to be pretty separate, so you’d probably have that intimate atmosphere. </p>
<p>Hm, Porter has hardwood floors and nice lighting. It is toasty warm, so a good choice for people like me who get cold easily. :)</p>
<p>The Rockies also have wood floors and they have a dining hall... Porter and Mead don’t (though you’re very close to food). </p>
<p>Also, consider Brigham. Brig houses 85 students, making it one of the smallest dorms, and it has wood floors plus the green location. Wilder (also on the green) has wood floors too (except for the hallways). </p>
<p>For the record, I listed three choices, and I know others have listed more than one, so I think it’s fine if you do the same. Res Life reserves a certain number of spots per dorm for each class. So ALL of the dorms (again, except Dickinson), have spots for firsties. Some firsties will get into the Rockies, Mead, etc., though the rooms may not be as large as upperclassmen rooms because current students already chose them on hall-choosing night in April. I suspect (and have heard echoes of my suspicions from students and an adcom with whom I spoke) that res life matches roomies before assigning dorms. If so, it may help you that you already have a roommate. </p>
<p>Anyway, something like 500 firsties are entering this year, but some of the smaller dorms may have less than 20 spots for firsties, so it may just come down to numbers. Also, that is another reason to consider larger dorms. You'll have more newbies with whom you'll bond. :)</p>
<p>frazzled - You'll have to message me on FB so I know who you are. :p</p>
<p>And wow, I thought you were a MHC student already - quite knowledgable. :) Thank you for that information!</p>
<p>Yay for Rocky having hardwood! We've decided to request N Rocky, then Mead, then Porter. Exciting!</p>
<p>Which have you requested?</p>
<p>Hey, I left you a comment. :)</p>
<p>What I actually meant was if they had air conditioning for the early fall and late spring, and not too overheated in the winter.</p>