<p>I wrote an elaborate post initially, but I've realized that this is probably the best way to condense it for the sake of those who are willing to read it/respond to it!</p>
<p>My question/concern:</p>
<p>How much of an impact do my responses to the online roommate questionnaires have on which college I will be placed in, if any at all? Are my responses used for the sole purpose of matching me with someone who the coordinators think I will get along with, or are they also used to determine which residential college my personality best suits? </p>
<p>I'm just curious to know if our questionnaire answers will also be taken into consideration when they decide which residential college we will be placed in, or if the process is completely random...?</p>
<p>College placement is random (or relatively so - they try to balance the colleges on things like gender and ethnicity, but certainly not personality). The roommate form is used strictly for rooming purposes.</p>
<p>so the college info form says that you can choose to be in a college that your parent was in. My dad started off in baker but transferred to lovett for a job. If I say that I want to be in baker and explain the situation, they’ll put me in baker, right?</p>
<p>I was going to write a careful, reasoned response about how Lovett rooms are misperceived as much worse than they actually are — after all, they have probably the second-best bathrooms on campus and are certainly better than Brown tower, at any rate — and how I don’t get upset when Dorian writes pro-Martel things because he’s obviously promoting his own college, but how putting down another college on a public message board is an irresponsible thing to do given that we are seen as voices of authority and that many of these new students reading the board will likely be placed in Lovett (the best college, in my opinion) and that we don’t want to poison the well for them before they even arrive.</p>
<p>I was going to write that, but instead I’m just going to write this:</p>
<p>All the colleges are essentially the same. While they have their own customs and “personalities” that are self-fulfilling prophecies (it seems that you adopt your colleges persona during O-Week), every single college is built on the same concept. You will likely love whatever college you are put into just by virtue of how O-Week is set up. Colleges are fun and a good way to meet people and make friends, but they are limited to that. Your degree does not come from your college nor does your future. As a result, I fail to understand why a perceived slight to your college matters at all.</p>
<p>If you have the choice of being in Lovett or any college but Lovett, I mentioned that the latter would be the better choice. While Brown tower, Hanszen and Jones are worse residences in terms of overall building quality, selecting “Not Lovett” gives you a chance of being in Martel, Wiess, New Baker, New WRC as well as the two new colleges (all which have been build in the last decade).</p>
<p>Another factor is consider is that Lovett now has part of old-“new” Baker which was build about 60 years ago. The rest of this building has since been demolished.</p>
<p>In summary, my above comment was not about Lovett as a college, but Lovett as a building. If you want a shot at being in a newer building with more single rooms and large windows, pick the “Other” option. You will love your college regardless what happens though.</p>
<p>Yeah I’m sure Duncan would be a good choice too. I mean I’d assume it’d be hard to go wrong at Rice (number one quality of life and whatnot). I just want Baker because my dad was there for the majority of his career and he associates with it. And I really like the idea of the Hogwarts like commons lol</p>
<p>Baker is definitely one of the nicest buildings in terms of aesthetics amongst the residential colleges. Now that they have demolished part of the “new-wing” that was falling apart (and given the rest to Lovett) and constructed a new wing, living there will be very pleasant.</p>
<p>You are correct about it being hard to go wrong at Rice. Even though some colleges have much nicer buildings, every college is unique and is fun. You love your college from O-Week onwards.</p>
<p>Hope you end up in Baker, Petey W – the post-2009 “new” Baker! Just think of all the building updates that will surprise your father! And all the “in my day” reminiscing and the “like father/like son” pride that will gush …</p>
<p>Yeah, Baker looked nice when I visited. And yeah, it would be awesome, I really hope I get it! Dangggg I thought I was done with worrying about college decisions…haha…</p>
<p>Here’s an album of all the residential college albums. They’re just pictures a friend of mine took on some random day before winter break (hence the christmas decorations in some of the commons). I also don’t know why the chairs in Sid Rich’s commons are stacked up. </p>
<p>This is something I would have liked to see before going to Rice, so I thought it’d be helpful for all of you. As a note of warning however, I would not judge a particular college (whether positively or negatively) based on how their commons looks, use this simply as a resource for what it is, a picture of each of the colleges’ commons. I guarantee you will end up being happy with whatever college you are assigned. </p>
<p>Your residential college is so much more than the building. While the building itself does set the tone for, and facilitates much of the atmosphere of each particular college (there’s an interesting article in the standard about how architecture influences each college), choosing to be in, or not be in a particular college because of it’s facilities would absolutely be a mistake.</p>
<p>Thanks THEPROTAGANIST! Love the pictures, when I toured the school in April did not get to see anything but Hanzen. If you have any pics of the inside of any of the residences and what the rooms look like that would be most helpful as well!</p>
<p>I disagree. Coming into Rice, no one knows which college they will like the best. If you have a choice, pick the one with nice rooms or where family went and O-Week will make you like your college.</p>
<p>As for colleges, they is no “better” college and “worse” college. They are all different slightly.</p>