<p>What are the social benefits of the Commons system, particularly as a freshman?</p>
<p>Residential life is an important part of which college I'm going to decide to attend.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>It’s most useful for freshmen actually. By Junior year you can opt out of your commons if you want. What I was most impressed with, which goes hand in hand with the commons system, is that you choose a freshman seminar and that professor is your advisor. So it is someone who gets to know your work well and, if you are the sort of student who doesn’t have a super easy time getting to know professors/advisors, it really helps. Then everyone from the seminar you choose along with the students from maybe 6 other seminars are placed in the same commons. So you see familiar faces in class and on your hall. Each commons has a Dean and other staff as well, rather than just a central Dean of students, so you have easy access to various staff members for advice and support.</p>