<p>I am trying to fill out my preference form for housing and think students at UW are the best resource for figuring out whats good.</p>
<p>I have gathered that SE dorms are for parties, and Lakeshore dorms are quieter and more isolated. I am not one to party too much, but I certainly don't want to feel isolated in Lakeshore. Is there no social scene there... or is it just a bit milder than the Southeast dorms?</p>
<p>Also, Assuming I go with lakeshore, could anybody tell me what are the good houses in that neighborhood? (Adams, Liz Waters, Kronshage, Slichter, and Sullivan) They all look pretty similar in the booklet- which would you rank 1st, and why?</p>
<p>Finally, are their any rumors about how the new Ogg building will turn out? Is it going to be bigger rooms like Smith? Is it just a newer version of the old party dorm?</p>
<p>Also, I have heard Chadbourne is not very nice inside. Is this true? Is Chadbourne more academic (from what I have read it seems so). Really any advice any current students have I would appreciate. Thanks.</p>
<p>I am a prospective freshman just like you so I can't really offer the perspective you are looking for.. I will say however that my sister in law is a UW grad and lived in Sellery and has been back many times since to visit, mentor, etc and says it still holds true to it's "social, party dorm" reputation. She is a very outgoing, energetic, kind of person who likes to party but was never out of control. She loved Sellery.</p>
<p>Likewise, my brother who is very much like her but perhaps a bit more reserved LOVED the Lakeshore dorms and said Liz Waters was his favorite of them all because of it's appearance, community feel, and resources inside. It's also the closest Lakeshore to the Southeast campus and he said it really did allow him to get the best of both worlds (except in winter when he just didn't want to leave the building!)</p>
<p>As for choosing your housing, I was informed that once you send in your acceptance in May, you will receive another chance to verify your housing choices. Whether this is true or not I'm not 100% but I remember hearing it from multiple sources (which I can't remember at this point) It might also depend on when you applied and had to initially send in your housing form.</p>
<p>Alumnus/mom here- You get to restate or change your rankings in the spring. Major decision is dorm location, then building style. The online Res Halls website is good- be sure to check all the subsites- distances chart, lofting guide, room dimensions, maps, booklets, and Google Earth for a birdseye view. Do not count on your first choice if it's a popular one, do pay attention to those further down on your list. You can eat anywhere on campus so lunch away from your dorm is not an issue. Consider if you like urban or lakeshore, highrise or low, special interest groups, building age... There are many different styles, unlike many other Wis campuses that built all the dorms in the 1960's. Good luck.</p>
<p>My daughter is in Chadbourne. Tight quarters but excellent location. Good facilities. With the recent cold spell, it just brings distances into perspective, if you have to walk to class with a windchill of -35 F.</p>
<p>I visited her in Madison today and interestingly, she mentioned that the Univ people were preparing to fix up Chad this summer. They will get new flooring, loftable furniture new doors and a general facelift.</p>
<p>I chose Smith as number one, Liz as me. Sister lives in Chad.. I hate it there. I guess I want to live with the intellectuals who don't want to live with intellectuals who want to live in Chad. "Randomfest" was not really my thing. Smith rooms are huge and have a 5:1 bathroom ratio. Too bad it is way southeast of campus and I will be Biomedical Engineering if I matriculate..the +750 on the price tag also bites, but that's fine.</p>
<p>I live right down the block from thew new Ogg, and I must say I'm very dissapointed in its external look compared to Smith... It just seems like the new Ogg is simply an older version of the old Ogg. I stayed in Liz Waters for SOAR and it was very nice, with a good central location. In my opinion, Chadbourne is the best location - right off University and very close to State Street and Bascom. </p>
<p>Lakeshore dorms are nicer than Southeast - nicer looking, nicer rooms. I'm not a big fan of the location, it's difficult to get around. </p>
<p>The one style of dorms quickly falling out of favor is the private dorms. Towers is only half full this year. With the building of the new dorms, I'd stay away.</p>
<p>There are also some really nice apartments which have come up in the last few years right on Johnson, like Embassy and Equinox. And next year steve brown is building the University square right on University Ave, with food and other stores on the street level and apartments above.</p>
<p>witte is older than the new ogg. but its design is very similar to sellery. sellery is closer to your classes though, and you dont have to cross a street (or take a bridge) in order to get to gordon commons like you do at witte.</p>