<p>D has been accepted and is eagerly anticipating attending in the fall. She’s about to complete the housing preference form and I’m wondering if anyone on this board can comment on dorm choice. She’s leaning toward Emerson as it is sub-free and has good floorplans. Is that a good choice for a freshman? Do the sub-free students tend to form their own social group?</p>
<p>Sub free housing (emerson) is probably the most communal dorm on campus. It is very united and mainly hang out with each other (not that the rest of the campus doesn’t want to hang out with them, they form there own group right away). While most kids in Emerson are non-drinkers, some are light drinkers and some are big drinkers, they just do their drinking elsewhere on campus. I think that if someone is not bothered by others drinking they would be fine anywhere on campus. There is hardly any social pressure to drink and non-drinkers and drinkers hang out together all the time. The dorm is probably the worst in terms of aesthetic appeal and facilities, also rooms are tiny.</p>
<p>Aldrich (my dorm) is a mix of people. My floor is not very communal, but two of the other floors are. There are a lot of “jocks” but also all sorts of other people (and Beloit jocks are not your stereotypical jocks, most are very smart and academically motivated). The dorm is the most modern dorm for freshmen, with big rooms.</p>
<p>Chapin and Brannon have large rooms with sinks in the room. They are a little older but are kept up to date nicely.</p>
<p>If your daughter does not use substances stay away from Peet dorm, which is notorious for partying. Other 64’ halls (Blaisdell, Whitney, Porter and one other i can’t remember) typically have smaller rooms. There is a large mix of drinkers and nondrinkers. They are often said to be the less nice dorms on campus, though they are not that bad.</p>
<p>Maurer is the all female dorm and is similar to Chapin and Brannon. However, most of the people I know who live there do not like it and would rather live elsewhere.</p>
<p>840 is another very communal dorm and has a lot of drinking (but not that much more then the rest of campus). Rooms are relatively small.</p>
<p>If you have anything specific feel free to ask.</p>
<p>Though Chapin was her third choice, D. has been very happy there - big bright room with a sink and built-ins. The all-girls floor she is on is relatively quiet though definitely not depressingly so. Brannon, Chapin, and Aldrich, I think, you don’t have to go outside to get to Commons. From everything I hear from D, outside of Peet, which is a party dorm, there is a mix of people who do and do not drink/party. This was one of the big reasons she picked Beloit because from everything she heard there was not one dominant culture of drinking that there is at other small LACs - this has proved to be true.
Hope your D enjoys Beloit!</p>
<p>Thanks for the great input. Very useful!</p>