<p>So it appears like we have to turn in our dorm preferences fairly soon. I was at MIT this summer, but I only saw Simmons and EC...not where I want to live. The i3 videos weren't much help (lol: gorillas, random dancing, spelling out "Baker", throwing up, kid eating pizza, etc. I was like, w.t.f.), but (surprisingly) I managed to narrow it down to Baker and Burton-Conner. Can any current students talk about the social life, atmosphere, appearance, and quality of life in general of these two dorms? Thanks so much :)</p>
<p>Based on the way the dorm lottery tends to go, you probably won't be able to get into Baker if you don't put it as your first choice. (That is to say, more people traditionally put Baker as their first choice in the lottery than Baker has spots for.)</p>
<p>If I were you, I'd put Baker as my first choice, but get excited about both Baker and Burton-Conner, because there's a reasonable chance you'll get your second-choice dorm if you put Baker as your first choice.</p>
<p>What you'll always hear when you talk about Baker and Burton-Conner is that Baker is the "social" dorm while Burton-Conner is still known as social but is more of a mixed bag depending on where you end up. As a whole I feel this is fair in many respects:</p>
<p>Social Life:
Baker- filled with freshmen so the whole "OMG, college is soooo new let's party and have fun" atmosphere seems to be there year after year. Baker 6 seems to be the floor that throws the most/best parties. I've been to a couple other floor parties but they were pretty lame.</p>
<p>Burton Conner - It really is a mixed bag considering Burton 2 is the very quiet kosher Jewish floor and immediately above it is Burton Third which is one of the biggest party floors on campus, almost frat-like. Although Burton Third is the only current floor to throw parties I've heard in the past that Burton 1 has and considering the people I know there it probably could be convinced to do so again in the near future.</p>
<p>appearance:
Baker - Much, much newer than Burton-Conner. More modern and flat out prettier to look at. In the hall formation and has a dining hall (as of this year preferred dining subscription was required which I've heard isn't worth it at all).</p>
<p>Burton-Conner - Probably the worst off of the dorms after East Campus. I feel like the condition and appearance of the dorm is much more "classic college" than Baker. It's got a suite set-up so you get more of a community than in Baker's halls and also each suite has its own kitchen. Really not all that bad, but compared to the newer dorms it's rather a sh$thole.</p>
<p>atmosphere (I'm guessing at what you mean):
Baker - most of the freshman guys move to their frat by their sophomore year leaving many of the rooms open for more freshmen guys the next year who will subsequently go to frats (I mean, that's how it works, over 50% of guys pledge and considering west campus kids in general are more likely to do so they've got to come from somewhere). Many of the upperclassmen are sorority girls waiting to get into housing in their sorority so they often leave before senior year as well.</p>
<p>Burton Conner - Many floors keep upperclassmen around resulting in distinct personalities of floors to arise. As a result these communities can cater to certain freshmen during orientation resulting in the loud floors to get loud freshmen and quiet floors to get quiet freshmen. Although this is true, many of the freshmen still pledge frats (it's a west campus thing).</p>
<p>Quality of Life:
um, I really can't comment on this. As I've seen it people who end up in either dorm are equally happy. Actually very few people really end up unhappy with their residence situation.</p>
<p>By the way, Mollie is absolutely right in how to choose the dorms. I'd also like to say that I'm living in Burton-Conner and will for the rest of my days at MIT so my opinions are probably skewed in that direction. Maybe a Baker resident can correct some of my statements about Baker (especially about the frat stuff cause I'm not exactly involved in/in the know about that stuff).</p>