Dorm Questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
1

<p>Hi! So I've been heavily debating which dorm to put as my first choice for about a week now.
I thought I had decided on BJ, but after more reflection I confused myself all over again and now I'm pretty undecided.</p>

<p>If someone could answer these questions, it would be really helpful :) </p>

<ol>
<li><p>How is the walk from BJ to other parts of campus during the winter? As someone who's lived in the South my whole life, I know the cold will be a bit of a struggle. How bad is it to get to places like Ratner, the Main Quads, etc. in the middle of the winter months?</p></li>
<li><p>Does anyone have any estimates about when Snell-Hitchcock will completely fill up? My parents want me until I hear back from all of the colleges I applied to to commit, so I'm not going to get my deposit in until March 28th or so. Should I just give up all hope for Snitchcock by then, or do I have some chances?</p></li>
<li><p>Is Max Palevsky really one of those stereotypical party/jock houses? I'm neither a big partier nor athletic in any way, so I'm a bit worried about standing out there. </p></li>
<li><p>Is BJ really one of the quieter, less social houses on campus? I do want to make friends within my dorm, and this "stereotype" particularly got me worried. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Right now, I'm thinking Snitchcock/BJ/Palevsky just based on what I've looked up, but again, I feel like my chances at Snitchcock are basically nil right now.</p>

<p>Any input would be greatly appreciated!</p>

2

<p>D went to a dorm Pierce on campus that is going to be rebuilt. the Snitch/Pav fill up fast she said BJ she also liked. The southdorms are a little more of a distance. near the Reg library would be my preference. Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather - just bad clothing. You get the right gear you will be fine. There is some pride in surviving the winters there and I really think it brings the students together more.</p>

3

<p>I am wondering the exact same thing as the OP asked about in question 3. I currently have Max Palevsky as my first choice dorm because of its location and convenience, but I’m not a big partier and do not want to be completely surrounded by people who party and drink a lot. Can any current students share their experiences with Max? Thanks!</p>

4

<p>Hi. I’m currently a student at UC and have some insight into your questions.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I live in BJ and the walk is entirely fine. Remember, around 1600 students live south of the midway and “commute” every day (6 minute walk to the center of campus/center of Quads, 3 minutes to Harper). Ratner is, admittedly, a bit of a distance (about a 10-12 minute walk). However, if you just throw on some sneakers and jog there, that would be a pretty good warmup. The cold is fine as long as you dress appropriately. Also, being far from the Regenstein is not a big deal at all. There is no lack of study locations anywhere on campus, including a Law Library right adjacent to BJ. </p></li>
<li><p>I can’t speak with any authority, but march 28th might be cutting it a bit close for Snell-Hitchcock, but should be fine for BJ and Max. </p></li>
<li><p>Stereotypes are only so true. However, Max is close to Ratner so naturally attracts more Jocks than other dorms. It’s definitely more of a typical college dorm (I think most people would agree with that here). That said, I have several friends from Max who do not fit the stereotype.</p></li>
<li><p>From my experience, BJ is incredibly social. However, social life is usually focused within the house. That is, unless you make a conscious effort to branch out, the majority of your friend group will probably be the people you live with (which is actually pretty nice). It makes for a very tight knit community. Not antisocial at all, just a tad insular! It’s probably quieter than South, for example, but I think that’s probably a nice characteristic.</p></li>
</ol>

5

<p>Another current student:

  1. The walk from BJ isn’t too bad. The walk to the quads (Harper) from BJ is about the same as it is from Max to Cobb. </p>

<ol>
<li><p>That’ll probably be cutting it close, but you’ve got a shot. </p></li>
<li><p>I’m in Max, and I love it. I’m pretty well-versed in the social scenes in both BJ and Max, and I can honestly say that I prefer Max. I didn’t consider myself much of a “stereotypical partier” before coming to school - I chose Max because it had a reputation as one of the more social dorms. The great thing about Max is that, at least in my house, you can definitely make lots of friends in your house, but it never feels insular. People tend to “get out” more. With BJ, people still party - I mean, there are quite a few people who don’t party and drink a lot (in both Max and BJ), but just because people aren’t <em>going out</em> doesn’t mean they’re not having a good time. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Tl;dr both Max and BJ have a wide range of people. They’re both social, but in different ways. Max is less insular; with BJ you’ll probably mostly hang out in your house unless you make a concerted effort to do otherwise.</p>

6

<p>LovesBrown, from what you say about Max, I think I’d really enjoy it. I want to be in a more social dorm so I can get to know more people, and I’m sure I’ll find ways to have fun that suit my interests. Thanks for the info!</p>

<p>How likely am I to get Max if I have already submitted the housing application and put it as my first choice?</p>

7

<p>You will def be in Max if u put it as ur first choice. Especially considering that u have submitted ur housing app before the 28th. Max is a big dorm, and has plenty of space.</p>

8

<p>To add on to what has already been said:</p>

<ol>
<li> For most classes, the walk from BJ won’t be longer than the walk from Max (Sarquois seems to be a fast walker; it’ll take at least 5-10min to get to most classes from either dorm). That said, neat events/spaces will be all over campus, so you can’t be close to all of them.
Closer to Max/Snitchcock: sciences buildings, Reg, Ratner/Henry Crown, UCSC, OMSA, etc
Closer to BJ: Logan, I-House & Institute of Politics (where speakers come), Ida Noyes (and CAPS), Harper, Rockefeller, etc</li>
</ol>

<p>If you bundle up properly, you won’t feel the cold.</p>

<ol>
<li> If you submit your deposit within a day or two that most colleges’ decisions come out, you still have a decent shot at getting into Snitchcock.</li>
</ol>

<p>3 & 4. Each house, independent of the dorm, is a cross-section of the entire student population in terms of diversity, interests, etc. You will find good friends in Max, BJ, or Snitchcock. That said, Max does have more athletes (because of its proximity to Ratner), and its residents will party more often, but BJ is definitely not less “social” - they will go out and host their own parties, just not on weeknights; also, quiet hours seem to be more respected in BJ. If partying isn’t your social scene, you’ll probably be as likely to find friends who are interested in what you’re interested in at either dorm. In terms of insularity, the stronger the house culture, the more insular. So yes, BJ is more insular than Max, and Snitchcock is the most insular dorm of all, but if you make an effort to connect with people from your classes, RSOs, etc, it shouldn’t be a problem.</p>

9

<p>Thank you all! Some of my concerns with the dorms have definitely been cleared up, which is EXTREMELY helpful lol
Especially in regards to BJ! The distance from other buildings and some of the things I’d heard about the atmosphere there were two of my biggest concerns, and I feel much more appeased now. :smiley:
I think I’ll still hope for Snitchcock but if I end up with BJ I shan’t be disappointed :)</p>

10

<p>One last question (kind of similar but a bit different): </p>

<p>How bad is the walk from BJ to the CVS and other shopping areas? Is it really inconvenient to get to the restaurants and stuff that are on the upper parts of campus?</p>

11

<p>It’s a bit far from BJ to CVS (maybe a bit over a mile). It’s definitely bikeable, though, and when it’s not winter it’s a fairly pleasant walk. If I were going that way, I’d take a bus, but the 171 and 172 are going away next year. Supposedly they’ll be replaced with additional, daytime shuttle service of some sort. I don’t think the details on that are out yet (or at least I haven’t heard them).</p>

<p>A lot of the restaurants deliver, and if you’re going in a group, the walk will seem that much shorter. In short, it is slightly inconvenient, but not too big a deal.</p>

12

<p>What determines the placement – the date when you pay the deposit or the date when you submit the housing request?
We paid the deposit for my son on April 29th, but he would like to be able to go to the overnight event before making the decision about the dorms.</p>

13

<p>The day you send in your deposit. You can change/adjust your housing requests up until June, I believe and it doesn’t affect your place in the queue</p>

14

<p>Ok how about South? As social as Max. More partying than BJ and Snitch? Do people party during the week in dorms? Thanks!</p>

15

<p>I think that Max and South have more stereotypical college parties than do BJ and Snitchcock… </p>

<p>Then again, I’m not a current student so I might be wrong.</p>

<p>But from my understanding, BJ and Snitchcock have the more quirky Uchicago kinds of people in them, while there are more jocks in Palevsky.</p>

16

<p>best dorm is at south</p>

17

<p>Does anyone know what type of room Dodd-Mead house in BJ is primarily comprised of? Mostly singles, or two single rooms attached together? Or is it split pretty evenly?</p>