Hello! I am currently looking at housing, and I know what ya’ll say go to the UW Housing page, but they all say the same thing. I want some hones opinions. I am currently trying to decide between Sullivan, Liz Waters and Witte, but am open to other options. Please let me me know your reviews and such.
YOU need to make a list of your priorities/likes/dislikes. Consider location- city/lakeshore, building size/architecture, newer/older… All dorms will be at least 50% freshmen and most others mainly sophomores.
The biggest decision is Lakeshore versus Southeast. Do you want the hustle/bustle of the city outside your room or do you want trees and grass? Once you have decided that be prepared to get a choice other than those you listed. Be careful to rank your top to bottom choices in the proper order (don’t let a last choice sneak in among your top choices).Liz tends to be popular but you could get it. However- not all locations within dorms are equally nice and the best are taken by returning residents. Also- Liz is 5 connected buildings built into the hill- there are no horizontal elevators (son lived there, as did my mom) and each of the five is at a different level (think stairs). You can find ages of dorms in the history section of Res Halls. Cole and Sullivan were the new Lakeshore dorms in my day- they updated them later. Witte is a tower.
Do not worry about distances to classes, building condition/maintenance. Look at each dorms Res Halls descriptions- including the lofting guides for pictures. You will be among like minded peers- they all chose UW after all. Food service- you can eat at any Res Halls facility. Some will be closest to fast food options and others to regular meal service. There are libraries near all dorms- Steenbock (agriculture library) works just fine regardless of what you are studying.
Some want to be close to the lake, others want to be closer to the other end of campus. You can get to everything from any dorm on foot. But- the surroundings differ. This is why you need to make your list of differences and rank them according to your personal priorities. None of us can tell you what you like. If I had to redo my dorm search I may have chosen differently. btw- choosing a special community is entirely your choice- some like them, others don’t.
http://residents.housing.wisc.edu/masterplan/elizabethwaters/
Scheduled construction at Liz (perhaps no on- site food service through December?).
Are single rooms readily available?
Not for freshmen, or even others. Returning residents get to pick rooms before new students are assigned and most dorm rooms are doubles.
I have no idea how those three are your top. They’re very different.
Sullivan is small and (relatively) quiet.
Liz is centrally located, not co-ed, and fairly quiet. It won’t have food first semester.
Witte is loud–the party dorm. Sellery has a (SLIGHTLY) better location…aka you don’t have to cross the street for food and you’re a block closer to class.
Liz went coed in 2006 (finally- the last dorm to do so). I double checked- current Res Halls info states men like it too. I couldn’t believe it would revert o women only- too popular for its larger than typical rooms and location. Next fall the big deal will be the closure of its dining hall for much needed renovations of the food service area. It will be a walk to other places, most of concern is rolling out of bed for breakfast. Other meals are easily eaten while out and about (anyone can eat anywhere in Res Halls food service places). I suspect many students will make use of dorm room refrigerators and microwaves for breakfast.