Dorm Room discrepancies?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cornell University
1

<p>So if I have no interest living in one of the themed houses and the townhouses, I have no control over which hall I'll be assigned to?!</p>

<p>Has anyone noticed the room area discrepancies? a Court or Mews Double: 11'6" * 16'0" = 184 sq ft.</p>

<p>On the other hand, a DICKSON double: 14'5" * 18'0" = approximately..........
261 sq. ft!! </p>

<p>That's a floor area difference of 261-184 = 77 square feet! If we're paying the same 6080 price, why such a huge diff ? The area difference is about 8.77 * 8.77 feet = 76.9 ft^2. Now that is a big square of space. </p>

<p>Do the newer buildings of Court and Mews really make up for the missing of such a big area of space to put our stuff?</p>

2

<p>I took a tour of the Residence Halls during their Cornell Days (Open House) recently, and I have to say that I would prefer Court / Mews Hall. These two halls are built in the "suite-style", and my impression was that there was more "living area" or "lounging area" outside of the dorm room than in "corridor style" halls, like Clara Dickson (I'm not sure this is a corridor style, but i'm about 98% positive).</p>

<p>I only saw the inside of Mews Hall, the newest one, but I was told Court hall is exactly the same, just one story taller if I remember correctly. Anyways, I thought it was very nice, for a few reasons. First, you only share a bathroom with about 6-8 other students (all same sex). Then, there's the lounge area, which is roomy, has couches, and the one I saw had a T.V. + game consoles + dvd player stuff. Besides the lounges on your own floor, Mews also had some very VERY nice lounges available to all Mews residents. Finally, it was SO pretty!!</p>

<p>On the other hand, if I'm right about Clara Dickson being a corridor style hall, it's basically your traditional residence hall, with just a long corridor of rooms, and bathrooms on the ends, which you would have to share with much more than 6-8 people (I'm not sure how many exactly). I also don't think there's as much lounge area, or maybe it was just the fact that my tour guide was an RA from Mews, and therefore causes me to be biased. :P</p>

<p>I'm not saying the corridor style halls are not as good, I would just prefer suite-style housing myself. Also, this is all based on my memory, so I'm sorry if I'm not exactly accurate. Hope this helps. :)</p>

<p>(By the way, I'm a high school senior planning on going to Cornell, so I haven't actually lived in any of these dorms or anything.)</p>

3

<p>robinage's descriptions are insightful, from a hs senior's perspective. I lived in a u of arizona summer program dorm hall for 4 days. It was a corridor hall. I didn't like the too many ppl sharing a bathroom either. </p>

<p>I have little idea of what a suite style dorm like mews or court looks like. any descriptions or diagrams from other places , or better yet, any pics from inside sources?</p>

4

<p>I guess it will be no use , since I won't be able to choose the residence hall to live in anyways. What if I don't like the hall I'm assigned to? any way out or changing the hall?
I'll try to leave it up to fate and be happy with whatever hall and room i'm assigned to.</p>

5

<p>I know a couple of people who have gone to Cornell, and I think you just have to suck it up and deal if you don't like your roommate / hall.</p>

<p>I was thinking maybe if you answer the questions on the housing form a certain way, or something like that, maybe you'd be more likely to be put in Mews or Court hall? Or perhaps one of the program / themed houses has suite style, but I figured it wasn't worth it. Basically came to the same conclusion as you. :)</p>

6

<p>I can suck it up and deal with it on the residence hall issue, but with roomate(s)? By answering just a few questions on the app form may not provide everyone with a compatiable roommate. Well, I guess at least I don't have to worry about serial killer roommates at such a prestigious college Cornell. (In China, a student at a provincial university murdered his three or four roommates). Though the competition could get intense if I get a roommate who 's in the same major and year of class as me, just hope if that happens we will get along. I feel if I get roomed with a different student who is an upperclassman with a diff major, there will be a friendlier atmosphere and more mutual learning opps. </p>

<p>I'm an only child too. I have only roomed with people a few times in my life, during short summer camps, sleepovers with friends etc. To say the truth, I'm nervous about rooming with someone on a longterm basis.</p>

7

<p>If you get to school next year and <em>really</em> can't stand your roommate, you can do something about it. </p>

<p>I forgot where it was, but I read somewhere on the Cornell site that you can either (1) find someone else who wants to switch rooms with you (on your own), and swap, like on a 1-to-1 agreement kind of thing, or (2) you can request (to cornell/housing people or something) to be randomly switched with someone, but this takes a long time as not many people request it, so there's not many people available to switch with. People who request through #2 apparently wait a long time, sometimes more than a semester, before they get their switch.</p>

<p>But, it's probably not a good idea to be intent on switching out unless your roomie is like, the COMPLETE opposite of everything you are, and you're ready to gauge each other's eyes out (in which case, get out of there o_o) or something.</p>

8

<p>About the only child thing, you shouldn't worry so much. When it comes time, you'll adapt and get used to it. :)</p>