<p>I was wondering what each of the dorms are like. What are the basic atmosphere of each of the dorms and are any known for something i.e. one being the party school one the prep school ect. What dorm is the best for a freshman? And what one is close to the science/engineering classes</p>
<p>We visited UCSC in September. There are dorms near to Science Hill. The campus seemed pretty spread out and the shuttle busses seemed necessary to use to get around. It was also quite hilly. Very pretty campus! We heard from our tour guide (student) about a tunnel system underground where the parties are. He said they are quite old and have been around forever. Dorms we saw for Science Hill were nice. Lots of paths leading to everywhere and huge trees. UCSC was a very unique atmosphere. The town was very interesting too.</p>
<p>The dorms are organized by college and are mostly inhabited by freshmen with some sophomores, so there is very little continuity in atmosphere from one year to the next for any given dorm. The colleges themselves have some continuity in culture from year to year. What that is depends on the college, and my understanding from my UCSC children is that the differences between the colleges' cultures have been gradually decreasing as the gpa/test scores of each entering class go up due to competition. The UCSC student body is becoming more homongenous.</p>
<p>The science and engineering classrooms are closest to Colleges Nine and Ten, and secondarily to Kresge and Crown. Any of the dorms at Colleges Nine or Ten are closer to the science and engineering classrooms than any of the dorms at any other college.</p>
<p>There is plenty of continuity from year to year, especially since they opened apartments at all residential colleges. </p>
<p>The campus is hilly, but not as big as you probably thought it was. I can get to opposite sides in 20 mins walking, and I'm a slow walker. The busses are just annoying. </p>
<p>There are definitely stereotypes about the typical student at each college, and they are true to some degree, but people are people, you'll find friends at each.</p>
<p>Don't pick a college based on your major.</p>
<p>gwen,</p>
<p>Seven of the eight oldest colleges put all the freshmen in dorms without exception (Kresge is the exception - it has only apartments, but AFAIK is now reserved for junior transfer), and they are not given the option of living in apartments. I don't know if Colleges Nine and Ten have only apartments, or if they have usual mix of dorms apartments - if the latter, freshmen will likely be only in dorms.</p>
<p>The dorms at Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Merrill, Porter, Oakes and College Eight are almost entirely inhabited by freshmen, so there is almost a complete turnover in them every year. This results in those having no continuity of residential culture from year to year.</p>
<p>Kewkiekid is correct that this is different for the apartments as students tend to select their roommates - those do have continuity from year to year, but those are for sophomores and higher.</p>
<p>"The dorms at Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Merrill, Porter, Oakes and College Eight are almost entirely inhabited by freshmen, so there is almost a complete turnover in them every year. This results in those having no continuity of residential culture from year to year."</p>
<p>maybe this used to be the case, but I can guarantee that for at least PORTER (and presumably the other colleges as well) there is a significant number of nonfroshpersons living in the dorms. Especially since the apartments go to seniors first, then down the line.</p>
<p>There is definitely continuity from year to year.</p>
<p>availablility may also play a part in where one gets placed. i know a couple people here at oakes that asked for the dorms, but got placed in the apartments. my only guess is that the dorms were full. this may be the same for the other colleges aside from kresge.</p>
<p>Is it possible to select your own roommates at kresge?</p>
<p>It's possible, if you all each other as people you want to room with.</p>