<p>Hey everyone! I'm an incoming freshman as part of the class of 2018. I'm looking for opinions about Elder and Allison, and why you value one over the other. Some of the questions I have:
Is the all freshman experience worth choosing Elder over the very nice rooms in Allison?
Are the rooms/dining hall/facilities worth choosing Allison over Elder?
Are the rooms in Elder THAT much worse than Allison? Are they really small/dirty? I heard that Elder was recently renovated but I don't know if that includes the actual rooms. If I choose Elder, which floor is the best to live on or does it not really matter much? </p>
<p>At this point, I don't find myself leaning toward North or South campus strongly, which is why I'm stuck. I'm planning on being an econ major (which can change, of course), but don't really mind walking. I'm someone who can party if I want to (which is where north campus is a benefit) but I also value living near the city (where south campus is a benefit). But honestly, is the walk from north campus to south campus so bad that you'd actually choose south campus just because it's closer to the city? I haven't heard consistent opinions on this.</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm eager to hear some opinions! My main concern is to meet a large variety of people, form a good group of friends, and have a great freshman year. I'm sure I couldn't go wrong with either dorm -- the hard part is simply choosing! </p>
<p>Thanks so much. </p>
<p>From what you’re describing, it sounds to me like Elder would be a better fit. If your main concern is to meet a lot of people, I think Elder is better than Allison. Elder is very social without being too rowdy, whereas Allison tends to be not very social. I personally wouldn’t choose Allison over Elder because of facilities. Of the dorms that are available to freshmen, Allison is the nicest, but Elder is a close second. The rooms are a bit smaller in Elder, but the dorm overall is very nice and clean. Elder dining hall has the reputation of being not very good, but I ate a large portion of my meals there last year and it was perfectly fine (if it’s really an issue, Sargent dining hall-possibly the best on campus-is a three minute walk). In terms of distance to Evanston, Elder is about a 15 minute walk, so Allison is definitely much closer. It didn’t really make a difference to me though; my friends and I still went into Evanston all the time. There is also Noyes Street, which is closer to north campus and does have a grocery store, barber shop, el stop, and a few restaurants. In terms of being an econ major, you’ll have classes all over campus, but definitely you will have some in Tech and some of the surrounding buildings, so Elder is more convenient in that regard. It’s also much closer to Patten and SPAC gyms. Overall, I loved my experience in Elder and I never talked to anyone there that wished they lived in another dorm. Regardless of the decision you make, both Elder and Allison are great, and you’ll have a good time wherever you live. Good luck!</p>
<p>This was so helpful and informative - thank you! I’m more confident in choosing Elder now and really appreciate your input. </p>