<p>My daughter who requested Northwest, was assigned to Forest-Southeast neightborhood. I have read some posts where people indicate this is not the best housing with complaints regarding the lack of activity and social scene as well as lack of food choices for students. I had thought that admitted students were guaranteed the neighborhood, but not the dorm. Did anyone else get placed in Southeast who requested a different neighborhood? Where is the closest dining? and is it decent? How do the rooms/ facilities compare to the other dorms?</p>
<p>You are not guaranteed the neighborhood that you request. It’s based off of priority and some luck, so the people who applied earliest for housing will be more likely to get the neighborhood they want. </p>
<p>Forest doesn’t have a dining hall but it’s located really close (maybe a 2-3 minute walk tops) to Read, which has a lot of food. It’s not too far from Wright Food Court either. </p>
<p>They also plan a lot of activities and events for their residents which are well-received and attended. I lived in Foster which is in NW and they didn’t plan nearly as many things for us. And not everyone who lives there is socially awkward; most of my friends lived in Forest last year and were really outgoing and fun people. </p>
<p>In terms of how it compares to other dorms, there’s air conditioning (which is a plus) and the rooms are a decent size, probably about the same size as Foster/Teter. Floors are not carpeted but each room comes with a large floor rug.</p>
<p>If your daughter really isn’t liking it she can apply for a switch starting the 2nd-3rd week of school, I believe.</p>
<p>I lived in Forest my freshman year after requesting Central, and it’s really what you make it.</p>
<p>It does have air conditioning now, and one of the shortest walks to the south side of campus. If your daughter is a music student, biology/chemistry student, or has most of her classes in the Ballantine/Jordan Hall area, that’s a definite plus. Also, Read’s Bistro is one of the best food places on campus, and there is a C-store in Willkie if that’s something she wants too. Honestly, you’ll go visit your friends in other dorms, so it’s not too big of a deal. If she’s interested in a sorority, she can get involved with recruitment, or join one of the many clubs that IU has. Forest may be a little more antisocial, but the rooms are way bigger than Read and she may welcome the quiet in comparison to Foster/McNutt/Briscoe in the end</p>