Freshman Dorm Situation

<p>I was leaning towards Nova, but this news is making me hesitate. I’m fine with being tripled, I actually prefer it. But turning lounges into quads is pushing it. Being at a month-long summer program last year, I feel that the lounges are important gathering spots for students and help form a close-knit community.</p>

<p>I agree. Usually dorm living provides a lounge with kitchen and tv where the students can gather, relax and socialize. What dorms have these been eliminated in and what dorms provide these amenities for freshman?</p>

<p>All dorm building should have multiple lounges available.
For instance Katharine Hall had 1 lounge converted , leaving 3 other lounges for the building.</p>

<p>These buildings have 1 lounge per floor and some buildings had 1 lounge per building converted to housing so some freshman may have to utilize a lounge on a different floor in their building.Not all lounges have been converted to dorm rooms.
BTW, my D rarely used the lounge , the kids(guys & girls) spend their time hanging in each others rooms. </p>

<p>I’ve been in Sheehan at least 10 times this year and never noticed paint chips or anything shabby, but I’m usually carrying luggage up or down stairs.I have seen the entrance look messy at times but 400 students are passing in and out of this entryway multiple times a day. Take a look at your kids rooms when they don’t clean them and multiply that by 400.That is what college dorms look and smell like.</p>

<p>The Quad is a great location and highly prized by sophs, brand new bathrooms / showers renovated last summer, cleaned daily. Halls and stairwells are allegedly cleaned also daily.This summer central air will be installed and other renovations will be made.All rooms in Sheehan are doubles, with the exception of a few oversized rooms which are triples.All rooms in Sullivan will be doubles. Sheehan and Sullivan house 800 students , half of the soph class.These are 2 of the older dorm buildings at Villanova.
Juniors live on west campus in 2 bedroom 1.5 bathroom apartments , 4 kids per apartment with Kitchen ,Living Room/Dining Area.They are fairly new buildings.
Call residence life if you are concerned.</p>

<p>Brave Ulysses, do you know what would happen in following situation: D accepted EA, so put deposit down end of December; later meets girl on FB and they may room together. Girl put deposit down in April. D wants a double. Would they go by the first deposit date? If you don’t know, we’ll call. Thanks.</p>

<p>BraveU, when I went into Sheehan I made an immediate left, onto the boys’ floor & the first thing you see are unpainted door frames. Reminded me of some unkempt apartment buidlings in NYC when I was growing up. Had nothing to do with kids being sloppy. I have another child who is a rising senior at a DC college and their dorms are never in this condition, but are not perfect either, so it was a bit of a shock when I first saw it. Couldn’t help but compare the two and wonder when the last time the hallway was painted.</p>

<p>Nymama: I will take a closer look on Monday at the paint , but you should call residence about your concerns. They are legitimate.the quad is in the 2nd phase of renovation this summer.
Mango: December deposit should be very high on priority list & room mate with later deposit should be in your room , but confirm with residence.Upper classmen housing is assigned by lottery number and room mates pick by best individual number.to get in the quad for sophs you need a number in the 300’s.</p>

<p>^^This spring in the quad you needed a lottery number below 280…that’s why son is in Fedigan for next year, but at the top of the waiting list to get into a quad room.</p>

<p>mangotree, I dont think freshman can pick a room mate, you may want to look into that.</p>

<p>My freshman D picked a roomate she met on a Villanova freshmen website…D is currently in Stanford,and the dorm is great…If basing your decision on whether to attend Villanova on a dorm and possible peeling paint, then perhaps you should go elsewhere?</p>

<p>Thanks BraveU, son didn’t mind the dorms, plus they weren’t frosh dorms anyway, so I wouldn’t bother Residence life with any dissatisfaction I have. He can handle it if he’s not happy.</p>

<p>@Qdogpa, who is basing their decision on possible peeling paint? I graduated college 30 years ago, so it wouldn’t be me.</p>

<p>Re freshman dorms, Stanford is being updated over the summer I believe. </p>

<p>Overall, freshman dorms are not a highlight of Nova’s physical plant. Pretty basic cinder block construction and on the worn out side. </p>

<p>A LOT of freshman were tripled. As I understand it, the issue was less higher yield overall from accepted students and more a lower “melt” rate–more students who accepted and put down deposits actually came instead of matriculating elsewhere. In addition, there were fewer commuter students in the class than in past years. Our student was tripled and fortunately had great roommates BUT the rooms are SMALL, even for two kids, and despite the credit for housing costs mentioned above there is no doubt that tripling is not great for studying and is just not a great living situation. </p>

<p>And, I would say that the lounge areas in the dorms are not all that great and the library, where I used to study in college decades ago, is pretty far from south campus and is relatively inadequate for a school of Villanova’s stature. </p>

<p>The Quads are considered the best place to be for sophomores but they hold only about a third or so of the class. </p>

<p>Using a deposit date to set housing priority is silly. Why punish someone who takes the time to make an informed decision? The whole thing should be based on a random lottery. </p>

<p>Agree with the above, wouldn’t decide on a school based on housing.</p>

<p>Beautiful day on campus today with kids returning from Easter break.</p>

<p>A quick look inside Sheehan regarding paint on door frames shows NYMAMA is correct that the door frames are chipped and need to be repainted.The good news is that many door frames have been repainted and look great , I would assume that the balance would be finished this summer.The Stairwell and hand rails are repaired on some landings and stairways and others need to be finished this summer. The halls looked clean but the stairs have looked dirty.The girls floors are neater than boys floors (no surprise there!)
I will try to post photo’s of the doorways and stairwells (don’t know how!) but The Quad Phase 2 renovations this summer should make make for a nicer home for the 800 +/- sophs living there next year. </p>

<p>I drove through South and many kids were out jogging , tossing a football and frisbee, others were on a blanket catching some sun. Great to see the freshman enjoying a great weather day , before Finals!</p>

<p>For those interested in the before / after photo’s of doorway and stairway renovations on The Quad :
[Villanova</a> University - Videos, Photos, and Visit Reports](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/villanova-university/#]Villanova”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vibe/villanova-university/#)</p>

<p>Click on CC Photos tab</p>

<p>Thanks for the photos! They look great & it’s good to see the renovations.</p>

<p>Ya you’ll probably get shafted with freshman dorms like I did but I also got the two weirdest kids on campus but you’ll survive :)</p>

<p>Freshman Housing assignments are up , good luck to all!</p>

<p>I got St. Monica Hall… Double… Does anyone have any info, or pictures related?</p>

<p>You got a very good assignment in a St. Mo’s double. Good size rooms , great south campus location.</p>

<p>Can anyone tell me if triples in o’dweary are good room assignments?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk</p>

<p>Sorry, can’t edit it. I meant O’Dwyer Hall not O’Dweary.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>