<p>Hi guys. I have recently been admitted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and it is one of my top choices. I was wondering if current students or anyone who knows a great deal about the University could tell me the best dorms for freshman to live in. I heard Statesider is great but that's like the only one I know of. I appreciate it :)</p>
<p>Statesider is a private dorm as is the Lucky and some others. Public dorms are found on the UW housing website. Most are full of freshmen</p>
<p>UW’s Residence Halls are a good start for your college experience. See past years’ threads for much discussion. At least 50% freshmen in all dorms open to them. Good meal service- no requirements. Many locations and building ages/styles to suit different tastes. Read the UW website. Many differing favorites, you need to list your priorities after researching the available inf- no one best dorm.</p>
<p>Agree with above, spend some time on the University Housing site at UW and learn about the different neighborhoods and dorms to help you decide what you like. In broad strokes, most people have passionate response to either Lakeshore (bucolic) or Southeast (more city feel). Look at learning community options in dorms in both neighborhoods. Residents in learning communities get to select their actual room in the designated floors associated with the learning community. </p>
<p>Private dorms – not run by UW – include Regent, Statesider, Lucky 101, and others. You can learn about those under the Campus Connect link on housing site – those buildings offer private RAs and dorm activities closer to “regular” dorm life. </p>
<p>One advantage for living in UW, not private, dorms is that you have priority for jobs with UW Housing, mainly working in the dining halls. If you have signed up for dorms in the spring, you can basically fill out an on-line form, identify your preference for job location, and get an automatic offer for dining hall job. Off-campus (including private dorm) students are offered positions only after all the on-campus people get their spots. </p>
<p>UW does not assign housing based on first-come, first served basis so there is no pressure to decide and get your housing preferences in early. There is a housing application deadline, sometime in the early spring, and then dorm assignments are made in June, I think. The updside of this is that students admitted later in the cycle, or deciding to attend UW later in the cycle, are not penalized. My son had applied to some schools where the advice was apply for housing as soon as you are admitted, and you can always get most of your deposit back if you decide not to attend. Not that way at UW.</p>
<p>Great school – good luck, and congrats on your acceptance.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your responses! I’m from New York so I definitely want to be living where other OOS students live. Do most OOS students live in the private dorms? And is there a large price variation between public and private dorms?</p>
<p>My son is currently in his freshman year and living in Chadbourne Hall. He is enjoying the experience, and he has met people from OOS as well as kids from other countries. I think the dorms have a nice mix of people from all types of experiences.</p>
<p>I agree with badgermom12. My daughter is a freshman and also living in Chadbourne. Just on her floor, there are kids from several states, all over WI and three foreign countries. She likes Chadbourne a lot due to its very central location.</p>
<p>OOS parent experience – my son is freshman in Sellery and loves it, and absolutely wanted the big, freshman (“party” dorm" experience). He found his roommate on the FB group for admitted students in the spring. A lot of dorm friends are from Chicago suburbs and from Minnesota, as well as WI, but other dorm friends are from everywhere else, including CA and east coast. He hasn’t really noticed the whole "coastie " in private dorm and "sconnie"s in UW dorms. My sense is that there are kids from everywhere in all the dorms, so focus on Lakeshore vs. Southeast and possible LLCs (living learning communities). </p>
<p>He has made great great friends everywhere, from class, dorm, and just randomly meeting people.</p>
<p>Thanks guys for all of your posts! I think I’m leaning towards Sellery for public and Statesider for private. I think I need to visit and see both. I have always envisioned myself in a typical dorm but a lot of my friends that are freshman at UW live in Statesider. I’m from Long Island and while I obviously want to branch out, I definitely want to live near a lot of East Coast kids to facilitate the adjustment. :)</p>
<p>Dejope and Ogg are the newest and best. Been to the campus many times, my brother is the housing photographer and even he says dejope is ridiculously good. He lives in an apartment now but stayed at Ogg his first two years. Dejope is new this year I think.</p>
<p>Yeah thats the newest but its in the Lakeshore community which I heard isn’t as social as Southeast/Private dorms :/</p>
<p>Many different choices to suit many different personalities. Long Island student- try to get away from living with your friends and make new ones- you will find all kinds of people in Res Halls. No need to hover with those from your area- every freshman is new and adjusting just as you are. You are likely to meet more people living in Res Halls than a private dorm. Consider the dining options as well.</p>
<p>I’m a current freshman here from Long Island as well and I HIGHLY recommend living in the dorms your freshman year. I have had no issue with feeling “out of place” because there are a large chunk of WI/MN residents here, and in fact I have met plenty of OOS residents too. I live in Smith, which I really like. It’s in the southeast part of campus but is a little bit less crazy than Sellery and Witte, and it’s a pretty new dorm which is nice. If I were you I would not even think about being around other OOS students making the transition easier, because honestly the transition is the same for everyone. Good luck in your decision!</p>
<p>Thank you so much!! Im visiting UW in a couple of weeks and hopefully it’ll make my decision easier :). Thanks again for all of the advice!</p>