<p>I’m considering applying ED for Brown. I am very attracted by Brown’s major offerings, the self-motivated nature of the cirriculum and the location of the campus (let cliche bells ring.) However, when I did visit the campus, I noticed that I was not shown any dorms; rather, the emphasis was placed on the housing lottery (which, after numerous explanations by my tour guide, I was still unable to fully grasp). So, I ask you current Brown students: what is the freshman dorm experience like?</p>
<p>Questions I’m considering:
How big are the freshman dorms?
How big are the doubles? Can I get a single? What about the suites?
Do the communal bathrooms reek worse than the roadside gas station restrooms?
Do the Dorm rooms look like cinder block penitentiary cells?
How would you describe the housing experience overall?</p>
<p>And a side note on dining: Good, bad, ugly? What options are there in the dining halls?</p>
<p>1) anywhere from 40 to 600 people. units are usually about 40 people each, sometimes up to 70
2) about average compared to other places I've been. some (andrews) are on the large side. no you can't get a single, and there are no freshman suites
3) not unless you feel the urge to shower on a saturday night
4) kinda, but with cheap fake wood furniture. this is why god gave you posters and crap to put on the wall/in the room
5) let me just say that we, uh, focus our resources elsewhere...
6) pretty meh. the main dining halls have a couple of generic dishes they repeat often, and a good "special" once in a while. the gate and jo's (which aren't dining halls, just places to eat) have pretty decent junk food (pizza, sandwiches, etc.)</p>
<p>Size and ammenities depend on the dorm. Housing here is good, but not great. Other places have worse housing, that's for sure. </p>
<p>Don't let housing be a big factor in your college choice. Few places have spectacular housing for freshman, and you can actually do a lot with the space you're given if you're creative. </p>
<p>You can get a single if you have a disability or special circumstance, but other than that. you're in a double. </p>
<p>The food here is like the housing. Good, but not great. I'm a food snob so I'm going off meal plan this year. But you'll live. My main problem is this: the cafetiera food is good for cafeteria food, but the auxillary dining places (like jo's and the gate) taste just like cafeteria food instead of a being respite from it!! And there aren't any subways or quiznos or bagel shops or whatever on campus that you can use your meal plan for.</p>