<p>How does freshman housing work? I remember some info from my tour but not everything. Do athletes usually room with other athletes/athletes on their team? And when does housing info come out? I was accepted ED2 but haven't really received any info on it.</p>
<p>No, it is rare for athletes to room with people on their team. Hamilton Res Life believes that all students benefit from meeting new and different people, so chances are your roommate will not be on your team, or may not even be an athlete. </p>
<p>Housing information will come out in the Spring after regular decisions are released. Once these students matriculate and Hamilton has a good grasp on who will be in the incoming class then they will send out a survey/questionaire. Based on your answers you will be matched with a “random” roommate who shares some of your interests/personal habits, etc. This decision will be made mid-summer and you will be given the contact information for your new roommate. You can talk and get to know one another and arrange who will bring what to the room in August. For example, lack of communication between roommates during the summer may lead to two refrigerators and two microwaves being brought to campus…talk to your roommate 
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<p>Congratulations on your acceptance! You’re going to love it here. See you on the hill next year!</p>
<p>And what would you say is considered the best housing for freshman? And thank you looking forward to it!</p>
<p>My son is a freshman and is in Wertimer House, which he loves. It is one of the few all-freshman dorms.</p>
<p>Well it really depends on the type of person you are. </p>
<p>Wertimer is awesome. It’s got a recently remodeled lounge with a flat screen tv and pool table. The downside is its at the bottom of a hill, which can be a pain sometimes. </p>
<p>Light side dorms (Dunham, South) these are primarily quads. If you indicate on your questionnaire that you’d like a quad you’ll end up in these dorms. They are nice aesthetically. My friends love it…Dunham has a reputation of being “dirty” but some people adore it…</p>
<p>Light side stereotype: lax bro/athlete/prep school </p>
<p>Doubles on the dark side (minor, major, keehn, etc)</p>
<p>This is where I live and I love it. Big rooms. I like the big bay windows and waffle ceilings. The lounges need a makeover though…</p>
<p>Dark side stereotype (hipster, community, environmental, artsy)</p>
<p>Disclaimer: stereotypes are not true, but there is a noticeable difference in culture on the two sides of campus. </p>
<p>You can’t choose which side or what dorm, but you can try to influence your placement by the answers you give. Also just a heads up…science students usually opt for light side/humanities opt for dark side. It’s just for convenience. No one wants to walk too far in negative wind chills in the winter! :P</p>
<p>To your question about athletes rooming together - it seems to me that there are too many athletes on the same sports team who room together freshman year to be a coincidence. I can think of several situations my freshman year in which team members lived in the same quads in Dunham and South (including my own).</p>
<p>I can’t say for sure that the Res Life places teammates together, and of course it doesn’t happen in all instances, but there is a definite correlation.</p>
<p>I am a future undergraduate student from Albania… I really liked the Wertimer housing, but I have one question on which I really need an answer… Do boys and girls live on the same floors? Does that mean that they share the bathroom, or maybe the showers are separated somehow, by curtains etc?
If anyone could give me an answer, it would mean a lot since I can’t visit campus and my traditions might contradict with what I choose…</p>
<p>OsmaniJ My D just filled out the housing questionnaire. She said there was a place to add any comments etc… If you have not completed the online form, maybe you can write your concerns in this area. Then, housing will make sure your traditions are respected.</p>
<p>OsmaniJ- Wertimer is a great housing option. It’s all freshmen so its residents often form strong bonds. Wertimer is coed by room so males and females do live on the same floor and they do share the same bathroom. However, I believe that the RA holds an anonymous poll at the beginning of the year–if anyone is not ok with a coed bathroom then they become designated by sex. The only issue is that if that happens then guys might have to shower etc using a bathroom on a different floor which is a pain. Also, showers in the bathroom are private (door or curtain). If you’re still uncomfortable i would opt for single sex floors which would put you in the north side dorms. Hope this helps</p>
<p>A college advisor recommended my daughter take a look at Hamilton. However, every set of comments I’ve read about the school (this and other sites), discusses the “light and dark” sides. With such a small school population, I’m likely going to advise her to pass. 1800 kids divided into pretty widely held perceptions of light and dark? No thanks.</p>
<p>MitchKreyben,</p>
<p>My D will be starting at Hamilton this fall. The light and dark side is a geographical divide due to the fact that Kirkland college (for women) was absorbed into Hamilton. Kirkland was across the street. The light side is the original Ham campus. The architecture is more traditional college-like. The dark side is the Kirkland side and is 1970’s contemporary cement-like structures. My understanding is the Art programs are on the dark side ( since Kirkland was strong in the arts) and the science stuff on the original Ham campus. I think the light and dark are terms used to signify these areas. Some say North and South. It is just different sides of the campus separated by the road. Of course, each side has a different vibe ( different departments and building types) but that is what makes it interesting.</p>
<p>MitchKreyben,
My D looked at Hamilton last year. It was one of her favorite schools and the only one where she had a really “aha” moment when she set foot on campus. She absolutely fell in love and DH and I also thought all the students, etc. we met at the college were friendly, interesting, etc. The campus is beautiful. Everyone we have talked to who has attended absolutely loves it and the academics are top notch.</p>
<p>Ultimately, D applied and was accepted. She is not attending mostly because she ended up accepting an offer from a slightly bigger LAC that offered her a scholarship specifically in her major. </p>
<p>It seems like the dark side and light side thing is used a bit tongue in cheek by students…</p>
<p>I wouldn’t rule Hamilton out solely because of that. At least visit and see what you think.</p>
<p>Thanks all. That’s why I guess we shouldn’t base to much on these threads</p>