<p>So I'll be a freshman at UIUC next year, a Journalism major. </p>
<p>I'm having a tough time deciding where to apply for housing, and I don't want to put a deposit down if I'm just going to regret it later.</p>
<p>Dorms: I would really prefer the six-pack, but I hear that this time of year it's pretty uncommon to get placed in anything but temporary housing. I love the location and the social aspect, but again, it seems late in the game.</p>
<p>Private:
not really considering: Newman (catholic), the Orthodox center, Europa (urbana?), or Hendrick (wasn't really impressed)</p>
<p>considering: Presby (newer so I can't find much on it), Illini Tower (looks great, this is the only one besides Hendrick that I've visited), Bromley, Armory (indifferent about A + B)</p>
<p>Price isn't really an issue for me, and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I want to be somewhere comfortable, so private is what I'm leaning towards, but I care a lot about socializing, so it seems that with private that might be more difficult. </p>
<p>Again, thanks in advance for any tips.</p>
<p>the issue with private dorms is that you can only eat at those dorms. the thing is, you never know where on campus you will be when its time to eat, then you’ve gotta trek back to wherever it is to eat. most dorms are pretty social i would say, you could put down peabody, then gregory, and then FAR (i say FAR instead of PAR solely because it is air conditioned and PAR isnt, both are more/less in the same place), worst case scenario you get thrown in FAR, which is mostly freshman anyways, so i am sure that is social. </p>
<p>one way to get into the 6 pack easier is (if you dont drink) to put down the substance free choice, then you will be put in snyder, one of the 6 dorms. another trick i hear is to choose weston and write some sort of essay. </p>
<p>also, if you do get thrown in FAR and dislike it, you can switch after one semester (you’ll have to move everything out and then into your new place though). 2nd semester a lot of rooms open up due to students studying abroad, or seniors who had stayed an extra semester leaving, so if you really want to be in the 6 pack, you can put down peabody, gregory, then FAR, and then switch if you dont like FAR; you just have to make a convincing argument. </p>
<p>oh and one girl i know was put in LAR, but she really wanted to be in the 6 pack so she said she would do it even if she was in a triple, so they put her in a triple and she is happy with it</p>
<p>hope that helps</p>
<p>Thing about private dorms with food is though, for example at IT, they have food available from 7 AM to 730 PM so there must be time to fit food it for most. Plus they have late tray options if you know you’re not going to make it back in time for dinner. I have yet to be caught more than a handful of times this year getting back too late for meals, plus theres a bunch of restaurants if you dont feel like dorm food or get back late.</p>