Our son has been admitted to both the Engineering program and the Honors program at each of the schools he’s applied to. Does anyone have an opinion on the benefits of living in the housing of either / or? He’s definitely in the nerdy realm, reserved, and not particularly interested in small talk. However, give him a theoretical subject and he’s in heaven. How would you advise him?
It’s always best to do housing where all of his peers are the same major as him.
Would he prefer to socialize at home with other engineering majors or a mix of students in terms of majors?
Does either program have any programs of interest in the respective dorms?
How do location, quality, and price compare?
I disagree with @NASA2014 that one way is always better. My D prefers living with a mix of people. It broadens your horizons and can make life more interesting. But others may choose to be surrounded by others who are taking similar courses. It may make it easier to form study groups. Its really personal preference.
I think it depends - my son roomed with an engineering major freshman year. They liked each other fine, but their schedules did not mesh at all. The next year he was complaining that Tufts wasn’t nerdy in the right way - he wanted friends who played board games and video games - I suspect he’d have found more of them if he’d been hanging around with the engineers instead for the IR kids.
I was an art major who ended up hanging out with mostly science/com sci and musician types. I liked having friends who were not just like me.
The answer is it depends. It depends on the student and on the housing. At the school S17 attends the engineering housing was great (actually on the floor my son lives on but in another wing) but the honors housing is awful! At another school he applied to the honors housing was super and the engineering not-so-much.
My S prefers to room with a variety of students (does like that his roommate was a related major to his). Others really prefer to house with their major. S is an animal science major, his best friend is an engineering major but he studies in the architecture library with those students.
The answer is look into the options and let your son tell you what feels right to him! It may be different at different schools.
If there is a difference in the quality of the housing between the two, then pick the newer/nicer place. For example is one suite style instead of traditional, is one closer to the dining hall, is one air conditioned, etc. (This was very important for my daughter who stuck with honors housing all through college because they were the newer air conditioned buildings).
I also think that your roommate is what really matters (much more important than who is next door or across the hall). This is probably colored by the fact that my daughter had several horrible roommates/suitemates throughout college.
Your son can definitely find other ways to either meet people who are engineering majors or not - by joining different clubs and participating in different activities.
UW-Madison does not have segregated housing for honors students. They are a too diverse group to want the same dorm. UW has many diverse dorms and locations to choose from. They have special interest houses within dorms for some things, including women in engineering et al. Engineering, unlike L&S (letters and sciences), does not have the honors program although preengineering students may want honors versions of some courses since they figure the regular engineering curriculum is demanding enough- and UW is a top tier school for that. I never wanted to live in the same area or dorm my good fellow honors chemistry majors did. We did a lot of hiking across campus to each other’s places (and in a no cell phone era to contact each other).
So- it is not always better to be with people in the same field. We are all multifaceted and one size box does not fit all of us- honors/major et al.
I like the last sentence of post #5.
The differences between the housing at different schools is a really good point.
@mathmom " …wasn’t nerdy in the right way - he wanted friends who played board games and video games… "
This is indeed my son, too. Currently, he is in a really interesting school with a diverse group of students. But, his buddies are all other nerds and all planning to enter engineering programs next year.
We’ve both heard counselors talk about the importance of LLCs, especially with engineering programs. However, he has LOVED his academically gifted group since he entered high school and I think he’s afraid he’ll lose that intellectual group vibe if he doesn’t stay with a honors group. As I’ve told him though, engineers are all pretty gifted and some of them are going to be the kind of ipeople he’s looking for.
Having said all that, housing is probably a really good reason to consider both. Thanks!
Is there a scholarship associated with one, like is there a stipend for the honors housing? Do you have to take a course or seminar with either option?
I would leave it up to him. I know both of my kids would prefer to live with a diverse group of students but it is a strictly personal choice.
My DD had a choice of honors dorm or regular freshman dorm and she picked honors…mostly because the kids would be more academically focused and less crazy party mentality
Son lives in the engineering LLC at UF and loves it - 2nd year there. He may have gotten lucky but he seemed to find like-minded students. He is a self-proclaimed geek. 
Engineering and honors tend to be the smartest and most studious kids in any given university. The M/F mix is going to be more even in honors, however.
If your S considers the engineering housing, he should be certain that he can remain in the honors program (assuming he wants to stay in the program) if he doesn’t live in honors housing.
If it is like most colleges, Honors will be majority female and Engineering will be heavily male.
D lived in an Honors dorm and really liked it, smart kids, social and interactive, mostly science majors but others in engineering or humanities. S1 lived in the Engineering Dorm and it bordered on anti-social. He did find some really good friends on a different floor and lived with them sophomore year.
Here honors dorms just just means more $$.
If living in the honors dorms lets everyone know that you are there on a generous merit scholarship then I would decline that option. It’s generally best to keep that information on the down low.
SFLMom, I know a lot about the Homors building at UF. I didn’t know there was a different dorm for engineers.
Lets use UF as an example. UF honor dorms (Hume) are nice, some honor classes are taught at Hume, only 4 roommates (in two connected rooms) share a restroom, it has it’s own parking, etc. However, it’s located away from the center of campus (though still within easy walking distance).
The Engineering LLC (Live Learning Community) is based in East Hall. This is an older style dorm (built in the early 60’s), where the rooms are a bit bigger than Hume (I think), but everyone on the same floor share the same restrooms/showers. However, it’s smack in the middle of campus, next to a dinning hall, the football stadium, the O-Dome, and many of the engineering buildings (the workshop is next door, where my freshman son is spending 3 or 4 nights a week with his SAE design team).
Some engineering students prefer the living arrangements at Hume (and may want to take advantage of honor activities/classes at Hume). Others may prefer East Hall’s location.
Usually when choosing between honors and engineering LLC’s, it’s a question of living arrangements, location, and (honor/engineering LLC) activities. Choose what’s best for the student. 