Hello, I just wanted to ask which dorms are the best to live in and if you can participate in a community even if you don’t live in the specified hall that it is in. I am a female btw.
My daughter and I have researched the dorms a lot since she got her acceptance. She ended up in the Capstone program and has chosen to put that dorm as her first choice, as she wants to be with that community, loves that the rooms are the largest of the dorm rooms (although a bit old–her current dorm room at boarding school is in a building that was built in the 1800s so “old” doesn’t bother her!), it seems to be close to most freshman classes, has it’s own dining hall (which she LOVES as right now she has to leave her dorm if she ever wants to get a snack or meal), and is close to Five Points. Second choice was Patterson, as it’s newly renovated and a great location close to the student center/central to campus. If you want all girls, the Women’s Quad looks nice (she likes having guy friends around so is excited to be in a co-ed dorm). The other quads with the apartment-style dorms are really appealing as well, but she fears will not be as social as the traditional dorms. I know that for Capstone at least, you don’t have to live in that dorm to participate in the LLC but it sounds like you kind of miss out on a lot if you live elsewhere. Not sure about the other ones–if there is a LLC or two that appeal to you and you like the dorms, I’d put those high on your list. I’m a little confused by what happens if you don’t wish to participate in an LLC–they could just put you in any dorm where they need to fill, I suppose, so it seems to make the most sense to choose one and then get higher priority for that dorm. I have heard that for some of them, there is very little time commitment and you can choose to participate as much or as little as you want. Good luck! Have you done RoomSync to look for a roommate? D is on that now and has met some nice girls.
We just came back from the Admitted Students Day. D is planning on majoring in ChemE and was accepted into the Capstone Program. We toured Capstone, Bates West (Engineering LLC), and Greene. Capstone and Bates West were definite no’s for us, and if we had not looked at Greene there’s a good chance SC would have gone off her list entirely.
I felt bad for the young women that lived in the Capstone room that we toured. They were keeping the place as clean and nice as possible, but the overall condition of the building was horrible: peeling paint, rust around the vent screens and metal trim in the bathrooms, carpets in the hallway that looked like they were 20 years old and stained with bleach in many, many areas. The study lounge that they showed us was even worse, with ugly, beat up furniture. The scene was repeated at Bates West.
By contrast, Green appeared to be maintained well. There were some nice green spaces outside the buildings, including the garden area where students can get a planting box area. We also liked the fact that Greene is the closest dorm to the engineering buildings and across the street from California Dreaming (which apparently accepts MPD’s). We were told that the Swearingen Engineering building would be getting a cafe next year, which would be great for meal planning. The unit we saw was a 4BR apartment, which was pretty nice. Definitely seems to be worth the additional cost compared to Capstone and Bates West.
Thank you for a response! It is very reassuring to know that the LLC won’t take up much of my time. I have made an account on room sync, now I just have to start looking. Good Luck with the search!
I will have to look into Green. I have heard that Bates is old, so I crossed that off my list. Thank you for the response!
Please keep in mind that you do not always get your first choice. You may get your 2nd or 3rd or even 5th choice like my son did. And he applied before the early action deadline
I wonder why they let Capstone, of all dorms, go in such a state of disrepair. My daughter was invited to the Capstone program but is scared of that dorm. OTOH, we’ve heard that if you’re not in the Capstone dorm, you really feel disconnected from all of the program’s activities. All of this being said, we have not even seen the campus yet. We will go on the April 7 Admitted Students day.
@imstacey Please report back on the dorm once you see it. My D is still sold on living in Capstone to be a better part of that community/surrounded by kids that will be more similarly focused, but I don’t like hearing such bad reports about the dorm. A girl she’s been chatting with saw the dorm a couple of weeks ago and liked it…seems like I hear either very positive or very negative reviews! I have heard in multiple places that the kids in that dorm really bond and it’s a great place to be–for my D, the overall experience will outweigh the physical space, she thinks, and she’ll plan to move to a lovely new apartment the following year.
Hi all, my son is in Capstone House this year and he received an e-mail that all rooms will have a walk through inspection this week in preparation for the repainting project which is scheduled for this summer. Not the remodel that could be used but a step in the right direction…
Capstone is getting remodeled in a year or two (they told us, just can’t recall the date) which is why there aren’t plans for major repairs in the interim. And yes, it is in need of repair. But the rooms are big, and my son hasn’t regretted living there. He is moving off campus to an apartment next year, then will share a house with friends Jr.and Sr. year. 650 is beautiful, but pricey.
Son just looked at Green this past weekend. He really wants one of the “quad” suite style dorms (East, Green or South). His LLC is Bates West but he is not interested.
@g8rmomk8ans So, we just went to admitted students day and toured Capstone. Yes, it’s pretty dingy and worse for wear but my daughter (who had been scarred off by online photos) said it wasn’t as bad as she expected and would choose to live there. It is getting new paint over the summer and wooden laminate flooring the following year. I would be more concerned about the elevators!
Move-in day: Monday Aug 20, just in case anyone wants to know.
@lastone03 This is exactly my son’s opinions and situation. Lol. I could have written the same post.
@katedot what is your son’s major?
@imstacey Thanks! She’s still set to put Capstone first, and has found a roommate in the program who wants the same, so hopefully that’s what they get. Too bad they are just going to miss the bigger renovations but it’s just one year. She really wants to be “in” the Capstone community and make the most out of that.
@lastone03 Sports Management. How about you?
Same! We went to the first information center last Saturday and were so impressed with the opportunities those kids will have. Dr. Brown and Dr Shapiro came over to speak with us after the presentations - they couldn’t have been nicer. Got back home on Sunday and put down the deposit.
@lastone03 Agreed but my son is not impressed with Bates West so he will probably not put the Sports Managment LLC as a pick. Its a shame 
@katedot I think that LLC is pretty small (like 40 kids) - he has no interest in Bates West. I think it might actually be slated for demolition next year. He wants one of the quad buildings, if possible. There is a reasonable chance (per the SC parents FB page) that he won’t get any of the ones he put on his list.
Oh, and did you hear them say the new home of the college was moving to the building they had the info session in? Do you know if that is for next year?