<p>Ah-- the dorm choice threads-- already?! There’s several threads last year to review and I recommend doing so as well as checking out a blog by Amy Revac (sorry if I butchered that name) on CMU admissions pages last year - she did a story about each dorm with pictures.</p>
<p>To answer your ??
First keep in mind- prices differ and financial aid package/CMU budget is based on your being assigned to a room type known as “standard double”. </p>
<p>Henderson has only 60 people (20-25 freshman) but is part of a group of 6-7 smaller dorms on “the Hill” that comprise a community for purposes of freshman orientation and getting together.
Henderson rooms have A/C, private (prime) bathroom types and are co-ed. Some people elect it by choice and others often overlook the dorm and are “stuck” (their perception) there b/c of being last on the list of housing assignments. The healthy choice stuff has included massage. The housing writeup says there are mandatory wellness programming-- but that’s so minimal – once a semester. Basically, RA enforces the no-drinking the same as any dorm where there are under 21 year old adults residing. If you want A/C and a private bath-- that’s the dorm for you. It also has a nice gym with newer equipment. Location- well three flights up the top of a hill is a challenge in winter - compared to a longer walk flat from mudge-- your pick I suppose…nothing over 10 minutes to campus - most distances are 5 minutes if you aren’t a snail.</p>
<p>The first thing to decide at CMU is if you want a “standard” or “prime” room-- meaning, bathroom down the hall or private bathroom accessed through an internal corridor between your room and another room - more private. The shower and toilet will be used by you only and no one will be in that space (or within earshot) when you are (in less you are cool with roomies I suppose about shaving while you shower). If you are too stuck on looking your best at 2 am or 7am then don’t go down the hall to pee, brush your teeth or take a shower but select the “prime” room. And worse yet, if the thought of using a public bathroom for the most private (and sometimes noisy) moments gives you the shudders, then take a prime over standard room. But most of college life is about shared bathrooms at some point and it’s not a big deal.
Personally, I think this has to be the first thing to decide over all the other factors such as location, roomsize or co-ed or not.</p>
<p>Of the Freshman Dorms
Prime: Henderson, Mudge
Standard: Donnor, Morewood, Stever, all other dorms on the Hill</p>
<p>Next choice item to consider: Co-ed or single sex dorm:
of the freshman dorms
Hammerslag and Scobell - male only
Boss or Mcgill used to be female only-but now it’s some leadership thing - so not sure where that’s going next year
All other dorms are co-ed by door - meaning men and women on the floor-- can be opposite wings as in Stever or every other door as in Mudge. Morewood has specific floors for men or women. Reality, there’s no curfew, so even in a single sex dorm, you should fully expect that there will be people of both sexes on your dorm floor at any given time of day or night. Hence, this is really not a factor.</p>
<p>Size:
Donner and Mudge – larger
(read earlier threads-- lots of “rumors” about a donnor smell related to the proximity of the garbage dumps-- reality- perhaps only an issue when the temperature is over 90 and you open your window on a day where the dump is overflowing-- nonsense issue).
Both donner and mudge are two of the older dorms.
Stever - absolutely puny (A/C makes up for it I think) but very clean
All else-- average size</p>
<p>Location-
It’s a perimeter-- nothing is terribly far-- 10 minute worst case for slowpoke or lingers
Obviously Morewood closest of the FRESHMAN dorms. Don’t consider the food on site in Morewood a plus-- b/c the underground food is DISGUSTING and only valuable when it’s 10 degrees outside. So if food location is on your “pro” list for Morewood- take that off your list of pros ASAP. Printer cluster in Morewood - but for $35 you have a printer in your room for any late night printing in a cold day.</p>
<p>Bottom line-- absolutely,
ALL DORMS are going to be fine- you’ll make friends anywhere.
Decide what’s most important to you: bathroom type, co-ed, roomsize or location – and then rank order appropriately.</p>
<p>If you have any special needs-- sleep issues, crazy allergies, some form of diagnosed emotional health issue, that may get you a single or an A/C room. The chance at getting a single as a freshman is very much close to zero (other than a few ED applicants). A single is about $1600 more per year than a double room. Expect a double room.</p>
<p>Room choice forms are not due until MAY 31 and there is absolutely zero advantage to submitting it any sooner. The date of your admissions deposit determines the order of housing assignments.
The FB 2015 page will very likely get 1000 new faces end of March and threads on seeking a roommate may appear. Most people wing it and go random.</p>
<p>All of this is only from a parent perspective–and other posters will chime in. I’ve been inside several of dorms (visiting my two kids and meeting their friends/picking up friends in carpools on breaks home- ) so have a bit of feel for the size, location. The only dorm I’ve not been inside is Hammerschlag nor any of the off campus apartment.s All dorms felt like a community and so no one seems any “closer” or “more friendly” than another. Some posters here have stated it’s best to avoid Welch or the quiet floor of Mudge b/c it may attract a less social type-- but it may be the case that it simply attracts people with sleep issues-- who knows. But that’s something to consider.
In terms of “cleanliness” I still echo my sentiments last year on CC, I think Morewood is absolutely filthy- -bathrooms are gross and the dorm is older. I have been in at least 10 Morewood rooms – both towers and I think the bathrooms are absolutely disgusting (male or female rooms - just plain gross). But then again, that’s a mom’s perspective. I think Henderson and Stever feel cleaner- and that’s “feel” simply b/c they are new.
I suppose the Residence on Fifth (Rez) will have that feel too. </p>
<p>Bottom line-- I think Henderson is fine-.</p>