I am a transfer student and I am torn between West and the Residence halls (cascadilla/sheldon court). I wouldl like to know hwat the perks are of each so i can make the best decision thanks for the help!
@redbluegreen19 are u a sophomore or jr transfer.?
West Campus houses have more of a “community” feel, as they are all co-located, do a lot of house dinners/special events, and have large common areas/dining halls for people to hang out. Con is that it’s at the bottom of the Slope, which you’ll have to walk up every day to get to class. However, they’re really nice suite-style dorms!
Cascadilla is right at the beginning of Collegetown, so very close to campus and right by the gorge trail (which is really pretty). If you don’t feel the need to have a meal plan and want to be living something more similar to off-campus upper-classmen apartments, then this is for you.
Don’t know much about Sheldon Court except that it’s kinda far from campus, about halfway from Collegetown and Ithaca Commons. So if you are independent/self-sufficient and don’t mind a longer walk then this may be for you.
sophomore transfer
I lived in Sheldon Court as a freshman many years ago - @lichte94, you must be confusing it with another building, as it is right on the edge of campus, in front of Cascadilla and across from CTB. Very convenient if you are an engineer, which most of my dorm neighbors were. The dorm was nice, and our room was huge, but it definitely felt more isolated than the community on west campus.
Hi, S1 was also a sophomore transfer and was randomly placed in Shelton Court. Living in College Town did have its advantages as he did not have to be on a meal plan (and he was not a fan of campus food at his Freshman University) and was less structured then the Dorms on West. Shelton and Cascadilla (right next to each other) are the oldest dorms at Cornell. He did go greek his first semester (Transfers can pledge in Fall) and moved into Frat House in the spring. The buildings on West are nicer, Collegetown is more like living “off Campus” Best of luck.
“…a sophomore transfer and was randomly placed in Shelton Court.”
IMO not “randomly”, seemingly a lot of transfer students get placed in the Collegetown dorms.
“Shelton and Cascadilla (right next to each other) are the oldest dorms at Cornell.”
Maybe so, but D2 was initially placed in Cascadilla and it was completely renovated at some point, did not seem particularly "old’ inside at all (to me). Never been in Shelton.
If I were OP I would opt for West Campus, in the hopes that it might provide a somewhat more social environment that can facilitate social integration. Cascadilla, at least, seemed like it was a hodgepodge of random upperclassmen, maybe even graduate students, with transfer students thrown in. Upperclassmen and graduate students are typically not looking for new sophomore friends, and do not need to be very social to random newcomers. They’ve already established their social circle. For the most part. Not being on the meal plan is a good thing once established, but for a newcomer it provides forced face time with a common subset of students that may better facilitate new relationships.
IIRC the West Campus dorms sponsor some talks and events that can be interesting. Maybe they offer some common activities. I don’t think Cascadilla did.
Jumping in to say that my soph transfer was placed in West Campus. I felt it was huge – but the West dorms are really nice with lots of amenities. They seemed to do a lot of all-transfer suites.
If food is a big deal to you, then West Campus is your place! My S said the food there is the best. He ate there every night except on Wednesdays which is when they have ‘house dinners’ and that was reserved only for west campus students.