<p>Can current students (or alums) give their opinions about the various housing options? We have our opinions, but would like to hear from people that actually lived in the buildings! Thanks!</p>
<p>S (Freshman) is in Ayers CCI (North campus) and he likes it a lot; planning to live here in Sophomore year too.</p>
<p>S (freshman) is in PARC (south campus) and plans to live there next year too :-). So there you have it!</p>
<p>The distance between north and south campus is VASTLY exaggerated on CC. It’s a 10 minute walk at most, and the only reason it’s called north and south campus is because the seminaries (where most undergrad students won’t spend any time) are in the middle). If the seminaries weren’t there, you’d think of it as one big campus.</p>
<p>I personally lived on south campus all 4 years; I was in WCAS, had relatively few classes up north, and valued the easier accessibility to downtown Evanston. What school is your son in? What does he value / want in his dorm experience? Does he value being close to the fraternities or to the sororities? (One can make a case for a boy preferring either option, LOL) Does he envision going into downtown Evanston a lot?</p>
<p>S is in WCAS…after two visits there (for older son in '07 and for S (that’s going there) last month), we agree…the idea of North/South Campus seems kind of silly. We’ve done the walk back and forth several times and, because I like to “stroll”, I’d call it 15 minutes for me. 
It’s a tough call on the location…there’s a lot to be said for being near the fraternities and for being near Evanston. So, that’s why we’re interested to hear where current/former lived and their experiences. Thanks for your comments, we really appreciate them.</p>
<p>My S, a current soph, has lived in Willard on south campus both years. (It was his first choice for housing when he originally filled out the housing application.) He likes being close to downtown, but he’s also in a fraternity and although he “power walks” the location of his fraternity compared to his dorm, really does result in a walk of about a mile or 15+ minutes. Yet he does it a number of times a week and next year he is actually moving into the frat building, so he will see the “reverse commute.” The vast majority of his classes will be on south campus and I also think that the North/South divide is somewhat exaggerated.</p>
<p>Thanks for that…is Willard air conditioned, hard to tell from the Northwestern website?</p>
<p>Pizzagirl,</p>
<p>Is getting rid of the seminaries part of the strategic plan?</p>
<p>I thought one of (or at least part of one of )the seminaries is now a NU dining hall?</p>
<p>I agree that the north/south debate isn’t that big a deal. I walked from downtown Evanston to the lacrosse field and back last Saturday - it’s really not that far a walk. My S lived on the north end of campus the first two yrs (Elder and Bobb), and then just off campus on the north end the next two, but I don’t think he cared that much about north vs south. He is in WCAS and had classes all over campus all 4 yrs.</p>
<p>Here is the vision document from a few years back, but I don’t know how many of the suggestions are actively being considered (or are funded) - this is highly ambitious and would significantly change the character of the campus. It’s an interesting read for anyone NU-affiliated. It’s kind of odd, though, that the orientation of all the maps puts North Campus on the left and South Campus on the right instead of, well, north and south. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/observer/framework.pdf[/url]”>http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/observer/framework.pdf</a></p>
<p>FWIW, my south-living son rides a longboard up to his fraternity (where he takes his meal plan) so it doesn’t take long at all.</p>
<p>Also, apparently it is true that the Peanut Row houses will be demolished in a year and apartment style housing for upperclassmen will be built there. Long, long overdue - those houses are pits and a disgrace to the campus. (My S is in one of them, so I can be harsh, LOL)</p>
<p>It’s funny…the north/south thing wouldn’t even enter our mind if NU would do things a little differently…namely, choose what kind of setup you want (res college, res hall, etc.)…that’s it, that’s all and their system spits out what dorm you end up in. But, because you can submit a list of where you’d prefer, we start to give it far more thought than it deserves. Our guy’s going to be in WCAS. As well, most campuses have 15 minute or so walks from freshman dorms to classes.</p>
<p>Willard is NOT air-conditioned, mtldad. I don’t ever recall that being an issue for my son since classes start in late September and it doesn’t seem to get really hot until July when they are long done. I think that the price of the Willard doubles reflects that they are not air-conditioned. We didn’t realize that there would be a price differential when he chose Willard.</p>
<p>My S is a sophomore and has lived in 1835 Hinman both years. He’s in Medill so it’s a 2 minute walk across the street. His roommate is in engineering and spends all his time at Tech but hasn’t minded the walk and they both wanted to stay in Hinman for sophomore year. They really like the dining hall. S is a vegetarian and thinks the food choices are pretty good for his needs.</p>
<p>Next year they have an apartment off campus west of Tech - so they are trading off so the roommate gets to be closer to his part of campus for the next two years.</p>
<p>I think when S was signing up for housing the kids were allowed 5 choices. S got his 3rd choice and has been very happy there.</p>
<p>Same question for 1835 Hinman…is that air-conditioned? My wife gets to freeze every night in our house…me and my two sons always liked it very cold when we sleep!</p>
<p>I think this may have been posted on another thread, but this year incoming freshmen will be completing a survey instead of listing specific dorms as preferences:</p>
<p>[On</a> Campus - The Daily Northwestern - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/blog-1.107/on-campus?page155=BlogPosting&article155=19.1636983#comment1636983]On”>http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/blog-1.107/on-campus?page155=BlogPosting&article155=19.1636983#comment1636983)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/story/housing-application-changes-for-class-of-16/[/url]”>http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/story/housing-application-changes-for-class-of-16/</a></p>
<p>I think North/South is significant. It’s not a barrier, but in terms of convenience, I definitely wouldn’t just pretend it doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>Yes, 1835 Hinman has air. School starts so late this fall it probably won’t be needed much. :)</p>
<p>It’s all moot now…unless you’re applying for a res college, there’s no listing of buildings preferred. Housing survey and then the school will place you. I actually like that better than what used to be done because it mixes up the kids even more…which I’m always a fan of…</p>
<p>mtldad - what is your son planning to do? Will he choose any residential colleges or just go with residential halls?</p>
<p>@emilyy123…you know, he hasn’t really focused on it yet…he’s got his last final today and he’s shifting into Northwestern mode tomorrow…but, if I had to bet, I think he’ll go with the res halls.</p>