<p>In regard to housing, I know they just switched from specific requests to a more general survey to assign housing. This would be kind of a bummer for my child who would love to be in housing with practice rooms...</p>
<p>Does anyone have any insight on how the new system worked out and what kinds of questions are on the survey?</p>
<p>Here’s a link to get an overview: [How</a> to Apply: Residential Services @ NU - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.northwestern.edu/living/assignments/application/new/how-to-apply.html]How”>http://www.northwestern.edu/living/assignments/application/new/how-to-apply.html)</p>
<p>However, I recommend applying to a Res College. This will allow you to be more selective in what you are looking for - just be prepared to write a short essay about which Res College is a good fit and why. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>You still can request specific residential colleges, so you can still pretty much pick what you want, since that’s a lot of the dorms. If your child wants practice rooms, Jones would be good, and there are a few others with practice rooms. </p>
<p>[The</a> 2012 Freshman Housing Guide | North by Northwestern](<a href=“http://northbynorthwestern.com/story/the-2012-freshman-housing-guide/]The”>http://northbynorthwestern.com/story/the-2012-freshman-housing-guide/)</p>
<p>This can show you what dorms would be possible to get based on the criteria. </p>
<p>I personally am lucky because I’m applying for substance-free, which is in Hinman, the dorm I would love to be in because of suites, the dining hall, c-store, and south campus location, so I should probably get my pick.</p>
<p>If you don’t like where you get assigned, it’s not too late to switch, as long as you do it before the summer begins! I was originally assigned into Ayers (cci) building, which didn’t make any sense because even though it’s nice, it was super far away from where all my classes would most likely be (I’m a film major), so I kindly sent them an email, asking if I could be switched out into a south campus dorm, and they put me in Allison, which is def the best dorm on campus. It’s not too late to change, but do it quickly!</p>
<p>One more point; the new housing assignment is BRAND NEW. There are still details yet to be revealed, so none of us know exactly what it will be.</p>
<p>Michelle, Allison is the best dorm according to you 
But I definitely want a suite, so I think I’ll like Hinman better.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, is all of 1835 Hinman substance-free, or just a portion?</p>
<ul>
<li>signed, someone who lived in SMQ in its second year of existence, and Allison when it was still all-girls</li>
</ul>
<p>It’s a floor, I believe. Definitely not the whole thing, it’s some section of it.</p>
<p>The use of a survey as opposed to specific dorm requests was implemented Fall 2012, so they’ve had one year of experience with it. I remember my son laughing at some of the questions, but I don’t remember too many of them. One dealt with sleeping habits (early riser vs. late sleeper, etc.).</p>
<p>You can still apply for the Residential Colleges. My son did, and lives in Jones, which does indeed have practice rooms.</p>
<p>As of Fall 2012, substance-free housing is on the fifth floor on 1835 Hinman and has space for 16 students: [Substance-Free</a> Housing: Residential Services @ NU - Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.northwestern.edu/living/options/undergraduate/substance-free-housing.html]Substance-Free”>http://www.northwestern.edu/living/options/undergraduate/substance-free-housing.html).</p>
<p>My son is planning to major in math with cs or linguistics as a major or minor. But he plays the piano and a couple other instruments and I think he would really love easy access to playing as well as people to play with. So, should he get in/go to NU it might be a toss-up. Does he try to get into a dorm with lots of math/science folks who play video games or apply for one of the RC that have a music emphasis?</p>
<p>:) He’ll probably end up in some random dorm and meet his very best friend there. That’s the great thing about college.</p>
<p>SteveC, as far as I’ve heard, they are using a new system this year, or are at least significantly tweaking the old one.</p>
<p>I’d say that it depends on if he’d rather be close to classes (Most engineering/science classes are up North) and hang out with other science people, along with frat people or if he’d rather be near practice rooms, downtown, and hang out with more liberal arts people. I hear the divide isn’t as big as it’s made out to be though.</p>