Info on Dorms

Colleges and Universities A-Z Indiana University - Bloomington
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<p><a href="http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ecso/ai.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.indiana.edu/~cso/ai.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Gives a good description from a current student about each dorm.</p>

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<h1>Ashton - You want to live alone? Well at Ashton, here's your chance. Most of this complex's rooms are singles, offering students the opportunity to ditch the whole frightening "meet the new roommate" ordeal. The location is great if you are into working out - it is very close to the SRSC (the large IU rec center). If you are looking for a break in the rent, you can become a "Residence Scholar," which in essence means you get to clean your own bathroom. There isn't much social life that goes on in this dorm - mainly because the dorms are spread out unlike the other dorms on campus. The cafeteria is not located in the greatest of places - neither are the mailboxes, so you get a walk to wherever you go. In my opinion, these buildings look eerily similar to military barricks. They have there pluses, but as with everything, the minuses are there as well.</h1>

<h1>Briscoe - Also known fondly as "Disco Briscoe," this highrise dorm is popular with incoming freshman. This is a great dorm if you are a freshman with a car. Since more than likely you won't get a D (Dorm permit) until you are a sophomore, Briscoe is right accross the street from plenty of E ("Everybody") parking. The big minus of Briscoe: location. Now if you are a student athlete, you are right accross from the infamous Assembly Hall, and the not-so-infamous Memorial Stadium. Otherwise, you are the farthest from main campus - meaning - you got it, walk, bike, or take the bus. The Briscoe Wellness Center is offered here - I don't know much about it, so search for it on the Department of Residential Services homepage. I know it's for the health and fitness buffs out there. The food there is pretty good - I have made myself some pretty great waffles and bagels there. Their food court is decent - and there are plenty of academic help centers waiting to guide you through your first year of college.</h1>

<h1>Collins-Living-Learning Center - Let me cut straight to the chase: Collins is known as being the hippie/alternative dorm. Now I am not saying that if you are a preppy business major that you cannot live here, but on a whole, it is the free-spirited alternative folks that live in this dorm. If you have seen IU's brochures, I am positive that they preview dorm life with a scenic picture of Collins. It is by far the most beautiful of the dorms. It feels as though you are at an Ivy League school when you first glance at this building. If you are into the whole vegetarian thing, then Collins has the perfect cafeteria food - serving vegetarian and vegan foods. You have to fill out a short application if you want to live here - far more people request this dorm than they can allow. First-time residents must take a 1-credit course called "Residential Living" which allows you to meet your neighbors in a fairly laid-back classroom setting within the dorm. In addition, the beautiful dorm has a co-ed floor, an annual courtyard festival, and a performing arts group. Art majors, Gender Studies majors, etc. - this is the perfect environment for self-expression. If I had to do it all over again, I think I'd choose this dorm. It is a stone's throw (ok maybe stone's punt) from the Union, which is at the center of campus. No long walks for you guys!</h1>

<h1>Eigenmann - This used to be strictly for graduate students, but since IU keeps admitting way too many incoming freshmen, this dorm has been opened up for underclassmen as well. This dorm doesn't offer a lot for students aside from an excellent food court - it's way east on 10th street, making for a long walk to center campus - heck with that whole "you can get from one end of campus to the other in 15 minutes, walking 'spryly and with purpose.'" I think not. I bet it'd take 20-25 minutes to get from Eigenmann to the Student Building. Who knows, maybe I am slow. Get a bike. The lobby reminded me somewhat of a hotel - that's nice I think. The rooms aren't bad - there's lots of computers around since it once was catered to the oh-so-studious grad students. Really, I am not knocking this dorm - it's the only one open for living in the summer - I'd just use it for my last resort - but really, IT ISN'T BAD! :)</h1>

<h1>Forest - These twin towers, if you will, are a popular home for freshman on the southeast corner of campus. This dorm is close to the Education School, the Music School, and isn't too far from the heart of campus. Plus, Mother Bear's (Bloomington's finest pizza in my mind) and T.I.S. (my reccomendation for a college bookstore) are a short jaunt down 3rd Street. I personally enjoyed their dining hall - it is one of the nicer (at least nicer-looking) ones on campus. Campus food really isn't that bad; it's just repetitive, so dorm-dwellers, be prepared for many nights of yummy microwave meals! Each floor is arranged by gender - and don't worry, the elevator only lets students with keys get up inside the towers. Once dubbed "The Virgin Vault" due to the fact that it was home to strictly females, Forest is now home to a very diverse population of males and females of all races and interests. It also has the Atkins Living Learning Center which is for those interested in studying African-American culture. Low damage rates make this one of the "sanest" places to live. All-in-all, this isn't a bad pick for a dorm - just realize it's a very long walk down to the Student Building - so make sure you invest in a campus bus pass! You will thank me for this one day when there is 8 inches of snow on the ground and our president has decided that class must go on!</h1>

<h1>Foster - You want it all - well essentially Foster can give you <em>almost</em> anything you could possibly want in a dorm. You've got the air conditioning - a <em>BIG</em> plus come the first weeks of school. You've got a diverse food court, with American, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian Cuisine - plus, you guessed it, Dunkin Donuts! You MUST try a Coolatta sometime. Trust me on this one! You got a branch of the IU Bookstore so you don't have to wait in the hideously long lines at the Union Bookstore. You got the location - not too far from the athletic venues (right next to Sembower Field where baseball and softball teams play), plus you are right up from the Business School and the Arboreteum (leading to central campus.) Foster is a fairly short walk from most of campus. I lived in Foster the first semester my freshman year, and it was an interesting experience to say the least. I think I would have enjoyed it had I been in Harper (the tall building) but instead we were stuck in Shea, the International dorm. Meeting foreigners was great, but as for the other non-international students who got stuck in the same situation we did, they weren't too pleased or the most sociable. If you live in Shea, you are advised to take a class similar to Collins' "Residential Living." Personally, I enjoyed getting to learn about the different cultures of my neighbors - not to mention an easy 'A'. You find all different types of people in Foster - although I always saw it as somewhat of a McNutt copycat. It's as though Foster wants the "bad/party" reputation like McNutt, but isn't quite there. Parties exist, believe me - many future fraternity and sorority types make up a large population of this dorm. Hopefully they will redo the furniture sometime - it's fairly old and squeaky - although that's nothing that a little bit of hand lotion can't cure ;-) I should know! This was my first choice for a dorm coming in - and had it not been for the rude neighbors, I probably would have stuck it out up there. I give this dorm high marks.</h1>

<h1>McNutt - Hands down, this is the party dorm your parents don't want to know about. Broken furniture, loud music, and a party atmosphere dominate the scene in this primarily freshman dorm. It's fairly obvious why it's mostly freshmen - the upperclassmen are smart enough by the time they hit their 2nd year to stay away from all the craziness and distractions. I could hear loud music blasting at almost any given point during the day, and I lived accross the street. Not to be stereotypical, but almost all of the McNutt residents I know are Business majors and will be going greek after their freshman stay in McNutt. This dorm even has the honorable distinction of having the highest false-alarm rate on campus. I guess the dining hall isn't bad. "Pastabilities" was always a favorite Italian meal of mine. Their salad bar was decent - fairly plentiful. Located accross from Foster, the location is once again great, especially if you are a Business, Psychology, or Geology major. I really wouldn't reccommend this dorm to anyone who is laid-back and likes their rest. This is the dorm colleges get their bad reputations from. Parents, keep your children away from this one if you value their sanity!</h1>

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<h1>Read - You get your own bathroom - need I say more? I can bet you are filling out your requests right now, listing Read as #1. Hold your horses though, let me explain a little more. This isn't a full bathroom - you still get to take your showers in the common community-style bathroom, but get this: you get a toilet and sink that your room and your next door neighbor will share. This can't be beat - unless of course, you luck out like I did and end up in a suite with a full bathroom - shower included! I sure thought I had it made coming from the typical dorm room in Foster. Read is very quiet - known for it's upperclass "mature" residents. The only noise I ever heard was the occasional opera singer warming up in her room. No big deal! Plus, there is a nice dining hall, a McDonalds, a Starbucks, and an indoor bike rack. The only drawback I found at Read was the lack of a/c. All I can suggest is bring plenty of fans...you will need them to keep cool or more importantly, help drown out the noise from the garbage trucks that come at all hours of the night. We lived on the 6th floor (funny enough the elevators only go to the 5th floor - great planning, huh?!) above where the garbage and delivery trucks would make their runs. Having a popular McDonalds in your dorm isn't all it cracked up to be. The elevators constantly reek of fries. Unless you thoroughly enjoy that smell...I can't imagine who would. Read has low damage rates and a large library (a definite plus for you parents worried about your child). Once you get the hang of the odd layout of the dorm, you won't want to live in any other dorm. The bathrooms and close proxemity to center campus make this dorm one of the most popular. Situated right accross from the IU Musical Arts Center, you have no excuse to miss one of the thousand musical arts events that go on during the year. I highly reccomend this dorm!</h1>

<h1>Teter - Personally, if I had to redo my freshman year all over again (which many of you will wish you could when you become a senior like me!) I would have preferred to be in this dorm. Actually, come to think of it - this WAS my first choice - GET YOUR REQUESTS IN EARLY - the earlier you get them in, the more likely that you are going to get your first choice. This place has awesome location, renovated rooms (modular furniture and wall-to-wall carpet unlike most dorms) and A/C! You really don't realize what a plus A/C is until you live through the beginning of fall semester. The dining hall isn't too bad - and plus, you are right next door to Wright, which has the largest and yummiest food (in my humble opinion) on campus! The buildings are connected - which is a plus as opposed to, say, Foster - since there you have to go outside and walk across the driveway to get your mail and food - yucky in nasty weather - let me speak from experience! Once again - you will learn to love microwavable dinners...) Not the case here in Teter - there are a series of tunnels connecting everything. This dorm isn't really "known" for anything - the location is ideal - across from the SRSC (student fitness/rec center), near the Business and SPEA schools - and not far from the looming mass of concrete otherwise known as the Main Library. This is a great dorm for freshmen - this gets high marks from my end!</h1>

<h1>Willkie -Not a bad choice aside from the location issue. If you thought Forest was a long walk from the Student Building, try living even farther east in Willkie. If you like to walk though, it's all good! :) The twin towers of Willkie are newly renovated (as of Fall 2000) and they are beautiful! These are apartments instead of typical dorm rooms - larger floor plans make this a popular choice for upperclassmen. The floors are no longer divided by gender - you got it, males and females live on the same floor! You should really check these out - they aren't your typical college dorm. There's a food court, rehersal rooms, an auditorium, and a large computer cluster in the center (main) area the connects the two towers. I don't know too much about this dorm except that everyone that lives there loves it. There's not much of a reputation for this dorm except that many upperclassmen live there due to the renovations and due to the fact that they get to request housing first. (Seniority is definitely key here at Indiana University!)</h1>

<h1>Wright - The location and food court are what draws students to this dorm year after year. Quite an eclectic group of students inhabits the halls of Wright - from the alternative-hippie sort to the greek-like men of the Dodds House (which continually places well in the infamous Little 500 race year after year.) Wright boasts a nice convenience store where you can use your millions of meal points to buy such healthy items as chips, cereal, soup, laundry detergent, cookies, bottled drinks, etc.. Right next to the Main Library and across from the Health Center, Wright sits on one of the main intersections on campus. This is a perfect place for Business, SPEA, Telecommunications, and Education majors - Wright is right smack in the center of all these major schools. It is even near the SRSC and is across from a large parking lot. [Parking is a blast on campus, let me tell you! - find someone with an A or C permit and you'll have it made;-)] The negatives: the damage rates are high - lots of drinking - lots of damaged furniture - but I guess that's typical college life, right? The rooms seem a little smaller than average - but they have wall-to-wall carpeting and new modular furniture - sorry, no A/C. This isn't bad if you are all about getting places quickly - and what college student isn't pressed for time?</h1>

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<p>My son lives in Forest. He says the description is pretty accurate, although the dining room in Forest is only open a couple times a week for an hour or two, so can't be relied upon for daily meals. He does frequent Mama Bear's and T.I.S. The Honors Dorm is also located in Forest.</p>

<p>He also says McNutt is definitely a party dorm, but there are plenty of parties other places, too.</p>

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<p>We were told that Freshman cannot choose a building, only a neighborhood. Is that correct?</p>

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<p>yea i requested a specific dorm and they said freshman onli choose neighborhoods and no dorm buillding.</p>

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<p>O.K. incoming freshmen...now that you've read the descriptions, which neighborhood will you be choosing? The N.W. party central neighborhood...McNutt, Foster, Briscoe? LOL !!!</p>

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<p>I'm just put in my request for the Sport and Society community. It's in McNutt this year, but I don't know where it will be when and if I go there. I just want to be in the sports floor, lol. I think McNutt sounds like a blast.</p>

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<p>i dont kno bout the parties heh but ive applied to the NW neighorbood since most of the freshman are their and better chance of me to get to know kids my age ;)</p>

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<p>Son's friend also accepted to IU has an older sister who recently graduated. Her recommendation to her brother...N.W. neighborhood. Her dorm picks in order (if you could specify): 1-McNutt, 2-Foster, 3-Briscoe.</p>

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<p>Thats what I've heard too.</p>

<p>Anyone know about LC's? Are they worth it, or a horrible idea?</p>

<p>Also the LC I want to join is in the Southwest community also- is that bad?</p>

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<p>I spoke to a friend's frosh D. during winter break who'd just finished her 1st semester. She's in the Fitness/Wellness LLC in Briscoe. She really likes it there, facilities, services, people, etc. and is continuing on for 2nd semester. Only disadvantage she mentioned was no food service in that dorm.</p>

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<p>Are the communal showers in Read individual stalls or is it an open space? I was recently there in the write building and the area i was in had a stall with three shower heads in it, that kind of threw me off!?</p>

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<p>And a tip for getting into a dorm that looks to be full. This comes from experience.</p>

<p>Apply for all the LLCs that are at the dorm that you want. I applied for housing really late, like mid May, so most of the options for a good dorm to me were closed. </p>

<p>So at orientation I applied for 3 different LLCs in Teter and I just got my housing today and I made it in! AC for me even though I procrastinated way to long.</p>

<p>So if all goes wrong apply for the LLCs. I got in Outdoor adventure which should be a nice fit for me.</p>

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<p>Good News for those in McNutt…as I understand it, the dorm has calmed down alot. The reviews were done in late 2005.</p>

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<p>I lived in McNutt last year and honestly it still is a pretty big party dorm. A lot of people started drinking by Wednesday, loud music was a guarantee, and someone threw up in the bathroom more Saturday nights then not. Obviously not everyone on the floor was in this category, but I would say about 90% of people drank at least 2-3 nights a week. And quiet hours were not in our vocabulary. Practically everyone thought 2am on the weekends was ridiculous.</p>

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<p>I’m so glad Teter has a good rep! I can’t wait… tho i’m in the business school and all my classes look pretty far. I wouldnt exactly say it’s right next to it.</p>

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<p>dude, you’re like 5minutes away from the b-school, you can wake up 15 minutes before class starts and make it on time lol</p>

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<p>But as a freshman, not all the classes are in the business school. I’m Direct admit and most of my classes are in ballintine hall or around the Student Union, and I still have Accounting in McNutt. So I was just saying don’t assume that you will be able to wake up and get to class in 15 minutes if you are part of the business school.</p>

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<p>The kelley llc is in mcnutt this year. That is going to calm down mcnutt even more.</p>

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<p>A lot of the business classes are in McNutt this year with the remodel of classrooms.</p>