<p>Hi, I'm trying to finish up my Approaching Stanford-housing options and I wanted to know if someone could give me some information about Frosco? I'm interested in the type of social atmosphere that is associated with the dorm so if anyone could help I would really appreciate it!! Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I LOVED frosoco, and am very very happy to have spent my first two years at Stanford there. What specifically would you like to know?</p>
<p>Well, I really would like to know what type of social atmosphere is associated with the dorm? I've heard that Frosco students tend to be "anti-social" and not only because they are bit farther from the center of campus......I have a feeling that this could be just a bias like many of those associated with SLE. Is there any theme or activity that is special to the frosco dorm?</p>
<p>So, are frosco students just as outgoing as students in other dorms and do they have friends outside of Frosco? Also, since you mentioned that you were pleased to have spent your first 2 years there what made it special to you? </p>
<p>Lastly, is the dorm diverse not only in ethnicity but religiion, too?</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help! :)</p>
<p>I'm also leaning towards FroSoCo... have you found that the distance from campus is a big disadvantage? Also, at Admit Weekend I was given the impression that people in other dorms aren't friends with FroSoCo people because of the distance, etc... does it really hinder meeting people? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I don't really know a whole lot about it, except that it seems like a cool place. Also, one of my friends is going to be a CA there, and she's pretty darn awesome.</p>
<p>I think I'm going to take the chance and apply to Frosco as my first choice!!!! Besides the distance, which in my opinion isn't that daunting, it seems like a nice place to live and really click with other students and faculty.....but if anyone has anymore information I would appreciate your input.</p>
<p>Ppl often say the same thing about Ujamma(african-american themed housing)its pretty far from campus and the ppl tend to be cliquish..Knowing that..next yr im just going to make an effort to not fit into that steortype and try to meet as many ppl as i can..so dont let what youve heard define ur experience...define ur own..ok ill stop lol</p>
<p>Uj isn't far from campus at all. It's near several other dorms where freshman will be living. FroSoCo, even though it isn't <em>that</em> far from Uj, Roble, etc., is far enough a way that people think of it being far from campus. That means that students are very unlikely to visit with you in FroSoCo. You need to be willing to visit them. That may not seem like a big deal, but I know of many instances where sophomores who used to be very close friends live closer to one another than FroSoCo is to most dorms and just haven't seen each other at all this year. Location matters a lot more than you may realize.</p>
<p>Hhhmmm....well that seems more like a priority than distance issue. If one lives that near to close friend and cannot find time to visit with one another, then maybe the distance factor is not really the complicating issue. </p>
<p>Also, it seems like a majority of the students at Stanford ride their bikes almost everywhere....it can't be more than a 10-15 minute ride to the center of campus?</p>
<p>Are there more factors that might dissuade a person from wanting to dorm in Frosco?</p>
<p>Seriously, Frosoco is a pretty good deal. Let me summarize:</p>
<p>Advantages:
1) Best rooms on campus
2) Great sense of community
3) Aspects of both all-frosh and four-class dorms
4) Opportunity to stay a second year, and thus avoid getting shafted by housing
5) Know John Bravman</p>
<p>Disadvantages:
1) Dining hall is closed on Friday/Saturday (not really a big deal, you just go to Lagunita. FloMo has the same situation)
2) Far from East Campus</p>
<p>My opinion:
Even if you did live on East Campus, you're still going to be hanging out with the people in your dorm more than anything else. The excuse that "Frosoco is too far" is mainly people trying to find something bad to say about Frosoco. I think Frosoco does feel isolated because there are no other freshman dorms that share the dining hall. True, there are people who do make friends in East Campus and would prefer to hang out with them. But there are also people that live on East Campus and wish they lived in Frosoco.</p>
<p>People don't talk about this as much, but Frosoco is at least as close to classrooms, especially the science/engineering buildings, as the rest of campus. It is, however, relatively far from Green/Meyer Library.</p>
<p>And if you don't like it, you don't have to come back the next year.</p>
<p>Thanks qvdp!!! :) I think I'm pretty much hooked to the idea of living in Frosco!!!!! Do you happen to know if it relatively hard to get into-I marked it as my first choice for housing preference.</p>
<p>qvdp, are you a student here? I've never heard of students on east coast ever wishing they lived in FroSoCo... </p>
<p>SIRIUSLYsaucy422, trust me, the distance factor is an issue. The students I'm talking about don't live next door to one another or across the street, just close to each other than FroSoCo is to most dorms. Given that FroSoCo is on the other side of campus for anyone in east residences, that's not really saying a lot in terms of how close the dorms are. Distance really is an issue. It may not be that far, but other students are lazy and think of FroSoCo as being far and are therefore unlikely to ever visit you. If you are willing to visit them, that's fine. It's far enough from dorms that you wouldn't just bike over to see if your friends are there, but would need to fall ahead of time. Given that there are 8 all-frosh residences on east campus, plus several 4-class dorms, and then 3 all-frosh residences on south campus plus a few 4-class dorms, a lot of students won't be living all that close to FroSoCo. Those in Roble and Lag aren't too far, so you will probably see them at meals on the weekend. Distance really is an issue, a pretty big issue. It seems that logically it shouldn't be at all, but it ends up being an issue for every student I know here.</p>
<p>^ This is true, and as a result there's not much interaction between students living in FroSoCo and those living elsewhere. I'm sure the sense of community is wonderful, and the rooms are pretty nice from what I've heard, but the stigma really stems from the isolation factor. Even the people I know living in FroSoCo right now acknowledge this fact (and my friends in FroSoCo are living there next year as well). I'm not trying to sell you on anything, but the distance is a factor, and your experience in FroSoCo will be socially different from that of the rest of campus.</p>
<p>Concur with marlgirl; distance is incredibly important, and it's not just a matter of priorities. If someone is in my dorm complex, sure, not a problem. But when someone is a 10-15 minute bike-ride away and it's 10 at night and cold, I'm not exactly inclined to run out there and visit when I know I'll probably only stay there ~15-20 minutes.</p>
<p>I have a "little sib" living in FroSoCo; I live in Stern, and while we've met up and done activities and stuff with our "sib family", I've visited her once this year, and that was for her birthday. She lives in Adams, and when I walked in, all the doors were closed, you could've heard a pin drop, and it wasn't very well lighted to boot. It was fine in the rooms, but it just didn't give a great sense of over-all atmosphere. I really do hope it's different on most other days, at least, my little sib likes it and she plans to stay there another year.</p>
<p>And in regard to the points brought up by qvdp:
1) they're not the best rooms on campus; they're pretty good deals for freshmen, but Roble definitely took the cake this year because the quads got turned into doubles
2) an "ok" sense, at best, really; I definitely don't hear great things from my little sib or others I know living there about bonding with everyone; the main advantage they quote is "it's quiet"
3) I guess this is true; it's definitely a unique dynamic
4) yes, but this is a moot point since the draw is random; you might well get shafted even in your preferred year
5) Unless you're an MS & E major or interested in business, I dunno that this is such a spectacular advantage? Maybe. <em>shrug</em> Besides, just cuz you live with a faculty member doesn't guarantee you're going to get to know him.</p>
<p>Thanks jwj, marlgirl, and xredcomet! Your information is very insightful and I think I will go along with your advice, especially because you guys do live on campus, so you would know more than me. :::::)))))</p>
<p>I think I'll just choose a 4-class dorm as my first choice and hope that I get into Stern, Wilbur, or Roble. Could you guys perhaps comment on those dorms or should I peruse the Housing Thread?</p>
<p>Stern and Wilbur are pretty much the same in terms of 4-class dorms. Wilbur's just a bit further off from campus, but it's the complex right across the street from Toyon/Manzanita Park. They're ~1/2 frosh, 1/2 upperclassmen, with a few exceptions like Serra and Zapata. They range in size from around 60-90 peeps.</p>
<p>Roble's gimongous, it's 300 people living together. It's basically like a combination of Branner and Kimball or something. If you're not used to living with a bunch of people, I actually wouldn't recommend this, since it's almost always kinda noisy (and the place raises more hell than Branner on some weekends, I swear), and so it's closer to Branner in terms of craziness.</p>
<p>Hey, qvdp, are you in FSC now?</p>
<p>And, marlgirl, you know who I am and you know that I've loved FSC. So you do, in fact, know one student "wishing they lived in frosoco." ;)</p>
<p>Might I all point you to the website for further information: frosoco.stanford.edu</p>
<p>Anyway, as a current frosocoan, let me pitch in with two quick thoughts:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Distance hasn't been a problem for me, even after two years. From my dorm room to any part of the engineering quad is a 3-4 minute bike ride -- in fact, I think we're closer to the engineering side of things than any other freshman dorm (except Roble?). If I'm in class at the Quad, it takes almost the same amount of time to bike to FSC as it does to Wilbur or Stern (this may be because I've just optimized my route back home, however).</p></li>
<li><p>The community is amazing. We have the best website, for one. :) Many alumni continue to come back to the Friday bbqs (I certainly plan to). Yes, there's a dual perception by the rest of the campus of "too far away; not enough social life." But the people who tend to be in frosoco all seem to have wanted the intellectual/community life over the perceived risks of distance/social life. I've had zero, repeat zero, problem making some amazing friends both inside FSC and out. And it's nice to go party on the Row and then come back to a nurturing home.</p></li>
<li><p>quick response to jwj:
1) they might not be the best rooms on campus, but they're pretty good. guaranteed two room doubles for the first two years is more than what i've seen from a lot of other people. and not having to enter the draw is a spectacular luxury.
2) see my point about community above
5) you see bravman multiple times a week, at his house, in his backyard, in barbequeues, for dinner, etc. it's pretty hard NOT to get to know him. and it's great to feel like there's at least one senior faculty member who you've had close interaction with.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>we have dean's dinners where 6-10 of us eat with a superstar faculty member and learn more about the department/major. and dean's lunches with bravman at the faculty club. and weekly barbequeues. the list goes on.</p>
<p>Huh, I guess it's just the dual-opinion thing like SLE. Interesting.</p>
<p>I guess I'm just in different circumstances and enjoying them...I'm actually really glad I entered the draw, since I got a single as a sophomore. I'll be getting another single next year. I'm a two minute walk from the libraries, Tressider, the Post Office, Bookstore, etc. I guess relative to FSC I am farther from the techie buildings, but I like biking past the oval and stopping to take a nap :-P And community's pretty good where I'm living, too. And I guess I'm not so enthused about living with faculty because I know I can get great interaction with faculty and business leaders through ETL seminars and the like. I'm actually sponsoring a graduate course because I've been fortunate enough to meet some great faculty.</p>
<p>One thing I am really curious about though: did you have to make an effort to visit others in Lag/East campus, or did others come visit you? I definitely think distance to friends is a bigger deal than distance to classes, so I want to know how it worked out for you. Thx.</p>
<p>Sorry to go off topic, but I was wondering if Wilbur or Stern have triples and if they have sinks in their rooms like Roble and Ujamma?</p>
<p>I'm also interested in the answer for jwj's question!!! Marlgirl stated that distance was and probably would be a big issue because friends would not always want to visit so far away.....</p>
<p>Wilbur and Stern have pretty much exclusively one-room doubles. No sinks in the rooms.</p>