Most suitable Dorm

<p>Hi all</p>

<p>I am trying to arrange my dorm preferences. I have my housing application completed on January,so I guess I have a okay chance of getting in my first,at least second, hall preference.</p>

<p>I am a Hong Kong transfer student. I am admitted to College of Liberal Arts. I prefer quiet study atmosphere and hopefully less people share a bathroom. Dinning and distance to class are also important.</p>

<p>Now I have Centennial be my first choice because it opens during winter break. Is it a good choice? Any suggestion?</p>

<p>Thank you so much!!</p>

<p>Oh one more thing!</p>

<p>Does every hall have wireless internet? I heard that some of them are old buildings, so there is no wifi.
I would really like to have wifi in hall!</p>

<p>chokwan…You may want to consider Middlebrook Hall. It is generally considered to be the “most studious” of the dorms, although you will find quiet areas in any of the dorms as well as more rowdy areas in each dorm. The majority of rooms located in Middlebrook are doubles (2 to a room), and 2 rooms (4 people total) share a common bathroom usually located across the hall from the dorm room. They also have suite style rooms where 4 students also share a common bathroom, but the bathroom is located between the two rooms and is private. There are much fewer of the suite style rooms though, and you’ll most likely end up in a double.</p>

<p>Middlebrook is one of 3 dorms that normally stay open during breaks (for a nightly charge) and many students consider its dining hall to be one of the better ones on campus. The only down side given your listed criteria would be its location on the West Bank since many of your classes will probably be in East Bank buildings. There are campus shuttle buses that run between the Banks if you choose to use them, but it only takes 15 minutes to walk from Middlebrook to pretty much anywhere on the East Bank so you might just opt for that instead. FWIW…our daughter lived in Middlebrook freshman year and really enjoyed it, and opted for the walk year round. Between the covered walkway across the Mississippi River and the tunnel system on the East Bank you can minimize time out in the open during inclement weather.</p>

<p>I believe all the dorms do have wireless internet throughout, but Middlebrook definitely does and it works quite well.</p>

<p>You’ll find things you like and dislike about whatever dorm you end up choosing, but at least based on our daughter’s experience I think Middlebrook might be a good choice for you. Good Luck!!</p>

<p>Thank you for your reply! That was helpful!!</p>

<p>Chokwan, I agree with Wolverine that Middlebrook is a place you should consider as it meets almost of all your requirements. I also think ALOT of international students stay there. S lived in Middlebrook his freshman year and liked it, but did not like the distance from the East Bank for nighttime activities. (Wolverine’s daughter was lucky she also had a very mild winter when she had to walk to and from the west bank. Son is a year older and when he lived there it cold and the 3rd snowiest winter on record so he did take the shuttle many times during that winter.) Another dorm you might consider is Comstock. It tends to have more sophomores than freshman, but the location right next to Coffman can’t be beat! However, unlike Middlebrook, the bathrooms are shared by 10+ rooms and the food isn’t as good.</p>

<p>Since the OP is an international student, would he feel more comfortable in a grad student dorm? What dorms house grad students?</p>

<p>chokwan - I don’t know what dorms are open during winter break, but try contacting someone from this international student website:</p>

<p>[U&lt;/a&gt; of M: ISSS ISOP](<a href=“http://www.isss.umn.edu/new/default.html]U”>http://www.isss.umn.edu/new/default.html)</p>

<p>(my son says there were tons of Chinese students on campus last summer, so there must be an open dorm)</p>