<p>We need a definite thread on this topic once and for all.</p>
<p>Please post reviews. Any help is greatly appreciated! Btw, I'm an incoming freshman.</p>
<p>Here is the list of available halls:</p>
<pre><code>Bowles Quad (First Year Freshmen Men Only)
Clark Kerr Campus Single (Transfer / Upper Div. only)
Clark Kerr Campus Double
Clark Kerr Campus Triple
Clark Kerr Campus Single in a Suite (Transfer / Upper Div. only)
Clark Kerr Campus Double Room in a Suite
Clark Kerr Campus Triple Room in a Suite+
Foothill Single Room in a Suite (Transfer / Upper Div. only)
Foothill Double Room in a Suite
Foothill Triple Room in a Suite
Foothill Quad Room in a Suite +
Stern Single (Women only) (Transfer / Upper Div. only)
Stern Double (Women only)
Stern Triple (Women only)+
Stern Double Room in a Suite (Women only)
Unit 1 Single (Disabled Students Residence Program only)
Unit 1 Double
Unit 1 Triple
Unit 1 New Double Mini-suite
Unit 1 New Triple Mini-suite
Unit 1, 2 or 3 Triple in a Suite (Transfer / Upper Div. only) +
Unit 1 Double (Substance Free Environment)
Unit 1 Triple (Substance Free Environment)
Unit 2 Double
Unit 2 Triple
Unit 2 New Double Mini-suite
Unit 2 New Triple Mini-suite
Unit 3 Single (Transfer / Upper Div. only) +
Unit 3 Double
Unit 3 Triple
Unit 3 Double (Transfer / Upper Div. only)
Unit 3 Triple (Transfer / Upper Div. only)
Double in Any Unit
</code></pre>
<p>unit 1 is commonly considered the best of the units. It seems to be in the middle of social/academic priorities, such that you can study when needed, but the place isn't like a giant fraternity 24/7. yet at the same time is near downtown so it offers many places to eat and hang out.</p>
<p>If you want a more quiet place, you would want foothill, stern, or bowles. Bowles hall, though all male, probably gives you the biggest living area, with large closets, bedrooms, and an adjacent study/common room. It also sports a terrific view of Berkeley, if you get an outward facing room. I live at bowles now, and can answer more questions if you have them.</p>
<p>Unit 2 and 3, I hear, are more towards the loud side, but I cannot say for sure because I haven't spent much time at either.</p>
<p>Mini suites are nice, but they run the likely-hood of being more secluded and isolated, because you never really have to leave your suite.</p>
<p>Unit 1 mini suites, while amazingly nice (this is the 2nd year they're open. And the 6th floor has vaulted ceilings/double windows with bay views) are a very different dorm experience. They are usually reserved for sophmores; welcome week will be quieter, less of a get-to-know-everyone-yay-i'm-in-college experience. It kind of follows that same pattern the rest of the year. There's not as much floor bonding as other halls. This can vary, of course, some floors do get pretty close. But for the most part, the mini-suites are much more secluded and isolated. Yup yup, it's hard to force people out of their rooms here...</p>
<p>Whats the difference between the Unit 1 substance free environment and the Unit 1 (just normal?) housing, are they on different floors/different parts of the same building or something, and are the costs for living there different?</p>
<p>Clark Kerr Rooms are nice, but the dorm is far, and I don't think really worth it, I enjoyed Unit 2 when I lived there. I've consistently heard Foothill is dull. Bowles? Guy's dorm, a big frat from what I've heard. Stern? Never met a girl from Stern the entire time I have been here. The Units are probably pretty similar, I don't know much about the newer dorms in Unit 1 or 2, I'll leave that to the younguns among us. </p>
<p>Also, be VERY HONEST on your applications. I dunno for sure if they put gradations for messiness/noisiness now or not, but when I put mine in, it was messy/clean, noisy/quiet, and a few options about when you went to bed.</p>
<p>I listen to music, so I put noisy, and I am an occassional cleaner, so I put messy. ..I got stuck with blasting music every night and rotting food for roommates. So, be very sure to be very clear on what you are, otherwise you might end up in a nasty situation no matter what dorm you are in.</p>
<p>There are tons of places to study. The lounges are typically quiet.
I have friends in each of the units and I would go with Unit 3. Unit 3 is closest, friendly, but still pretty quiet. In triples you also get three closets instead of 2. Unit 3 also has windows that open, while Unit 1 and 2 have suicide-proof windows so they barely open.</p>
<p>I think that anyone who wanted to commit suicide could easily turn sideways and squeeze through the window. The windows are more accident-proof so people won't accidentally fall out.</p>
<p>There are no screens on the windows but they barely open anyway.</p>
<p>I like Unit 3! Very urban, downtown environment. Units 2 and 3 are close too...but there's no other dorm where you can wake up at 10am and get to your 10am class on time.</p>
<p>Foothill Double in a mini-suite: 3 dorm rooms, 1 living room, 1 bathroom.
Bathroom has 4 sinks, 2 shower stalls, and 2 toilet stalls.</p>
<p>Foothill is expensive, mostly unsocial, and far from the RSF (gym). If you're a chem/math/engineering/physics major, then Foothill is about 5 minutes away from most of your classes. If you're a humanities major, then you're likely to develop bestial calves from climbing up the hill in front of Pimental Hall or the stairs behind Hearst Mining.</p>
<p>DC food is either hit or miss. Breakfast is decent at best, but it won't matter since most people can't wake up for them anyway. Lunch is acceptable. Dinner is good or bad depending on the theme. Late night grills is acceptable, but it's slow.</p>
<p>Decent view from some dorms. The top floor in building 3 can see the entire bay. Too bad there is a crane partially blocking the view. Transportation is not bad, because there is a parking lot right across the street. A plus for guys is that Stern is very close. A plus for girls is that you will be seeing some very successful and witty, but nerdy engineers.</p>
<p>There are also some very exclusive parties at Foothill, you need the right connections. You'll be quite surprised by what they have to offer.</p>
<p>I'm assuming the gym (RSF?) has changing facilities? Say I'm in Foothill and I want to work out without walking half way around the world... can I just take a spare change of clothes and change there?</p>