I’m hoping someone can give me some insight about the freshman dorms at PSU UP since I’m completely lost! The bottom line is that while having a nicer dorm, location, etc. is important to me, the “freshman experience” and being with other freshmen is my main concern. This is why I would probably put East Halls as my first choice. However, my roommate is more concerned with quality and location and either wants South Or Pollock. So basically, I don’t know what to do now, and I’m hoping I can hear a little about people’s experiences in these dorms to give me some insight. And I’m also wondering things such as, can you still get the freshman experience in Pollock? Are there halls designated for just freshmen in Pollock? Etc. It’s hard for me to make a choice since I’ve obviously never lived on this campus and don’t know what to expect with the dorms yet, so any info about this would be helpful!
I live in honors housing in South and love the quiet and the good location. A compromise between being able to sleep and being able to party would be Pollock.
Pollock has a ton of freshmen…I may be wrong, but it may be all freshman, or at least 90%? Certainly could get the freshman experience there, combined with a slightly more convenient location than East. Pollock isn’t really much nicer than East, but has a great dining hall and is a little closer to classes and downtown. East is getting a new dining hall as we speak, so that will be great. East is crazy close to Beaver Stadium, which is great in the Fall. Don’t let a search for ‘nice’ dorms sway you, no one comes to Penn State for their dorms, they come for the school and the people! My daughter requested East for that ‘freshman experience’, but was assigned McElwain, which is in South right next to Pollock. She was assigned to a triple, which was three freshman girls in a double room, but they love it. The room has a crazy amount of built-in storage, more than even the three of them need. Cool old building too, and great location right next to the HUB. Having two roommates sounded awful at first, but they love it and are sharing one room again next year.
Welcome to PSU, you’ll love it!
This is an old thread – OP is likely finishing up freshman year.