<p>I have a few questions about Rice housing:
Can a freshman get a single in a Rice dorm? If not, can they live off campus?
If only doubles are available -- how big are they? Does anyone have to sleep in bunk beds (I hate those)?
How good is the a/c?
Are singles ever available on campus to upperclassmen?</p>
<p>I realize that these questions may appear petty to some, but I do like my creature comforts and I do tend to do most of my homework in my room.
Finally, is the housing really spartan -- is there any hint of anything above the minimum. I was really impressed with UPenn's dorms, but would rather go to Rice. However, housing quality could be a tipping point. I hope to visit in the fall, but it's a long way and the first semester of senior year is going to be tough (Ap Physics, Chem, BC Calc, etc.).
Any info. would be much appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>1)maybe
2) you are only supposed to live off campus as a freshman if you are commuting from home
3) rooms vary by residential college, but all are decent size. you don't have to bunk your beds
4) very good
5) yes</p>
<p>I think that some of Rice's dorms have lofted beds, which while better than bunk beds (not someone moving around in a bed attached to yours), would mean that you sleep on something has high as the top bunk.</p>
<p>Rice's dorms vary quite a bit between the different residential colleges, and you get randomly placed into a college. I believe some are fairly standard doubles, but when I visited, I stayed in a suite where there were 2 double rooms attached to a common room with a bathroom (two sinks/showers/toilets) shared with another common room/2 double area. Seemd like a nice setup, but it was a bit cramped with the 8 current students and us 10 visiting students (Owl Weekend). So, uh, don't have 18 people in an 8-person area. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. The housing situation does not seem particularly appealing, which is surprising. I guess most people must study in the libraries?</p>
<p>Actually, if you check collegeprowle r.com, Rice housing is ranked very, very high (it's gone from rank #9 in 2006 to #7 in 2007). The Residential College system at Rice is one of the university's most praised aspects. I'm attending this fall and just got the information on my room. As a freshman, I'm living in a suite with a good sized common room and personal bathroom. (No hallway sharing.) Plus, I have been told that there are maids that clean the bathroom and take out the garbage if you leave it outside every week. Actually, some people say having a such a comfortable suite is less social, because people stay in their rooms more often.</p>
<p>Rice's housing isn't particulary appealing? That's funny, because its among the best and one of the key features of the University.</p>
<p>The lofted beds come apart and can be changed. You may have to ask for help, but my son's bed was over his desk, but they moved it down and evertthing fit well on the ground. He's in Sid and it is very nice and roomy.</p>
<p>Even though they don't encourage it - you CAN live off campus your freshman year even if you are not commuting from home. And - real estate is cheap in Houston (comparatively). So dorm living is not your only option.</p>
<p>i think rice dorms are very good compared to other schools'. i always studied in my room. the things that prevent you from studying in your room are distractions: your roommates, tv, gamecube/xbox, or intruders.</p>
<p>I think Rice does a very good job matching roommates (many people I met when visiting seemed to be best friends with their roommates, much more than at any other school), so I think there's many less roommate horror stories at Rice than at other schools.</p>
<p>Actually, if you check collegeprowle r.com, Rice housing is ranked very, very high (it's gone from rank #9 in 2006 to #7 in 2007). The Residential College system at Rice is one of the university's most praised aspects. As a freshman, you can live in a suite with a good sized common room and personal bathroom. (No hallway sharing.) Plus, there are maids that clean suite bathrooms and take out the garbage if you leave it outside every week. Actually, some people say having a such a comfortable suite is less social, because people stay in their rooms more often.</p>
<p>Rice's housing isn't particulary appealing? That's funny, because its among the best and one of the key features of the University.</p>
<p>there are hall bathrooms as well, but i thought they were fine. it was really no problem and i actually liked it because it didnt get messy. people didnt leave all their stuff in the bathroom. most of the suite bathrooms i saw were full of 4 people's junk all over the sink and bathtub.</p>
<p>Even the worst housing at Rice is better than the best housing at some other schools. You have plenty of living space, and every building has a/c, which is defintely not true of other schools. It's also possible that you were shown some of the better dorms at UPenn. When I visited Rice, I was shown a room in Sid Rich, because that's where my guide was from. Martel has the best housing situation because it's the newest (I'm not sure, but I think that most everyone gets a single), but I'm satisfied with my room in Lovett, which is thought of as having the worst rooms. Though I wouldn't mind having a real window...</p>