<p>I can try to answer any questions for anyone who got accepted and is considering Union. I'm only a freshmen but I start my third term in a week so I might not be able to answer all your questions but anything about the freshmen experience you're wondering about I can probably answer.</p>
<p>OK, I'll bite:</p>
<p>Where else did you apply (if you don't mind me asking), and why did you pick Union over the rest? This is a big factor for me as Union is pretty close by (and I get homesick easily ;) ) and I loved the campus, but I've been accepted to several other schools and I'm having a tough time deciding.</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>How would you describe the student body academically? Also, is there enough going at Union to keep Schenectady from being an issue? Finally, are any freshman permitted to live in Fox or Davidson?</p>
<p>Coopjust-the schools I was trying to decide between were Union College and Connecticut College. Part of the reason I chose Union was because their financial aid and scholarships were a lot better. I also liked the campus better than Conn Coll where I thought a lot of the buildings looked the same. Union is much older than Conn Coll and has a lot of interesting history and you can see it in the campus. Union also has a great science and engineering program (i plan on studying neuroscience or biology, not engineering). Union also has so many opportunities for research, even for freshmen. Overall I just felt like the administration as there for you and offers so much support. Faculty are easy to talk to, there are so many academic resources, a great career center, and its a lot of fun on campus. I know a lot of people who go to Union who live very close and some of them don't even go home during the term. The trimesters go by very fast and there is always something to do on campus.</p>
<p>jOHN ROSS- Academically, the student body is very strong (the average GPA of incoming freshmen to the class of 2011 was an A-). While at first I was disappointed and found that the students weren't very intellectual, I found that it was because of the classes I was taking. Intro classes tend to be a little bigger (even though my biggest class was no more than ~30) and not as discussion oriented. Even so, most of the students are very hardworking and most professors try to create discussion oriented classes. However, like at most schools, it can be very easy for students to get sucked into the party life and not do so well. Most of my friends, people I know, and I would say most of the student body are able to balance academic and social life very well.</p>
<p>As for Schenectady, the longer I am at Union the less of an issue I realize it is. I find myself going out to Schenectady for dinner or to shop with my friends quite often. Union is trying very hard to create a healthy relationship with the community and I think it is definitely starting to show. Schenectady obviously has some problems but it has never become an issue because there is so much to do on campus and you could probably have enough to do without ever leaving campus( although it might get claustrophobic) .
And finally, Davidson is a Freshmen dorm. Fox is an upperclass dorm but usually they place a few freshmen in the basement (or "foxhole"). I think there are about 5 rooms of freshmen in Fox and they have all become very close friends and find living there is just as good as another freshmen residence.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. I was hoping that Davidson was an option as my S seems to prefer the suite setup to the approach in West. Who lives in the old Ramada Inn and isn't it a bit isolated?</p>
<p>The Ramada is for sophomores and older. It has its own gym, a place to eat, and big rooms that you can control the heat in. Campus safety is also located at college park. It's is actually a nice place to live but you're right that it's a bit isolated. A lot of people avoid living there if they can because it's a "long" walk to campus. Also, some people feel unsafe walking in that area late at night.</p>
<p>One last question - the tour guide told my S that about 75-80% of upper class students live on campus. In days gone by, it was the inverse. Any thoughts on that?</p>
<p>Hey...I got into the LIM program and am probably going to attend...</p>
<p>I was hoping if you could shed some light on the different dorms freshman can live in.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot =]</p>
<p>jOHN ROSS- It seems as if most students live on campus. There are a lot of very nice on campus apartments on Seward Place, along with theme houses as well. I know some people who have apartments amongst the on campus apartments which the school does not own so are probably considered off campus. From what i've seen there isn't much housing in Schenectady that would be appealing to students. One, because of location and two, because Union really is a walking campus and it wouldn't really make much sense to live off campus.</p>
<p>GujuScholar- There are four different possibilities for freshmen housing. I'll give a description of each..
Webster Hall- This is the quiet, focus-study house. It is fairly small and used to be the college's library back in the day. I've never been in there but from what I've heard the rooms are dungeon like ( i have no idea if this is true). Also, "webbies" tend to stick together and are sometimes seen as a "strange" group of people. It's also a the furthest away from everything compared to other freshmen housing. Honestly, I would say that even if you think you might want a study-focused dorm, I would still choose another one. There is a lot of alcohol on campus but you are not pressured to drink at all. Even my friends who don't drink still participate in drinking games with water or other drinks...You also aren't grouped as a "webbie" if you live in another dorm. There are many quiet places to study as well...</p>
<p>Davidson- This is the suite-style housing dorm. There are two doubles connected to a common room. I think there are also some random singles too...This dorm is known as the "party" dorm. This is probably because the common rooms offer a place to host parties. It can get pretty rowdy and the times i've been in there the hallways aren't very clean. There is a lot of vandalism of the bulletin boards, too. The suite-style living does seem nice though and there are study rooms downstairs if it gets too loud in your room. </p>
<p>West College-This is the most centrally located dorm and it is also where the freshmen dining hall is located. Very convenient in the winter when it's too cold or the spring when the sidewalks are flooded. At West the halls are co-ed while in the other dorms, alternating floors are different genders. The rooms have bigger windows that Davidson and Richmond but the rooms are about the same as Richmond. </p>
<p>Richmond House- This is the smallest freshmen dorm. I think it's a good balance between West and Davidson. It's location is better than Davidson but it tends to be a lot quieter (but quiet doesn't necessarily mean boring..I think Davidson's reputation as the party dorm attracts attention to all of the partying going on while you can easily get away with things in Richmond and West). Also, it seems Richmond residents tend to become well acquainted with each other and good friends.</p>
<p>On the topic of off campus housing, students need permission to move off campus. Seniors can typically get such permission and to the extent there are still available slots, others can as well. My understanding is that quite a few upperclassmen do live off campus and that there is housing and it is pretty reasonably priced.</p>
<p>gujuscholar- i just found this on the website...it gives a description of each type of housing on campus. It gives more details about number of residents, etc. than I did and shows pictures, too. </p>
<p>rma</p>
<p>Thanks a lot! I wanted a current student's opinion on the dorms because I'm gonna have to choose a dorm soon enough. I'm deciding between West and Richmond.</p>
<p>personally, i'd go with west. it was my first choice but i didn't get it. having west dining in your building is very very convenient. i'm sure i would have eaten breakfast much more often this past winter if i didn't have to walk there...</p>