Recommendations for freshmen dorms

<p>Can anybody give me some advice on which dorm would be best to apply for? Working on applying for housing now and am having a tough time deciding which one to choose.</p>

<p>My daughter would choose JMAC (Johnson-McFarlane). Even though she was in the Pioneer Leadership Program and got to live there automatically, that’s the dorm she would have applied for. Here’s her opinion on it:</p>

<pre><code> JMAC is so much more centrally located, that for getting to classes and meeting people, I think you’d be better off. Centennial Halls is at the far end of campus: it’s a much farther walk to classes (though closer to the gym & health center). You don’t have to go outside to get to your dining hall, and you’re right across the street from the light-rail. JMAC is about a 15 minute walk to the lightrail (a little over a half mile), but that’s not too bad. Also, in JMAC it’s easier to meet people. There are three halls on each floor on each side of the building (Johnson is one side; McFarlane is the other side - each floor has three halls). There are rooms next to you and across from you. This is key - in Centennial Halls there are only rooms next to you. Even though all freshman halls usually have an open-door policy (if you’re in your room you keep your door open to meet people, make friends, etc), having people living across from you and next to you makes it much easier to meet people. It feels more homey and comfortable. The rooms in Halls are slightly bigger, but, when I visited people in Halls, the size difference was not noticeable. Furthermore, if you do get in JMAC, the closets don’t have doors, but curtains work like a charm. I think Halls has closet doors, though I’m not certain.
If you’re interested in an LLC, I think that’s a great choice. In PLP it was like we already had “build in friends.” Our halls did stuff together (hall dinners, outings), but having that extra bond where you take a class together and live with those same people is an added bonus. I loved that community aspect. I had friends in both the Environmental LLC and the Entrepreuneurship & Creativity LLC. Both really liked them, and thought that the community aspect was great, especially coming in as a freshman and not knowing anyone.
Oh, one more thing to note - there’s a “rival” between JMAC and Halls - no matter where you live, I’m sure you’ll love it.
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<p>Have they renovated J-Mac in the last few years? It was always the preferred dorm when I was there, but that was before Halls got its interior redone. </p>

<p>Honestly, it just comes down to what you prefer. J-Mac is cool in part because it’s a dump, and because the layout is more conducive to socializing. You’re oriented on a wing and directly across from another dorm room, whereas in halls you’re oriented around a square, and everybody’s open dorm room faces a brick wall. If you managed to get a west facing room in Halls you could have a sweet mountain view that would put J-Mac to shame. </p>

<p>If you want a better building, I’d probably go with Halls. If you want a place that’s more conducive to interacting with your neighbors, go with J-Mac. I wouldn’t factor in the distance to class. Most of your freshman year core classes will be in Sturm, and that’s about equidistant from J-Mac and Halls. However, if you’re a gym rat Halls is much more convenient.</p>

<p>They redid JMac last summer.</p>

<p>My daughter lived in JMac last year, but she was in an LLC. She wouldn’t live in JMac unless she was in an LLC. </p>

<p>There are a lot more kids in halls. </p>

<p>Chris, when did you graduate?</p>

<p>9 years ago. I lived in J-Mac freshman year, Towers my junior, off campus sophomore and senior year. I would have liked J-Mac but for my roommate being a drug dealer. How we ever got matched up off a questionnaire is beyond me :). </p>

<p>I predated the living/learning communities. Your choices were coed wing, single sex wing, international wing, honors wing, or quiet wing.</p>

<p>I’m going to the university of Denver in the fall! Im excited. I just got accepted into the ELI Program and we all live on one floor in the halls. Hopefully I will get a nice mountain view. What’s been my issue is the fact that although I like DU, their dorms in general are not that great. Hopefully I will enjoy the experience.</p>

<p>Just remember, the physical dorm space isn’t what makes or breaks your college experience…it’s the people you meet and the activities that you engage in that make your experience.</p>

<p>So don’t worry about it!</p>