<p>So my dorm literature just came in the mail yesterday, and though I am still waiting on a few other schools, UW is very high on my list so I want to send everything in ASAP. I am having a problem, though, deciding between Lakeshore and Southeast locations! I guess I have over researched, but there seem to be such drastically different opinions on the two locations. Lakeshore dorms are apparently much nicer, but a tedious walk away from campus and filled with antisocial quiet kids, while large dorms like Sellery and Witte are loud and cramped.
Now I do plan on partying quite a bit at school, but I'm not sure that I would want to live in one! Is there really any truth to the stereotypes or do things change every year? I guess my ideal dorm would be the most laid back Southeast dorm or the most social Lakeshore dorm. Any suggestions? Thanks for all the input...</p>
<p>I heard the same thing on collegeclicktv.com.... located under videos for University of Wisconsin- Madison. Found it very useful information.</p>
<p>I'm waiting to get accepted, but my sister is a junior at UW. She stayed on the lakeshore her first 2 years in Bradley and Adams. Both had medium sized dorm rooms (Sellery is very small, barely 8 feet across), but Adams had mostly single rooms and was quiet whereas Bradley is a learning community and had lots of activity. She works at the dorm front desks this year and gave me a tour of Ogg, Smith, and Sellery. I would have to say that Ogg and Smith are definitely worth the upcharge. The rooms are very spacious, lots of closet space, and have fewer people/bathroom. As for partying I don't know about Ogg, Smith, or other SE b/c I toured in the summer. As for walking from lakeshore, the walk isn't that bad. We used to park by Adams Hall and walk to Camp Randall for football games and the walk is no more than 10 minutes.</p>
<p>There really is truth to the stereotypes. Witte and Sellery are the party dorms. I personally wouldn't recommend Smith or Ogg. Sure they're nice but you won't really meet any one. One of my friends absolutely hates Madison because they haven't met anyone on their own floor and now they are dropping out after this semester. Either way, you probably won't be able to get a room in the new dorms. Craziest lakeshore = probably liz waters. calmest SE = probably chadbourne.</p>
<p>Rank your priorities based on the differences you note in the online and brochure info. A pattern should emerge, rank your dorms accordingly. Is location, being near the water, being near State St, old/new, large/small building... most important to you? There sometimes seem to be too many choices, but wherever you end up there will be pros and cons. Eons ago I wanted (and got) lakeshore dorms- I wanted to be closer to nature and also chose one of the then newer dorms. Some of the people I ended up being good friends with made other choices, living in a dorm I disliked (Barnard- the oldest dorm on campus). You need to decide what is most important to you. Also be aware that, presuming you decide to attend UW, you will get a chance to revise your list next spring.</p>
<p>S is a freshman and is living in Liz Waters. Room is big, a bit weathered but he loves it. Partying/drinking is everywhere. Seems like a good mix in Liz though.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help. Looks like Liz will be at the top of my list.</p>
<p>You and many other people's #1 choice. I believe last year, or in 2006 it was most requested.</p>
<p>Does anyone know how UW prioritizes dorm requests? Our daughter just got accepted and the school is high on her list, but she won't be making any commitments until she hears from other schools in the spring. If she doesn't accept the offer until spring will it hurt her in the lottery, or is she better off accepting now?</p>
<p>As a grad and a parent of a student that was admitted but chose another route. Get you housing application in as soon as possible to get into the draw. Everyone is placed in the draw, if you wait until after the deadline for the draw you will not get into Residence halls. In 2006 it was a $50.00 deposit sent in with your choices and is fully refundable if you end up in April declining the admit. On the literature I believe there was a card that you send into Res. Hall showing that you will not be attending and then in a few weeks the refund showed up. Good insurance to get a space.</p>
<p>We spent a lot of time going over options and going to Madison to view the options - not necessarily inside tours unless we knew a resident but to see locations and walks to the area of campus where he would most likely be studying. (25 years of my memory was not good enough for the boy!) LOL everything I recommended before we went ended up being his choices after seeing first hand.</p>
<p>He thought Lakeshore had much more character and not really a pain to walk to classes or the Library or even State Street. He likes Kronsage the best and then Bradley and third Chadbourn. The rest were down the line lakeshore then Liz then southeast. </p>
<p>In my day the southeast dorms had the party atmosphere more so than the area of lakeshore that I lived (Slichter and Tripp) Liz has historically (at least for women) been the most requested dorm. Very Sorority minded at the time - that probably has changed with the dorm going coed.</p>
<p>Thanks! This is extremely helpful.</p>
<p>The first coed dorms included Cole fall of '72, Liz finally went coed fall of '06- making it easier for guys to get in that year as there were none returning- my mother and son lived there, I wouldn't because it was isolated from guys' dorms in my day. In my mother's day girls were into sororities, in my day they were at a low point, the general feeling in the dorm was only women who needed them, unlike the rest of the independent women, were interested in them- those were the women's lib days. </p>
<p>In May the computer will randomly assign all students with dorm contracts a ranking from 1 to whatever then go down the list and make best fit assignments based on the student's latest dorm choice rankings- there is no advantage to having your contract in first or last, as long as it is in by the deadline you are given.</p>