roommate finder

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Iowa
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<p>I am an OOSer who just got accepted as a freshman for Fall 2011. If I do decide to go to Iowa, is there an actual roommate finder service they provide? Or how should I go about finding a roommate, because I would rather be able to pick one than just be assigned to one.
Also... what are the best dorms for freshman? I've done a bit of research, but I'd like to hear actual opinions!
Thanks! xo</p>

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<p>Lauren, glad to hear you’re thinking of attending Iowa. I hope it becomes your top choice.</p>

<p>As for roommates, there is no finder, and you’re right in assuming that the procedure UI uses is to randomly assign. You are free to request a roommate (and they’d do the same in turn) but your place in the housing-assignment queue is determined by the SECOND of you to submit housing preferences. So if you apply early (now would be the best time) but your chosen roommate waits until January, your application date shifts to January, which is not good. So if you really want to go this route, I urge you to do so quickly and to stress to the prospective that s/he apply immediately also. As for finding a roommate, the only means I’ve seen for doing so is Facebook.</p>

<p>A lot has been posted on this forum about dorms but I’ll give you my two cents’. Also, I should say that I have a son who just started this fall. Anyway, if you’re admitted to the Honors program, I strongly urge you to make Daum, the Honors house, your first choice. Because the Honors program is huge (23% of freshmen are admitted) there is a wide array of kids, not just eggheads. My son’s friends in Daum are not eggheads (though there are some). They’re basic, down to earth, smart kids who want to learn and have fun. I am very pleased that he’s made this group of friends rather than super-partyers. Of course I have no idea that they are NOT super-partyers, but I’m hoping! :)</p>

<p>Beyond Daum, Burge seems to be the most popular with freshman. It’s very large, it’s on the side of the river where most freshmen classes are, and it houses one of two dining facilities. Our friend on this forum rwehavingfunyet has a daughter there and might shed some light on her experiences.</p>

<p>And like many schools, UI has “living-learning communities” which many of us think are a good thing.</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

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<p>If you want to choose your roommate, your best bet is probably facebook. Join the group Students Admitted to Iowa for Fall 2011 and as the year progresses, more and more people will join and friend each other. That’s how a couple people I know in this year’s freshman class found their roommates. My son is in Burge in a Living Learning Community and he really likes it because the guys in his LLC have become good friends, they’re all in the same major. Burge is good because it’s known as a pretty fun dorm but he’s in a quiet section, also it’s nice to have the dining hall right there. Put your housing application in now even if you’re not sure you’re going to Iowa.</p>

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<p>Lauren – Congratulations on your acceptance! </p>

<p>All good advice here from Izzie and BeastMan. Just a few thoughts to add/reinforce:

  1. Besides the Students Admitted Facebook page, there is a Residence Hall Facebook Page, where you can post questions and get official UofI responses. That site also has a ton of great pictures of all the dorms – let us know if you cannot find it. I think some people use both those sites to find roommates. My D was assigned a random roommate and it worked out great. Picking a roommate can be tricky.<br>
  2. LLC’s can be a great thing, if there is at least one you are interested in.
  3. Some dorms tend to have more sophomores, (Currier/Stanley), so maybe a little quieter
  4. Mayflower is a long walk (or short bus ride), and has suites – so if you want to do you own cooking, it may be good.
  5. Most freshman seem to prefer Burge, Daum, or Hillcrest – then a few go for the others based on location, wanting a quiet dorm, wanting a suite, etc. If you let us know what is important to you, we can probably suggest a few to focus on.
  6. As pointed out, get your housing deposit in ASAP, You can always change preference, so apply now to get your first choice
  7. If you are not on a quiet floor, my sense is that Burge can be pretty crazy – my happy Hawkeye is in Stanley – great location and fairly quiet I think, but many of her friends seem to be in the other east side dorms. </p>

<p>We are very happy with our D’s choice of Iowa, and she seems to be very happy with her choice as well. Let us know if you have any other questions.</p>

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<p>Congratulations,</p>

<p>I will write more but currently limited to short answers:</p>

<p>No roommate finder, probably will have to do random.
Popular freshmen dorms are located in Burge, Mayflower and either Slater or Stanley ( which ever is located on the west side of campus). I am located in Hillcrest and it tends to have a mixture of each.</p>