Talk to me about the Residence Halls

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
1

<p>Son got a nice brochure in the mail yesterday and a contract to sign for housing. The brochure explains, among other things, the different residence halls (dorms). Assuming he will attend UW, where to start?</p>

<p>Best & worst dorms? What about locations? We haven't visited yet but we'll definitely check out the proximity of each of the halls to various areas of campus. He's planning to major in journalism but since students don't declare a major until late Sophomore year, that probably has no bearing on his room preferences right now - or does it?</p>

<p>He's not a partier, more into politics than sports. Near food would be preferable. Will not have a car.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>Start with the residential colleges like Chadbourne. Also Smith and Ogg are brand new and well located for liberal arts kids. Of the older ones the nicest is Elizabeth Waters which has a good location.</p>

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<p>Totally opposite recommendations from above. BTW, virtually no one has a car on, or off, campus- the infamous student parking- Lot D - is at the far west end of campus, good for commuters but farther from things than nearby off campus housing. First off, like they say in the brochure (can view it online, btw, for parents whose children don't share) remember Res Halls is the on campus dorms, not the private one with University in its name. All the dorms have food nearby- and everyone can eat in the dorm food service places, anywhere on campus, the dorm residents pay less via money put on their student ID (parents don't need a password to add funds, only to view expenditures!). There is a free campus bus, although it may not be convenient to use in between classes- and students get a free City of Madison bus pass. You can read the SOAR brochure online for all sorts of other info as well, but parents still should plan to attend the orientation in summer, the parent program is separate from the students' and worthwhile.</p>

<p>There are the two main areas as per the Res Halls brochure. Liz and Chad do have dining rooms but are farther from their respective almost all hours places than the other dorms. The main decison is lakeshore versus southeast- country vs city put extremely. Then there's new/newer vs older, high vs low rise, special communities, location to types of classes. I would put party atmosphere last on my list. Students get used to walking a lot so I would not eliminate any dorm based on location and distances- instead I would focus on whether or not living in the midst of city traffic or being close to the trees and grass along the lake replenishes one's soul (I chose lakeshore eons ago for that reason, despite friends in the opposite area). Finances may play a role- upgrades to a single, air conditioning, special programs... do cost more, plenty of students thrive in and/or prefer the other dorms. </p>

<p>Do remember to pay attention to rankings, if the most popular dorm is first choice obviously the chances of getting it go down (but rank it first anyhow, many will get their first choice). You will have a chance to revise your rankings in the spring if it is like the past two years. Also, there is no dorm catering to Honors students, they live all over, based on other preference factors. Lakeshore may be quieter than Southeast, but partiers will be found everywhere- this a first taste of freedom for freshmen... Remember, all dorms will be full of students who chose UW so everyone has a lot in common to begin with. Specific dorm only information such as who is taking the same classes is available to residents to facilitate finding people to study with, along with the dormm class sections. The worst dorm was the old Ogg, torn down and replaced for a reason (the oldest dorm on campus was built in 1913, Barnard, obviously well maintained, but not my style)- each dorm will have the same basics but the diferences are in details. All have the same food service (minor variations with kosher at Chad now) so you can't rate the dorm by its food, especially since you can eat anywhere. Also, they even have pizza/sub delivery to each dorm (for lazy/busy/too cold..and one flat fee) so you don't even have to leave your building.</p>

<p>It is a hard decision because each dorm is different, but for every advantage one specific building has you can find a different advantage in another. Some rooms/floors in any building will be "better" than others, but you don't choose a specific room as a new student. They have reserved half the rooms in each dorm (exceptions- the two all freshmen/nonfreshmen dorms) so the most popular ones are not overloaded with returning students (some dorms/floors may have mostly freshmen). No matter where one ends up it will work, and keep in mind that one's best college friends are most often met in common classes. Don't agonize over the choices, decide which features take priority and the list will go fast.</p>

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<p>which one is closest to the stadium lol?</p>

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<p>Probably the Lakeshore dorms but not really close. All are about half to .75 miles which is a nice walk on a Saturday in the fall.</p>

<p>And I Think Chad has a primo location just blocks from everything--library one block, Union one block, Bascom Hall one block, State Street 2 blocks. Most liberal arts or business classes--one-two blocks. Kohl Center Arena and SERF--two blocks. Art museum one block. Playhouse and Music Hall one block. Can't beat that with a stick.</p>

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<p>Liz Waters is a great location with larger rooms and more ambiance than Chad- close to lakeshore, etc... Nonelevator living. The Res Halls website has tables of distances from each dorm, room dimensions, lofting guides... but each person has to decide which features are most important to them. The distances between classes can't be controlled by your dorm choice and may be more important time wise, a few extra minutes to point x but spending your free time in the atmosphere you prefer... Good luck and don't worry about your dorm choice rankings to all incoming students.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your comments. I'm thinking Chadbourne or Elizabeth Waters looks good (the College P**wler book incorrectly states Liz as being all female!). We will check the dorms while we are there and go with S's gut feelings. The housing contract must be postmarked by Feb. 1 and we will be there a few days before that, so the timing is great.</p>

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<p>Liz was all female until this year.</p>

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<p>OK, well that explains it, then. I'd guess it's still predominantly female, then?</p>

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<p>Chad is centrally located but the rooms are very small...Liz Waters has bigger rooms...</p>

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<p>Liz became coed last year-fall 2006- meaning half of the dorm for each gender (due to the architecture this means 4 of the 5 attached buildings are coed by floor- one central bathroom per floor, and the center building, split by the middle public areas on its floors, has 2 bathrooms per floor, one in each wing, therefore coed by wing, I believe). Beware of the unofficial books trying to tell about dorms. Remember the story about the blind men and the elephant- they only get one perspective, one that may completely mislead you. Actually, it was easier for new men than women to get into Liz in '06 because 50% of the dorm was set aside for men and there were no returning men wanting their last year's room whereas all the women returning to Res Halls had half as many spaces available to them as in previous years (confused?). But from '07 on the chances are the same. Son got lucky and got Liz as a freshman, much better room his second year- as a distance runner he sure didn't get any exercise walking a maximum of 2 blocks to his farthest class last semester.</p>

<p>First decision to make is Lakeshore or Southeast. Then rank those dorms in order of preference. Decide if any of the special programs are desireable and rank them at the top of the list. You may want the "residential college" on lakeshore- can't do it, though. The smaller lakeshore dorms may give the features that attract you to Chad. I think they may have put some of the programs in certain dorms to make them more attractive - they did not make Liz a residential college... Also Adams and Tripp with their mostly single rooms lend themselves to some programs (there are reasons Bradley is all freshmen and a dorm with mostly singles no freshmen...). Knowing the locations and architecture of the many buildings I can see where Res Halls has equalized the desireability of various dorms- therefore the choice becomes what suits your personality/needs, not which dorm is best or worst.</p>

<p>I still remember my rationale for choosing my first choice dorm- lakeshore, dining was coed (no coed dorms until mine was one of the first sophomore year, and could eat anywhere back then, but knew would probably eat most meals close to room), newer, low rise... I wanted Cole, my first roommate transfered to Liz ASAP. Go through the same process of elimination. Remember to put your least favorite dorms last, the "couldn't care either way" ones in the middle. I think most get within their first 6 choices. If you really want Liz, put it first, but don't set your heart on it as it is one of the dorms many will rank first. Most people will find themselves willing to take the building in the Lakeshore or Southeast just to be in that area before choosing the particular dorm. Compare it to buying (renting, it's only for 9 months) a house- location, location, location... Different people place different values on different locations- proximity to the lake may rank high, or proximity to State St... And maybe you get stuck with dorm X, but so will some of your dorm mates, you will have something in common.</p>

<p>I have my favorites, but they are meaningless to everyone else unless you like exactly the same things I do (my best college friends lived in Barnard, I walked across campus to their dorm so many times instead of living there because I disliked it, whereas they liked the old building character- and we walked to Picnic Point from my dorm...). Parents, remember it is your child, not you, who will be living in the dorm, they may want modern even though you chose a tradtional house... There are no bad dorms, just variations. Final thought- aren't you glad you get to choose instead of being assigned as at some schools?</p>

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<p>Addenda- Res Halls actively makes changes to optimize the dorms- at our parents' SOAR session one parent asked why they didn't have urinals in the men's bathrooms. The speaker replied "do you have urinals in your home?" and that by not having them it gave them more flexibility in deciding where to put men and women (and all women would rather have that extra stall than a mysterious covered space in the bathroom). In my eons ago experience and currently I have seen the changes from year to year.</p>

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<p>Lakeshore is much much calm and peaceful. It's quiter. The SOutheast dorms (Sellery, Ogg, Witte, etc.) are right in the city streets. You step outside onto a busy street. So if you'd like the city atmosphere, go with those. If you like quiter, with lawns and the lake right there, then go with Lakeshore. I live in Liz Waters, which is actually away from the other Lakeshore dorms a bit, and it is AMAZING! In my opinion, the best location on campus. Closer to things than Lakeshore but not all the way in the city.</p>

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<p>Lucky101 sent my son an email about their new "dorm." It sounds intriguing. Anyone have firsthand info?</p>

<p><a href="http://www.liveatlucky.com/101/index.php%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.liveatlucky.com/101/index.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Glanced briefly at the link- location would put it in the Southeast dorm area. The building is under construction now. There will be none of the Res Halls amenities- their food service, class sections, Housefellows... Compare it to the other private dorms, you might prefer new to old off campus dorms (the dorm will technically be off campus because it will be on private property). UW is the type of campus where not everyone lives on campus- that is the decision you have to make. I'd be willing to bet that most instate students will still prefer Res Halls, an OOSer may find it easier to mix with the locals by choosing to live on campus. Uwbball had a nice contrast for Lakeshore vs Southeast.</p>

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<p>Addenda- did some further checking. The food service pricing they refer to is inaccurate- Campus Cash is not the same as the food service pricing through Res Halls, it is the part of the Wiscard every student can utilize. Also, all the functions, services they list are the ones available to ALL students, regardless of where they live (they will have "RA"s, unknown training and quality). There is an extensive set of rules for Res Halls, a private dorm will have the law, but how do they handle infractions of their rules? The amenities are nice, you pay extra for them. Notice- housekeeping is "available", presumably at an exta cost. Historically Res Halls has filled whereas the private dorms still have vacancies for fall in the summer. Once you sign a contract you are committed, for Res Halls the only way out of it is to not attend UW. If you want the traditional on campus living stick with Res Halls, for more upscale living there are other options, as always.</p>

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<p>As an OOS student many kids from OOS do focus on the private dorms--especially those with UW parents. Towers and Statesider are now getting second generation residents. While I think on average the private dorms are a little better--more private rooms for one--you probably won't meet many local kids through the dorms. Whether that matters is up to you. I fealt more instant kinship with the other OOS kids. Even for my one semester in Witte.</p>

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<p>Part of the decision- do you want to separate yourself or live with the masses in Res Halls? OOS students are definitely welcome in the dorms, you learn a lot outside the classroom...and rich to poor will be there.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all of your comments! I think my son would prefer a quieter location (Lakeshore or Liz). We'll check them out when we visit in January.</p>

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<p>I highly recommend Liz. I am a current habitant there and can attest to its amazing location, and just how great it is to have a dining hall down the hallway.</p>