<p>Okay, so I'm doing it. I'm starting yet ANOTHER thread asking where I should dorm. These should really be rolled into a single MegaThread. Anyway, the question remains. I'm a transfer, and I'm thinking about putting CAC first, Douglass second, Livingston third, Busch Fourth, and Cook last. I'm an engineering major, and while I know the automatic response is for Busch #1, I'm not so sure. The reason, is that I'm not 100% on living with OTHER engineering majors. Don't get me wrong, some are a cool people, but many just really weird. I'm afraid if I put Busch, I'll get the weirdo who writes in Leet, counts money in binary, and eschews the shower. Is my concern unfounded? I'm afraid they'll see I'm an engineering major and figure I want to be with my own kind. I don't want anything to do with an engineering dorm. It's not like I won't see people in class to work out study sessions with. I'm definitely down for socializing so I put CAC first, and I think Douglass is beautiful, so I put that second. I'm also worried that Livingston will be entirely freshman. I'm in my early 20s and I've been to college before. I might not fit in with people as eager as an entire campus of freshman. Are there many upperclassman on Livingston? I don't think facilities matter as much as the people on the campus. With the buses, even taking the REXB wouldn't be THAT bad, would it? Wow, I wrote more than I thought I would. The later it gets, the more verbose I get.</p>
<p>Look into Demarest on college ave. It has a nice court yard, nice basement study area as well as a small room on each floor, and a great social life as the residence come from all walks of life.</p>
<p>It’s my understanding that there’s a certain amount required participation in the special interest clubs involved in living at Demarest. I don’t have a whole lot of information except that I’m apprehensive to lock myself into an activity or club like that for a whole year in case it ends up sucking. More info on Demarest please.</p>
<p>There are upperclassmen on Livingston. It is not entirely of freshmen. They are housed in the Quads and I believe either the North or the South towers.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about Demarest, but I always associate it with the artsy, fartsy (yet really chill) people. You need to be open minded because you do come across all walks of life, as FindMePete stated. There are sections for sexuality studies, creative writing, music appreciation, philosophy (that is all I can remember). You will be amongst Freshmen through Seniors.</p>
<p>As a transfer, most likely you will be placed on College Avenue (one of the river dorms; Hardenbergh or Campbell) or Douglass (New Gibbons) first. I think that’s a good order you have there in terms of campus preference. So don’t worry about it =)</p>
<p>A few engineers are like that, but there are always bad roommates that you could get paired up with on any other campus. Generally, the kinds of people (or engineers) who fit parts of your description won’t really approach you just because you’re an engineer. They stick to groups of friends they know enjoy generally the same things and don’t expect every other engineer to do the things they do.</p>
<p>I know some upperclassmen living on Douglass who are science/engineering majors, but enjoy living there. So I guess it is tolerable if you like the campus enough. My freshman friends on C/D are moving to Busch next year, though; they see the commute as a hassle.</p>
<p>You also really shouldn’t worry about engineering dorms. The only ones that exist are for freshmen. As a transfer on Busch, you’d likely be placed into a suite/apartment with other transfers who aren’t necessarily engineers.</p>
<p>Anywho, it doesn’t really matter that much where you dorm. It seems like you know what you want from your living space and your reasons for choosing the order you have. Don’t worry!</p>
<p>You will love the location of Demarest for a social life but taking the bus every day to class will wear on you. The section commitment is once a week for the clubs and they are very low key. If you can not attend because you have a study group or something is not a big deal. The are meant to be fun, bonding experiences not work. You can make any place work if you are opnened minded and flexible.</p>
<p>I was under the impression that transfers wouldn’t get suites or apartments, unless of course they were pulled in by request of a current Rutgers student.</p>
<p>Someone I knew was placed in suite as a transfer though he didn’t know anyone so it’s possible.</p>
<p>One of my friends also wanted to be on College Ave freshmen year to party but regretted that decision later on as her floor was drunk pretty much all the time. </p>
<p>I know you mentioned that you didn’t want anything to do with an engineering dorm, but I don’t find Busch people to be a bunch of freaks and geeks. People definitely socialize and party, but they know when to buckle down and study as well. A friend of mine wanted to be on College Ave her freshmen year to party, but later regretted that decision as her her floor was drunk all the time. </p>
<p>I lived on Livingston as an upperclassmen this year in a freshmen dorm. If there’s anything that’s more annoying than drunkards at 4 AM, it’s immature freshmen drunkards at 4 AM. That’s all I have to say about that.</p>
<p>I think Busch is the best choice with a high concentration of science majors living there. It will be able to study with other classmates come exam time. When there’s a big exam coming, it’s like time stops for that that weekend as your whole building studies. It’s kind of a hassle taking a bus from another campus at 2 am in the morning after a study session because the buses come every half hour or more.</p>
<p>Here’s another question on the same vein. I wasn’t going to put in the housing contract and deposit until I got my final financial aid offer. However, the website does say first come, first serve. I figure there is probably a 70% chance I will dorm, even if it means a little bit a debt (<$8k) for that first year. If I commuted, it would take 50 minutes each way. Should I take my chances with my financial aid (EFC=0) and just put in the application now knowing that I will be risking the $200 if financial aid throws me a swerve? How important is it that I get the application in early? I should theoretically get full PELL, full TAG, full FSEOG, and full SMART grants, but no ACG.</p>