<p>Posted this on the UC thread but got no response, so posting here hoping to get some feedback from anyone who may have had some experience with their DD/DS. DD is considering applying to one of the theme dorms but has some concerns. She's looking at the quiet or engineering/tech/science or performing arts dorms? D is going to be a Mech. Eng major (with possible theatre minor) and needs to have a quiet study area but does not want to necessarily have the dorm itself be 'pin drop' quiet. She's a 'theater kid' (tech crew, of course) but is not sure the performing arts would provide enough of a quiet, study environment, and is concerned that the quiet would be too quiet and the engineering, too many like her that would all be stressed at the same time...</p>
<p>i’m a tech theatre kid who wants to go to school for neuroscience and would much rather live with theatre people…they are far more likely to “get” me</p>
<p>My daughter is a junior, CE major. She choose to live in the WISE village at NCSU, and she really liked it. Lots of really smart people there who can help with homework, and you get the scoop on which profs are good, and which ones to avoid, and stuff like that. Also makes getting a study group together much easier, since they are all in the same place. At the end of soph year she decided it was time to move to an apt, but she still rooms with four girls who are also engineering majors. There is lots of studying going on in the apt, but there are lots of partys too, since they are also in the same sorority.</p>
<p>If there is a dorm that is ‘pin drop’ quiet when the students are in residence, I’d like to see it! </p>
<p>My neice chose a theme dorm that sound similiar to the one you describe. She loved it and other than coming home with a bad addiction to playing Rock Star it was great for her.</p>
<p>I think the academic/arts communities sound like great options.</p>
<p>Unless I were going to a party school (which I don’t consider Davis to be), I don’t know if I’d choose a quiet dorm, even in a demanding major. Students often study in the library anyway. I’d like to have the option of lots of socializing in the dorm.</p>
<p>Now, a substance free dorm? That appeals to me more than the quiet option. Fun interaction without drunken antics sounds like a good combination.</p>
<p>My CS major Ds were in ‘normal’ dorms. None of their roomies have been engineering majors. It can work okay not being in a themed dorm but they just have to get used to the idea of generally doing a lot more HW than their roomies are doing if the roomies aren’t engineering majors. They can often do this in their dorm room (headphones help) or could go to the library or other study location. I think some engineering majors could benefit from being around other majors and vice versa. </p>
<p>I question the ‘themed dorm’ idea. It seems that the freshmen would be better off being exposed to kids from all different kinds of majors and backgrounds through living with them in the dorms as opposed to trying to make it too much the same major, race, culture, etc.</p>
<p>haha, when I read the title of this thread, I was thinking about dorms with “jungle” or “beach” themes!!! D will be in a living/learning program, and all the people on her dorm floor will be in the same program (Environment related). I’m excited because it will give her a “group” to feel part of from the very beginning of getting on campus, and she will be doing the kinds of things that she loves.</p>
<p>LOL! If it had been a ‘jungle’ or other ‘theme’ like that, it would totally have been a no brainer for D - she would have been there in a heartbeat!!</p>
<p>My son chose the sub-free dorm for his freshman year, and that turned out to be a great thing for him. It’s a pretty noisy dorm though, lots of kids who stay up goofing off at all hours. He’s made great friends and been very happy there, though.</p>
<p>My daughter is opting for the honors dorm at her college next fall. She was torn between the honors dorm and the creative arts dorm. Finally decided she’s rather have more academic types around because it might make for an evironment where it’s a bit easier to get her work done.</p>
<p>Developing and experiencing diversity is a great long-term outcome for our students but not necessarily the most important one when they are first starting college as freshmen. One of the major goals of theme dorms or living/learning communities is to help students transition to college easier, both socially and academically, and to help them develop a sense of belonging and community during their first year; many studies on this issue suggest that a sense of belonging is a key factor to students college success, and this is one reason why we are seeing an increase on our campuses. One recent report on living/learning communities notes the following:</p>
<p>The report also notes that students in womens engineering L/L communities, in particular, found it easier to transition socially and academically and felt the strongest sense of belonging; they also reported higher levels of confidence in their engineering courses than other female students.</p>
<p>As for which type of dorm the OPs D should choose, it really depends on what her personal interests and needs are. Although the performing arts dorm may provide a more socially diverse environment, it may not do anything towards developing an academic, as well as social, support group that could certainly benefit female students in a predominantly male field.</p>
<p>Thanks, scansmom, for sharing that information. </p>
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<p>Themed dorms were born from requests by students. For kids who, for whatever reason, would not be comfortable in the traditional dorm set up, the themed dorms are terrific. </p>
<p>In fact, my neice wound up with a lot of friends she met in the honors program studying in her room because the regular dorms were too loud and chaotic, pretty much 24/7. I especially applaud the sub-free dorms.</p>
<p>S1 was in the environmental theme dorm at CAL and it was a bit boring. S2 was in a suite at UC Davis, and he mainly studied in his dorm room.</p>
<p>I think the ‘where you study’ is an individual thing. Some like quiet; others like a level of ready distractions (I always studied in cafes)</p>
<p>IMO, the theme dorms are meant to be a social gathering of like-minded folks. Whether your dorm room is quiet enough to study, is the luck-of-the-draw whether it be themed or not</p>
<p>One advantage for an engineering student is that engineering classes often have group projects and living in close proximity makes getting together easier.</p>
There shouldn’t be a need for such a thing - they all should be substance free. I know - maybe too idealistic on my part.</p>
<p>Regarding quiet vs less quiet dorms - this probably has more to do with the way the dorms are designed (traditional dorm vs. res hall vs. apartment style, etc.) and the individuals in them than the major or other interest area although some generalities can be made of certain majors (like engineering) I suppose.</p>
<p>I still think creating too much of a niche environment may not be the best and can be limiting.</p>