<p>I took a tour of Smith several weeks ago. It is quite nice. Not opulent but very comfortable and well fitted out. Kitchens and gathering rooms on every floor. A room for tutoring, and a place to practice musical instruments. They have just expanded the campus bus system so Smith is on a route. I especially like that they have a room where all the residents can meet at once.</p>
<p>Some of the typical poorly informed citizens were complaining in letters over how the UW could spend so much money on "luxury" dorms when other areas are hurting. Of course they don't understand that like the well-heeled athletic dept., the dorms are entirely self-funded through the R&B charges.</p>
<p>Location counts- none of the courses son will be taking are in the dorms-the special honors courses can be one lecture section only, held in the departmental building; honors can mean math-science or social science-humanities majors, totally different interests. Lakeshore dorms are easy access to the lakeshore path- a runner's dream. The housing subsite of the UW website has a PDF brochure as well as nice descriptions of all the dorms.</p>