<p>Hey everyone, I will hopefully be attending Berkeley this fall and I have some questions regarding the dorms. I had always assumed I would want to live in one of the units because they are great in terms of location, and I have heard they are the most fun and social. I was speaking recently to a family friend, who is currently a freshman at Berkeley, and he strongly advised me not to apply for one of the units because he says most of the people living in the units are very odd and foreign, and while they are social, it is a very different kind of social. I'm not sure what to do now, because I am not sure what info to listen to. I am white, social, and big into sports and the like (definitely different from your average valedictorian; more of the work hard, party hard type), and don't get me wrong I have some great friends who are Asian, Indian, etc., but I would definitely want to choose a dorm where I will fit in best. Any suggestions from current Berkeley students on which dorm would most likely be the best fit for me? I know many of the other dorms are considered "nicer" than the units, but I'm definitely not the kind of kid who needs 5-star luxury. I'm basically just looking for the dorm that I will have the most fun in/where I'll fit in best. Thanks!</p>
<p>Your friend is severely misinformed. The Units are full of “normal” people, and very social. Perhaps he just had a bad floor or something…</p>
<p>Yeah… don’t take that seriously at all. I lived in Unit 3 for two years and there were maybe 3 international kids total. You sound like you would fit in best at the units.</p>
<p>Awesome, that is what I was hoping to hear. Any suggestions on which Unit is best overall? I know one is a bit farther away from the main action (I think Unit 2?), but I also remember hearing that one is the “nicest” or has the best food or something? Also, I’d appreciate any suggestions regarding doubles vs. triples vs. suites etc. Some friends at USC say that there a triple is only one more person but has twice as much space as a double, is the same true for Berkeley?</p>
<p>Your family friend sounds like a ******bag. People in the units are not “odd and foreign”. Having lived in the units for more than a year, I’ve only met 2-3 international students and they are pretty normal like everyone else. </p>
<p>Unit 2 is furthest from campus. Unit 1 and 3 are about the same distance from campus, just depends on which buildings your classes are in. Unit 3 is also closer to the RSF (gym/bball courts etc). </p>
<p>Dining Halls:
Unit 1 and 2 share Crossroads.
Unit 3 has Cafe 3.
Crossroads has greater variety of food but food at Cafe 3 imo tastes better. Crossroads has late-night as well which is nice. Cafe 3 is closed from Fri-Sun but Crossroads is open 7 days a week.</p>
<p>Doubles and triples are the same size. In a triple, one of the beds is lofted with a desk for 2 people underneath and the other is a double-decker bed. In a double, you just have 2 beds (you can get them lofted to maximize space)and 2 desks. Get a double if you value your space and you don’t mind paying that little extra. I don’t think freshmen have much luck getting into suites, but thats just what I hear.</p>
<p>The high rise buildings in Units 1, 2, and 3 have fairly small rooms; 13’2" * 13’9" for either double or triple rooms. More information:</p>
<p>[Living</a> at Cal - Fall Freshman](<a href=“http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/fallfreshmen.html]Living”>http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/fallfreshmen.html)
[Living</a> at Cal - Tours](<a href=“http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/room_tour.html]Living”>http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/room_tour.html)</p>
<p>I completely agree copperback, I was extremely surprised when he said that…I guess he must have had a bad experience or something. I had heard nothing but fantastic things about the units up until then, and I appreciate the feedback! I looked at some of the tours and from what I’m gathering I’d probably want a double, three people in that size room seems a little cramped. It seems like all 3 units have some pros and cons, just curious though, is Unit 2 a significant distance further from campus than Units 1 and 3 or is it relatively minimal? Seeing as Units 1 and 2 share the same dining hall and Unit 2 is farther from campus it would seem like Unit 1 would be more logical overall?</p>
<p>What makes a suite different from a regular dorm? Do suites cost extra? I don’t know much about housing.</p>
<p>When people make comments about the social environment of the dorms, just keep in mind that the population is very volatile and changes year to year, especially when most people move out after their freshman year, and very few people remain after sophomore year. Hence, the environment and type of people you find is dictated solely by the features of the dorm and the type of people those features would attract.</p>
<p>Unit 3 is low cost, located in the center of action (where all the south-side restaurants are), and close to where most freshmen general ed classes will be held (Dwinelle, Wheeler, VLSB).</p>
<p>Unit 1 is a little towards the east of Unit 3 and is thus a little bit further away from the action. However, it’s just two blocks away – little difference if you ask me. Go two blocks further south, and you have Unit 2.</p>
<p>Keep on going southeast for a total of five blocks, and you get Clark Kerr Campus, which sits just south of fraternity/sorority row. Those dorms are extremely nice as they have large rooms and have been recently renovated. However, at this point, it’s a 20min walk to class.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, on the other side of campus and completely away from all student life is Foothill, which sits quietly on a hill right next to all the engineering buildings. No, you probably won’t have classes in any of those buildings until your second year. However, unless there’s a concert at the Greek Theater, it’s a great place to study.</p>
<p>In terms of suites vs regular dorms: suites have an extra door before your common area, so it’s like sharing a large apartment without kitchen. Regular dorms just consist of rooms in hallways.</p>
<p>Based on your description, I think you should pick a Unit 3 Double.</p>
<p>Exactly what I was thinking excelblue. Thanks for all the info guys…just one last question. Is Berkeley housing priority based on first come first served? If not how is it determined?</p>
<p>Note, however, that two blocks east or west is bigger than two blocks north or south.</p>
<p>I.e. Unit 1 is further from Unit 3 than it is from Unit 2. Take a look on a mapping web site.</p>
<p>As far as the location of courses, the common places are:</p>
<p>Humanities: Dwinelle
Biology: Valley Life Sciences Building
Math: Evans
Physics: Le Conte
Chemistry: Pimentel / Latimer
Psychology: Tolman</p>
<p>However, huge lectures can be anywhere they can find space. Wheeler Auditorium is a common place for Economics 1 lectures.</p>
<p>Since the [Fall</a> Schedule of Classes](<a href=“http://schedule.berkeley.edu/srchfall.html]Fall”>http://schedule.berkeley.edu/srchfall.html) is now available, you can check where the courses you are likely to take are most likely held at.</p>
<p>“Students are given housing based on a lottery system. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate the housing request of each student because of the large number of applicants and the limited number of spaces.” </p>
<p>[Living</a> at Cal - Living with a Roommate](<a href=“http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/faq.html]Living”>http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/livingatcal/faq.html)</p>
<p>Incoming Freshman FAQs
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.</p>
<ol>
<li>I received my residence halls housing contract but the offer is not one of my five housing preferences on my application. Why?
Students are given housing based on a lottery system. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate the housing request of each student because of the large number of applicants and the limited number of spaces.</li>
</ol>
<p>Since the housing is based on a lottery system, can I assume that it doesn’t matter when I turn in my housing application before the May 6 deadline? In other words, priority is not determined by application date order?</p>
<p>@getalife –</p>
<p>Yes and maybe not . . . .</p>
<p>The website does say lottery, but I have questioned whether how that would be done, since when you fill out the form, you 5 have choices of priority, the last one always has to be the equivalent of “whatever you give me” or “give me anything rather than nothing”.</p>
<p>Not sure if the housing computers are smart enough to deal with however many students apply for housing x 5 priorities, all different.</p>
<p>Since the units are usually the most popular, it seems not knowing exactly how this works that getting the application in earlier may give the application an edge up, because it gets loaded into the system earlier than the last minute influx of applications. You’d think.</p>
<p>IDK - I had my application in early first and second year and always got exactly what I wanted, so I’m just speculating.</p>
<p>BTW, freshmen HAVE been getting into the mini-suites (at units 1 & 2) if they apply and they have space. MUCH roomier, even the triples, and less people using the bathrooms, since the minisuites have 5 or 6 to the bathroom that’s part of the suite, rather than a whole floor of people using one bathroom. Bathrooms in the mini suites are also single sex if that’s important to anyone. A little more expensive than the regular dorms in the units, but much cheaper than Foothill or Clark Kerr.</p>
<p>Agree with excelblue on the changing environment year to year. Floors (including mini suites) can be loud, noisy, quiet, party central, whatever, year to year depending on who is living there. When I lived in the mini-suites we went by the work hard play hard mantra, so weekdays were pretty normal and a lot of unwinding Friday & Sat. nights.</p>
<p>Athletes generally are placed at Clark Kerr.</p>
<p>I am admitted as a freshman for fall 2011. I am deciding whether to choose foothill quad suite as my preference. I prefer quiet environment and a certain amount of privacy which I guess can be offered by foothill but I am afraid that this would make me too far away from the freshman community. Any advice or information is highly appreciated!! Thank you so much for your help!</p>
<p>Most of the students in the dorms are freshmen, regardless of whether you are in the units, foothill, clark kerr, bowles or stern.</p>