<p>I would like some input on the dorms (McCormick or Alderman, preferably)...which one you like better or someone you know likes better or whatever. I know its a personal choice or whatever and you have to choose which suits you best i'm just looking for what people think of the various dorms so i cam semi- draw off of that</p>
<p>Brown: Liberals, the best rooms
Alderman: Suite-styled and pretty friendly people
McCormick: If you're into frats and sororities, go there. Also if you love being drunk, go there.
IRC: A lot of int'l students.</p>
<p>Okay, I just got accepted to UVa ED. (yay!!!) I have been investigating the dorm situation thoroughly and this is what I have come up with:</p>
<p>Alderman: "New Dorms." Suite style - 10 or 11 to a suite (there might be one triple). Bigger rooms. Two closets. Each suite has two showers. There are four suites to a floor and generally three floors. Further from the main part of campus. Slightly more student diversity. Most end up having really close friendships with suitemates. 60's architecture.</p>
<p>McCormick: "Old Dorms." Hallway style. Slightly smaller rooms and I think (not positive) there is only one closet per room. Much more social because there are so many more people in just one hallway. Closer to main campus. These are the dorms that UVa keeps in very good shape because they show them off. Prettier architecture.</p>
<p>I actually stayed in the new dorms for a couple of weeks for three summers through SEP. I think I am going to ask for old dorms just to switch it up. CONGRATS ON UVA!! (it's freaking awesome!) Oh, and if I am wrong on any of this stuff, please correct me!</p>
<p>thank you so much guys! wahookatie congrats to you too!!! VERY exciting! :) if anyone else has any input it would be very much appreciated!</p>
<p>I believe that the Hereford dorms are pretty nice, I think they're the newest ones on campus (I might be wrong), and from what my sister told me (she went there) it's a nice place to hang out and that the general residential area is pretty cool.</p>
<p>Hereford is nice except for the fact that it's in the middle of nowhere. Seriously. When you come to orientation, you'll see just how far you've gotta walk to get everywhere.</p>
<p>burc_o - where are you a diplomat from?</p>
<p>I don't know much about the UVA dorms except that most people say that the "old dorms" are the most social, esp if you like fraternities/sororities. I personally am just ecstatic about getting in but I'l obssess about living situations later i'm sure.</p>
<p>curlyfries-- my dad is a diplomat from turkey, but i've spent a fair time here and there. I lived in fairfax country va for about 6 years, so thats how I got to know uva.</p>
<p>hm i guess the thing about hereford being quite far is right... but if people don't mind the commute, then those are some fine dorms...</p>
<p>WOW! wahookatie and i go to a ffx county high school too. which school did you attend? btw, i think there is a Turkish club at UVA because i know of a student there whose name is Chetin who is half Turkish. </p>
<p>well, I can't wait to visit and see all the dorms. I personally will find it very difficult to not bring my entire wardrobe with me. Also, sharing a bathroom with so many girls, well that's also something to look forward to. Anyways, if you find anything else on the UVA social/life scene, post it because i'm so curious about it now.</p>
<p>oh man michelle, i am so concerned about the clothes thing - i have so much stuff. I was making a mental list and I was like, "hmm does the sombrero stay or does it go?" (definitely goes!!)</p>
<p>and thats awesome burc_o - there are so many ffx county kids. yay!!!!</p>
<p>Herefore had air conditioning and its own dining hall, but people here generally have a negative view of it (including many within its own walls). Last year when I was still in HS I stayed overnight at my friend's room in Hereford, and all his hallmates were talking about how bad it was. I think the general consensus is that its a drearier environment. They are relatively convenient for you if you're a science major, since its close to your classes, but that's only an issue for second year+, since all the first year dorms are right around the sciences area.</p>
<p>The main issue for a first year though is the classic Old v. New Dorms (though 'new' dorms are actually only 7 years newer). It does seem to be true that old dorms are pretty active and outgoing, while new dorms are quieter. Still, that's not to say that both aren't fun to be in.</p>
<p>brown: only 45 first years.....................residential and eclectic, artsy and quirky people. needs a special application tho (about 6 essays, all creative ones)</p>
<p>Old dorm: SWEET ASS OLD DORMS. where the partiers like to reside, people socialize really fast because they are sooo close to each other.</p>
<p>New dorm: the echols dorms are there, new dorm carries a RISK. while its possible you get to hang out with ur suitemates a LOT, it depends on the suite. some suites are more social than others. some people are just individualistic.</p>
<p>Hereford: please avoid at all cost.</p>
<p>UVa dorms arn't that great. Theres a reason why they don't let you in one on a tour.</p>
<p>Brown: unless you're a tree huggin hippy I'd avoid it, I don't want to offend anybody, but the people there are pretty weird lol. Only advantage is that it is dead center on grounds. Its pretty nice inside though. All the rooms have fireplaces.</p>
<p>Old Dorms: Where I lived. I believe only 1 or 2 of them have "real" walls, the rest are ciderblock (it gets real dusty real quick). It's a ton of fun - and theres nothing like the first few days of spring where the entire dorm area evacuates to the quad for frisbee and sunbathing - ;-). If you don't like the people on you're hall...there are 15 other halls attached to where you live. The rooms are pretty small unless you get the end rooms, and theres one closet. The bathrooms are kept pretty clean though - someone actually cleans them. btw Marcus, the cleaning guy when i was there, who i believe works the key room now is beast. lose your key to meet him, he's awesome.</p>
<p>New Dorms: Rooms bigger/nicer unless you're an unfortunate one in the fishbowl (triple stuffed into a double). Real walls, multiple closets. If you get a suite with cool people then I'm sure its awesome, if you get a suite with duds, then it really has potential to suck. You have to clean your own bathroom I believe, which translates into the bathroom not being cleaned. Farther from central grounds, but not bad at all if you're an E-schooler.</p>
<p>Hereford: In one word: miserable. it is wayyy too far away. you can kiss your social life good bye - if for no other reason than you won't want to stumble home drunk that far - especially when its cold.</p>
<p>Both dorms have cleaning every day of the week, minus weekends. Old Dorms are closer to areas like Newcomb Hall or Cabell, but the difference isn't a big deal if you're an engineering student or your classes are in the nearby science buildings (Biology, Chemistry, Physics... some of the bigger classes like Econ 201 are also in these buildings sometimes). New Dorms are generally closer to the O'Hill Dining Hall (unless you're stuck out in the woods in Courtenay or something) so it's more convenient to go eat.</p>
<p>Old Dorms has the Quad, which is a nice, organized grassy area where people play frisbee, hang out and sunbathe, etc. New Dorms doesn't really have anything like that, except some hilly, grassy area which barely qualifies. They are making a flat grassy area near O'Hill, but we're not sure what exactly is going on with that (they've been at it for several months). </p>
<p>I think almost all the suites will have some people you'll end up being good friends with. There are suites out there that may hardly talk to each other, but in all the ones I've seen, and from my experience so far with my suite, I don't think this will be an issue. Both dorms will have people who will end up being good friends. I'd just differentiate it into Old Dorms being louder and lively, while New Dorms may be quieter.</p>
<p>"I don't want to offend anybody, but the people there are pretty weird lol."</p>
<p>am I all that weird?</p>
<p>I don;t think so. :)</p>
<p>thanks so much everyone! everything you guys have given me is really helpful. if anyone else has any input feel free to add whatever. I want to hear it all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. ;)</p>
<p>D is a 1st year in New dorms. She requested Old dorms with a roommate that a mutual friend had introduced her to, but because the roomie was Echols, they ended up assigned to one of the 3 Echols dorms in Alderman (New dorms) Initially, D feared that they would have a lack of social life, as the new dorms certainly have that reputation. Honestly, she was pretty upset. However, her experience has been wonderful, and, given the choice, she would probably choose this set up again, given what she knows now.
She does feel that New dorms don't lend themselves to mass socializing like Old dorms because of the suite setup vs. hall style. However, she says there are SO many times during the day to meet people that it just hasn't been a problem. She likes her proximity to meals (O-hill)and is also very close to the intramurals building-she can just roll out of bed and walk across the street to exercise. The walk to some classes is an extra few feet, but she says that having a larger room has been a lifesaver. The new dorm rooms are more square shaped than old dorms, and can be configured in more ways. There are 2 nicely sized closets with additional and ample drawer/shelf space between them. As an OOS, she can't be running home for things and thinks that the extra storage space has saved her. You can bunk beds in new dorms, which they did, leaving enough room for a full sized futon and coffee table in the room. That means they have somewhere comfortable to sit and study, watch TV, read, etc. I believe that would be impossible to do in Old dorms. She says best thing though, and you can do this in either location, is to get a rug for the floor. They are available thru UVA's website next summer or on many of the streetcorners around town next fall. Makes the room feel so much warmer and more comfy. Bathrooms ARE cleaned daily and are used by only the 10 girls/guys of the suite.
Both locations have their good and bad points. D likes her suitemates but does not "hang" with them very often--and she says that it is no big deal. She says best thing that can happen is that you love your roomie. What a difference that has made--someone to explore the first year with!</p>