Just thought I would start a thread with the question of the opinions on the best dorms for the 2017-2018 school year. Interested in maybe a ranking of the best dorms and then maybe if possible putting them into categories like partying, non-partying etc.
"Best " depends on the person. You need to consider general location (southeast/lakeshore), size (highrise et al), age and architecture… so many factors. Res Halls typically has a lot of information for you. Each year is a bit different because each year there is a new crop of starting freshmen.
If you’d rather be closer to State Street and prefer a more urban feel, Southeast is the way to go.
If you’re more into a woodsy setting (well, lakeside…), Lakeshore is for you.
On Southeast Chadbourne and Smith are the only dorms with air conditioning and on Lakeshore Dejope, Leopold, and Phillips are the dorms with air conditioning (at least of the dorms open to first year students) if a/c means anything to you
Thanks @lilybeebadger that does help!
Choosing dorms (and ranking them knowing you may not get your first choice) can be hard since there are so many with different features and locations. All are maintained to the same standard and food services are as well. Plus- you are not confined to any one dining hall et al so that doesn’t matter.
What is the dorm process? I see it comes out in February. Is it first registered? First deposit, do we pick our roommates, is there a roommate finder? I’m not going to know a soul there so I’m excited to learn all I can about the dorms and where I should be. Love the outdoors, loved the lakes but will be an Engineering student. Kinda wanna let chance take it’s way with the decision. Is air conditioning really a big deal there? How hot can it be in the fall when we start…are we talking about a few days of humidity? /
It can be hot.
lol where are you from @Seacoast ? Don’t underestimate the bipolar whether of the upper midwest! Spring and fall can both get hot and humid.
Eh…born in midwest now live on the ocean in the Northeast. Family down south…nobody knows humidity like the south. I’m more about the people and the culture. School is extremely important but I love to do stuff outside of school and not necessarily a partier (at least not yet) Engineering is too important to me to blow it. I worked to hard to get here.
I was reading through freshman dorms at UW and it looks like80% no ac for us
You’ll want to bring an electric fan.
You might enjoy a Learning Community such as Bradley (freshmen only) or Chadbourne.
Does anyone have experience with Liz Waters? Is it a good place?
It’s a very convenient location and the dining facility was just completely renovated @xTetlin
https://www.housing.wisc.edu/about-news-201601lizsmarketopening.htm
Seriosly @Madison85 you are a wealth of information. I just got approval to fill out dorm paperwork…it’s all so overwhelming! I am excited about the possibility. It will all come down to $$.
Is there any advantage to completing the residence hall contract and submitting the (refundable till 5/1) deposit now as opposed to 3/15 when dorm preferences can be specified? Do you get a higher place in line or anything like that?
There’s no priority based on date submitted. All residence halls must be ranked. The only way to almost ensure first choice for housing as an incoming freshman is to rank a Learning Community first.
@Madison85 is correct (of course) – some public flagships use a “first in” approach for housing so students often submit housing deposits early, even if they are not positive they will attend, simply in order to preserve their place in line. UW does not – students must submit their housing preference, ranking EVERY dorm, by the deadline. There is no advantage to submitting months ahead of anyone else. Students ranking a learning community first, and who get that assignment do get to – I think this is still the case – select their actual room. I wish my kid would have been interested in Chadbourne learning community, but he wasn’t. Chad has a great, central location, not the super-size of Sellery and Witte, and has dining facility in the building.
Thank you @Madison85 and @Midwestmomofboys - that’s very helpful. Yes, UMTC does a queue so even with my older kids - who did not end up attending Minnesota, we plunked down the $25 to make sure they got a got a good place in line! This sounds much better. Wish I could say D17 will know where she’s going by 3/15; however, she will have a better idea by then so we’ll hold off for the time being.
Chadbourne will be high on the list due to the learning community and the A/C.
Choose a learning community if you like the dorm and programs. But- most will not be in them so don’t feel pressured to do so. The assignment lottery system is great- no first come first choice like at some schools. Remember, students can still apply to UW before the deadline and will have equal opportunities along with the early birds who have already been accepted.