<p>I was wondering if anyone could point out the advantages and disadvantages of different dorms for a freshman?</p>
<p>SIX Pack & Surrounding Dorms:
Pros: Very social, near athletic facilities, some mixed gender floors and/or buildings
Cons: Lots of drunks/drinking, loud and not the best area to study, far from engineering buildings and not that close to the quad, no air conditioning</p>
<p>FAR/PAR:
Pros: New furniture, new dining hall at PAR, lots of engineers, good place to study, air conditioning in FAR (not PAR)
Cons: Far from campus, a bit too diverse for some people (lots of internationals along with a wide mix of ethnicities live here), small rooms</p>
<p>ISR:
Pros: New furniture, nice dining hall, moderately social (not as unsocial as many claim,) lots of engineers but definitely nowhere near a majority, good security, air conditioning, good place to study, EXCELLENT location on campus (close to quad and engineering quad)
Cons: Some find it too quiet</p>
<p>ALLEN:
Pros: Great art/music opportunities not found in other dorms, extra dining options like vegetarian, kosher, etc.; big mix of students and majors
Cons: Some find the people a bit weird, no air conditioning</p>
<p>BUSEY/EVANS:
Pros: All girls, air conditioned, pretty dorm, VERY quiet, nice location
Cons: All girls, TOO quiet</p>
<p>Any others that you want to know about??</p>
<p>I'm just wondering why are there a lot of engineers in FAR and PAR? Isn't it a bit far away from the engineering campus?</p>
<p>Haha, why do you only say where the engineers are?
To me, ISR sounds the best by what you explained. I think being close to the quad would be an awesome location. Everytime I visit, the quad seems like a nice place to be.</p>
<p>Are there many single student rooms for freshmen? I may being majoring in art, (I know it's not the best place for an art major, but I like the school and have friends going.) however I don't want to always consider keeping a roommate up while I'm finshing a project or working on a piece.</p>
<p>1) I mentioned where the engineers are, because future engineers like to know, U of I is known for engineering so there are lots of them, and non-engineers sometimes like to avoid them. :)</p>
<p>2) Not sure why FAR/PAR have so many. I think its mostly because many engineers apply to ISR which fills quickly as does the 6 PACK, so overflow goes to FAR/PAR.</p>
<p>3) ISR has no singles. I don't know about other dorms. Allen is great for those interested in art and might have singles. Not sure. It also has a nice location. Its only slightly further from the quad and is next to CRCE (one of the rec centers.)</p>
<p>Are you normal? 6PAC (Gregory/Peabody)
Are you Asian? PAR/FAR
Are you artsy? Allen
Do you have lots of money? Illini Tower</p>
<p>As a freshman you won't get a spot in ISR.</p>
<p>Brianm don't worry about keeping a roommate up. They will probably be up anyways ;), but most if not all dorms have libraries and study rooms available.</p>
<p>what about bromley?</p>
<p>It's similar to IT, but I've heard that the food is absolutely terrible. I personally thought public dorm food is way better than IT's food, so I can't imagine what Bromley is like.</p>
<p>So I'm really torn between the 6-Pack and ISR... I want the social scene and lots of freshman, but I don't want total chaos. I'd like the air conditioning and location of ISR, but I wouldn't want to be somewhere where it's quiet and boring. I really don't know... I'd prefer a coed dorm too...</p>
<p>"I'm just wondering why are there a lot of engineers in FAR and PAR? Isn't it a bit far away from the engineering campus?"</p>
<p>I would not say they have an overabundance of engineering students. However, here are some reasons why a number of engineering students end up in one or the other; (a) FAR has the women in science, math, and engineering living/learning community and thus a lot of the women freshman engineers end up there by applying for it; (b) PAR has the Global Crossroads living learning community which attracts international students and the engineering college has the highest number, by far, of international students among any of the colleges; (c) a large number of engineering students make their decision to attend late in the process (e.g., April to May 1); most of them wait not knowing that the longer they wait the greater the chance they will not get their first choice dorms because dorm choice is awarded in the order housing applications are submitted; PAR and FAR are usually two of the last to fill -- the six pack is generally gone early -- and thus a number of engineering students end up at PAR or FAR because they could not get their first choice, which is often ISR, which also fills early in the process.</p>
<p>UKBigMan, apply to both knowing that your chances of getting into ISR are probably slim. Most of the building fills with upperclassmen before freshmen even start to register. Plus, if registration for housing started January 1st (as it did my year,) you need to apply very soon if you want a chance at getting into ISR. Both ISR and the 6 Pack are the most popular, so don't wait too long to apply.</p>
<p>i applied bromley. they have the best rooms and yeah besides food i hear it is the shizzit. also, confirmed rumor, all the hot chicks live there. good call? i think so</p>
<p>The 6-pack is not total chaos. There are still quiet hours and you can still get your work done. Just close your door and people leave you alone for the most part.</p>
<p>when do you think is the last day to reserve a spot at 6 pack? rough estimate?</p>
<p>Late-Feb maybe?</p>
<p>i live in the six pack and i do all my homework and studying in my dorm without any problems. I only go out to study elsewhere if im studying with other people.</p>
<p>Lundgren is nice, its right next to the 6 pack and has singles</p>
<p>downside: no AC, part of 'Gregory Drive residence halls' so you cant specifically choose it, luck of the draw type of deal</p>
<p>BUT</p>
<p>once you get in, you can switch between semesters, only downside is moving your stuff, but if u want a single, then switch 1/2 way, many ppl go study aboad in the spring so spots open. that's what i did, and its pretty quiet too</p>
<p>prior to this, i lived in sherman</p>
<p>plus: mostly singles, available for undergrads 20 and above, A/C, costs as much as any undergrad dorm and no A/C surcharge</p>
<p>downside: very small rooms, no dining hall so u gotta walk to 6pack, or get a dining hall from illini tower next door (though i recommend the univ meal plan, u never know what part of campus you will be around when you need to eat)</p>