How do you pick a dorm for college?

[eatatmidnight]

DS is a senior this year. He wants to apply to University of Tennessee. We don't know anyone who is there. Is there a good way to choose a dorm at a University you are not so familiar with?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Kath2003]

They're usually broadly the same. Look at location (how far is it from the buildings where his classes will be held), meal plans (how far is it from the canteen etc.), the occupancy level (big blocks tend to be more sociable but noisy; quiet blocks are closer-knit but can be overly quiet; does he want to share, if so with how many) and cost. That's pretty much all you can do. At the end of the day, it's going to be a bed in a college dorm - they're one and the same.

 

[singingpixie]

If he has a choice, pick an all-freshman dorm. It is much easier to make friends when you're surrounded by other freshman- upperclassmen often have their social circles set already.

If there is an option of "special interest" dorms (ie Performing Arts Floor, Honors Floor, etc), these can be a mixed bag- I found they had a lot more drama than the general floors. There's also something to be said for meeting lots of people with different interests.

 

[Green Tea]

At my son's there was no choice to pick. They assign it over the summer. They told him which dorm he was living in.

 

[mamajoan]

my ds is an RA and has lived in the dorms at SIU for nearly all of his 4 years. He ventured off campus last year for one semester... and actually missed living in the dorms.
Some of the things he has mentioned ... to kids wanting to pick a dorm...

1. Check the dorm out.. visit campus... talk to people who actually LIVE in that dorm
2. Location... Location.. Location... do you want to be near classes, near town, near the gym, near the student center????
3. Check out crime activity for that dorm. Yes, this changes from year to year... but it does seem that there is usually one dorm hall that has more criminal activity than the other buldings. You can ask/call the local police dept for the university.
4. Dining facility... while visiting have a meal at the dining hall that serves your top choice dorm.
5. Co-ed, single sex, all freshman, study floor, major floor (ie: ROTC vs communication majors... totally different styles )
6. Communal bathrooms, shared suite bathrooms, single room bathrooms...
7. Parking... cost? .. is it a half day hike to the lot from your dorm?
I am sure the Univ. of Ten. will set us a visit to all the dorms when he visits the campus. I know SIU has all kinds of info and pictures on their website. I would think UT would too.
It helps to know his likes and dislikes... but those may change when he gets to college. And that is OK.. It is part of growing up. Btw.. I know there are lots of kids from this side of the river that go to UT..and I bet there will be some kids from your community that will end up there too.
Best wishes!

 

[Kirby]

I'd like to add to mamajoan's to get recommendations. Talk to kids that are already attending what dorms they think are the best and ask their reasons why.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

We didn't get a choice for freshman year, the college picked our rooms and we were stuck with them. Our only choices were not really choices, just preferences... like all female or all male floor vs. co-ed floors, preferences about music, habits, etc.

 

[mjkacmom]

We didn't get a choice for freshman year, the college picked our rooms and we were stuck with them. Our only choices were not really choices, just preferences... like all female or all male floor vs. co-ed floors, preferences about music, habits, etc.

Ours too - freshmen got what they got (for me, it was an all girl dorm).

 

[asta]

My daughter almost went there and I can tell you something about the dorms. My information is 3 years old but is probably still good. Unless he has a special interest, like a honors dorm, most of the freshman students we knew wanted to be in the Presidential Complex. It is made up of four dorms, two male and two female. The male dorms are North Carrick and Reese. I would choose Reese first because the Carrick dorms have more floors and we were warned that you could get frustrated waiting on the elevators at peak times. Reese and Humes (a girls dorm) only have 4-5 floors. They are perpendicular to North and South Carrick and face each other across the complex. Males also have a choice of living in Gibbs Hall which houses the athletes and some non athletes but is all male. I am sure they are nice but you would have to consider if you son would like that choice. There is a dorm named Morrill that is near the Presidential Complex but when we applied we were told it was organized into learning communities. This may be good for some students but my daughter didn't want that. All of the dorms I have mentioned are suite style rooms. There is a dorm called Hess that has community bathrooms that we warned against because it can be very noisy at times. They were also working on an academic honor college dorm but I don't know about its status.

The other thing about UT is that the popular dorms fill up fast so he needs to get his reservation in as soon as possible. We were told to apply for campus housing before we actually applied to the school.

 

[bumbershoot]

No real choice for us, either. I was OK with a co-ed by door dorm, so I got that. Friend that I met a few years later was more comfy with a girl's dorm, so she got that. Other dorms were co-ed by floor. But other than that, no choice!

 

[xCourxCorex]

I did not have a choice as a freshman, but I agree with PP that if he can choose, an all-freshman dorm is nice. Easy to meet people because they're all in the same boat you are with not knowing anyone, new to campus etc.
Also location is key! My dorm is the furthest from EVERYTHING! Not close to any academic buildings, the gym, dining hall ... just the trees.

I'm a nursing major rooming with another nursing girll which is nice to have a study buddy but I have lots of friends in other majors which is good, because sometimes you just want a break!

 

[eatatmidnight]

my ds is an RA and has lived in the dorms at SIU for nearly all of his 4 years. He ventured off campus last year for one semester... and actually missed living in the dorms.
Some of the things he has mentioned ... to kids wanting to pick a dorm...

1. Check the dorm out.. visit campus... talk to people who actually LIVE in that dorm
2. Location... Location.. Location... do you want to be near classes, near town, near the gym, near the student center????
3. Check out crime activity for that dorm. Yes, this changes from year to year... but it does seem that there is usually one dorm hall that has more criminal activity than the other buldings. You can ask/call the local police dept for the university.
4. Dining facility... while visiting have a meal at the dining hall that serves your top choice dorm.
5. Co-ed, single sex, all freshman, study floor, major floor (ie: ROTC vs communication majors... totally different styles )
6. Communal bathrooms, shared suite bathrooms, single room bathrooms...
7. Parking... cost? .. is it a half day hike to the lot from your dorm?
I am sure the Univ. of Ten. will set us a visit to all the dorms when he visits the campus. I know SIU has all kinds of info and pictures on their website. I would think UT would too.
It helps to know his likes and dislikes... but those may change when he gets to college. And that is OK.. It is part of growing up. Btw.. I know there are lots of kids from this side of the river that go to UT..and I bet there will be some kids from your community that will end up there too.
Best wishes!

Those are great things to think of. We visited between their summer and fall sessions and did see 1 dorm.

My daughter almost went there and I can tell you something about the dorms. My information is 3 years old but is probably still good. Unless he has a special interest, like a honors dorm, most of the freshman students we knew wanted to be in the Presidential Complex. It is made up of four dorms, two male and two female. The male dorms are North Carrick and Reese. I would choose Reese first because the Carrick dorms have more floors and we were warned that you could get frustrated waiting on the elevators at peak times. Reese and Humes (a girls dorm) only have 4-5 floors. They are perpendicular to North and South Carrick and face each other across the complex. Males also have a choice of living in Gibbs Hall which houses the athletes and some non athletes but is all male. I am sure they are nice but you would have to consider if you son would like that choice. There is a dorm named Morrill that is near the Presidential Complex but when we applied we were told it was organized into learning communities. This may be good for some students but my daughter didn't want that. All of the dorms I have mentioned are suite style rooms. There is a dorm called Hess that has community bathrooms that we warned against because it can be very noisy at times. They were also working on an academic honor college dorm but I don't know about its status.

The other thing about UT is that the popular dorms fill up fast so he needs to get his reservation in as soon as possible. We were told to apply for campus housing before we actually applied to the school.

I hope it's not too late. We have heard that they started taking housing aps in July.

We visited Reese and our group was a bit suprised the the shower (with a glass door) was the first thing you saw when you walked in the suite. It really lacked privacy. That's why he was leaning toward community bathrooms.

Thanks for so much good info

 

[asta]

I agree about the placement of those bathrooms in both Reece and Humes. They were built that way so that they could be accessed for cleaning without the staff having to access the rooms. My daughter was slated for Humes and I thought that we would probably use a tension rod with a curtain to make that area private from those entering the room. I still think that the best community feel for being with other freshman is the Presidential Complex. I like that there is a cafeteria that finishes out the quad. And the student recreational building is very close by. As far as community bathrooms, I think that you are probably talking about Hess and the student who toured us said that it was known as a party dorm. She said that normally everyone kept their doors open there with music playing in the hallways. Sounds like fun unless you need to study. Morrill probably looks like the rooms have a better layout but we felt like you would be away from too much of the action.

As far as the other posters talking about freshman having to live in whatever dorms were left over. At most of the big schools we looked at, the only people living in dorms were freshman and athletes. I was suprised but it seems like the norm is for everyone to move off campus after their freshman year. I am pretty sure this is the case at UT.

 

[eatatmidnight]

Asta, thanks for the words of wisdom. It sounds like you got to see more dorms than we did. We just saw Reese. He is determined to leave "Misery" aka Missouri. UT is his first choice but he is also looking at Belmont, Memphis and Murray State in KY. He has ruled out Vandy, MTSU, Lipscomb and Trevecca. He really wants to manage women's basketball. Who knows where he'll end up.