College Dorm Reviews: Unveiling the Best and Worst Student Housing Options
Choosing a college dorm is a significant decision for incoming freshmen. Factors like social atmosphere, proximity to classes, available amenities, and the overall condition of the dorm all play a crucial role in shaping a student's college experience. This article delves into student opinions on the best and worst dorms at several large universities, highlighting the key aspects that influence their perceptions.
Factors Influencing Dorm Preferences
Location is frequently cited as the most important factor when students are asked about their dorm preferences. The size of the rooms and the overall condition of the dorm are also very important.
Appalachian State University (App State) Dorms
At App State, East Hall, Hoey Hall, Cannon Hall, and Lovill Hall are generally considered the best freshman dorms. These dorms are all "double occupancy, common bath" style, with shared bathrooms located down the hall.
The Upsides: Location, Size, and Community
These dorms are popular due to their location on east campus, which is close to academic buildings. They also offer larger living spaces, air conditioning, heating, and a strong sense of community.
The Downside: Coltrane Hall
Coltrane Hall is often cited as the least desirable freshman dorm at App State. The small room sizes and location on west campus, far from freshman buildings, are the main reasons for this. The age of Coltrane Hall and the lack of air conditioning are also frequently mentioned.
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East Carolina University (ECU) Dorms
ECU has three neighborhoods of student housing: College Hill, West End, and Central.
The Upsides: Greene, Clement, and Gateway
The West End dorms, Greene Hall and Clement Hall, are generally considered the best freshman dorms at ECU. Clement Hall was renovated in 2017, and Greene Hall was also recently renovated. Their location, recent renovations, and the size of the rooms make them popular choices. Gateway Hall, in College Hill, is also a favorite due to its recent construction.
The Downside: Cotten, Umstead, Jones, and Legacy
The Central Neighborhood dorms, specifically Cotten Hall and Umstead Hall, are often considered the least desirable due to their small rooms and old bathrooms. Jones Hall and Legacy Hall in College Hill are also labeled as "worst freshman dorms" by some students due to their age and cleanliness.
NC State University Dorms
NC State's residence halls offer three styles: traditional hall style with community bathrooms, suite-style with a shared bathroom, and hotel-style where two students share a bathroom.
The Upsides: Tucker, Owen, Bragaw, Lee, and Sullivan
Tucker Hall and Owen Hall are considered the best hall-style dorms due to their central location on campus. Bragaw Hall, Lee Hall, and Sullivan Hall are favorite suite-style dorms because of their larger rooms and proximity to Fountain Dining Hall and the University recreation fields.
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The Downside: Wood, Avent Ferry, North, and Syme
Wood Hall, Avent Ferry Complex, North Hall, and Syme Hall are the least popular dorms for freshmen. The distance from main campus is the most common reason given. Wood Hall is also one of the older dorms.
UNC Chapel Hill Dorms
The Upsides: Ehringhouse, Hinton James, and Koury
Ehringhouse and Hinton James are high-rise, suite-style dorms on south campus that are popular due to the strong sense of community they create. Koury Hall, also on south campus, has some of the largest rooms on campus and well-furnished lounges and study rooms.
The Downside: Craige Hall
Craige Hall is overwhelmingly noted as the least desirable dorm at UNC for freshmen due to its age and location.
Mixed Reviews: Olde Campus Lower Quad
The dorms on North Campus in the Olde Campus Lower Quad Community (Graham, Aycock, Lewis, Everett, and Stacy) receive mixed reviews. Some students like their proximity to classes, the size of the rooms, and the ability to open the windows. Others dislike their distance from the other freshmen dorms, which makes it more challenging to connect with classmates.
UNC Wilmington (UNCW) Dorms
UNCW dorms come in four styles: traditional, suite-style, pod-style, and apartment.
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The Upsides: Cornerstone, University Suites, and Seahawk Crossing
Cornerstone Hall, a traditional hall-style dorm, is favored due to the size of the rooms and bathrooms. University Suites, a pod-style dorm, is popular because of its location close to the rec center and Wagoner Dining Hall. The apartment-style housing at Seahawk Crossing is also very popular.
The Downside: Galloway
Galloway Hall is the least popular dorm for freshmen due to its age and the size of the rooms and bathrooms.
New Developments at UNCW
Two new dorms, Pelican Hall and Sandpiper Hall, opened in the Fall of 2020 as part of a new student housing project called "The Seahawk Quad." These pod-style halls with both single and double rooms are likely to be very popular. They include high-speed internet connections, study lounges, a retail area, outdoor patio seating, classrooms, and makerspaces.
National Perspective on Dorm Conditions
The Times has shed light on some of the most "loathed" dorms around the country. Cornell University's Low Rises are known for their cinder block aesthetic and lack of air-conditioning. Quadrangle Hall, designed to be a World War I barracks, is almost 100 years old and "kind of always smells like it's 100 years old." Hill College House was designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen, but one resident noted that it looked the same when her father lived there in the 1980s.
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