the nicest apartments I've seen are 407 college. I lived there for a summer and it was great, super close to everything and right above the bus stop too. they're extremely expensive though. I mean, I pay $640 to live in a crappy house that's on the verge of falling apart, that's collegetown prices for you. 301 college was a nice medium. a wee bit farther down than 407 but right above jasons and way cheaper. also directly across from the liquor store...
ravenwood from what I know is almost all grad students. usually most undergrads either live in ctown or if they live on west they live in dorms/frats/co-ops. if you're going to get an apartment you usually do ctown.
also the law school is not far from the arts quad, its like a 10 minute walk straight through Ho Plaza. and if you live on west you have to walk up the slope = fail. main reason why I've avoided it. and west is way farther away than ctown (if you live on college/dryden) in my opinion, especially if you live in the apartments since those are back behind all the dorms
the reason collegetown prices are higher than west campus apartments is because most people want to be part of that community where their friends are, and the convenience of ctb/bars/restaurants makes it attractive as opposed to west which is isolated from all those things. landlords know this and take advantage of our poor loan-ridden souls.
Location: Southern California -> Cornell '16! Go Big Red!
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^^
I looked at the exterior of Ravenwood this weekend and it looked VERY run down. The buildings were all wooden and resembled a Motel 6. Also, the agent seems very unprofessional, doesn't respond to E-Mails, etc.
I don't know that I'm comfortable living there, but I'm sick of disgusting bathrooms and no Cable television.
The reason I prefer West over Collegetown is because I don't know how to cook and thus need a meal plan.
Campus hill is fine. I lived in a 4 br there junior year and had no problems. They put in new carpet for us and while it was not exactly new housing there was nothing wrong with it. For the money I saved, I would do it again in a heartbeat over living in a dorm...talk about a ripoff...especially considering it is literally across the street from alice cook and about half the price (at least what I paid).
Also learn how to cook. Not know how to cook anything at 18/19 years old is kind of pathetic. My roommates did the meal plan thing while in campus hill, but I cooked and saved about $1200-1500 a semester compared to the unlimited plan I had to have when I lived in carl becker. For me it meant more money in my pocket, but I guess everyone is in a different situation.
The residence halls are newer on west (assuming you get one of them and not a gothic). and sure they buildings themselves are nicer, but even with a single you have a tiny little room and have to share a bathroom with at least 4 people best case (with the exception of girls on hallway rooms in guy laden floors..which forced me to shared one bathroom with like 8 dudes while 2 girls had their own). I would MUCH rather pay less money to have a kitchen, living room, cable tv/internet, and a bigger room and not have any RA's to deal with.
Campus hill is not new by any means but I would definitely not call it run down. I thought it was perfectly fine and I never regretted living there. I had a better time there with 3 friends than I did in becker (which was ok in its own right, but considering the price and bathroom situation, it was entirely not worth it). I doubt anything you find in ithaca near campus at an affordable price is going to be nice hotel quality (most everything is pretty old), but that is a pretty ridiculous standard to have while in college anyway. Living right at the base of the arts quad is very convenient as well (campus hill and the rest of west campus).
Location: Southern California -> Cornell '16! Go Big Red!
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Alright, thanks!
Here in Dickson, I'm sharing a bathroom with literally 30+ people. There's on bathroom for the whole right side of the floor. I figured in West, that they would be cleaner since there would be a smaller number.
Can you give me a little insight into what the living situation is like in Becker? My peer advisor's room was a small room, but bigger than the one I have right now in Dickson. I always figured that the food and activities on West Campus were a lot better than on North. Obviously I still can use the dining halls if I live in an apartment, but like... I don't know, West just seemed really nice on the exterior.
How far is Campus Hill from the Arts quad? Is it closer than the rest of West? I think I'd rather live there than Ravenwood.
Becker is clean, but the rooms are still going to be small. It is a dorm. The dining halls are fine, but I never really used them after soph year (there are 5 to choose from though and they all have a different character..i.e. becker always used to have "fried friday" were they had a ton a deep fried food). The gothics are awesome on the outside, not so much inside.
You would have way more space in campus hill than a dorm room and share a bathroom with less people. I don't know how your bathroom in dickson was, but in becker the one I shared with 7 or 8 other guys only had one toilet and shower. Someone caused the toilet to get clogged frequently. It was obnoxious and I would never live in a dorm again; though being older now and having lived in some very nice places lately may be part of it.
Campus hill is literally across the street from Alice Cook. There is some frat (can't remember which one) on the corner and it is directly behind it. For example, if you were walking north from becker toward alice cook, just keep straight and you would be heading toward campus hill (and it is practically right there). I think the street you would cross is university ave (at the stewart/university intersection). If you want to see what campus hill looks like/where it is just walk over there. It is pretty much the same distance from the arts quad as the rest of west, just a little bit below the base of libe slope like everything else.
1) Most people on West are either transfers, or kids that chose not to go Greek. Relative to freshman year dorms, you'll find they are less social and kids there are not as cool if you're into partying and greek.
2) Most people that live in Ravenwood and Gun Hill are weird. They are in poor locations. If you like social stuff and partying and greek, do not live there.
I lived in Dickson my freshman year and thought the communal bathrooms were sweet because you're always able to find an empty stall. Even though the girls on my floor were messy, the cleaning staff was always there to clean it up.
One thing to remeber if you choose to live in apartment is that you'll have to clean your own bathrooms. you'll get hands dirty and stuff.
the toilets on west campus dorms are abnormally high and very large. I don't know if they think we're all giants or something, but being so high up, is less than optimal defecating angle.
if you'll be a sophomore west is fine. if you get one of the nice dorms they're well kept, suite style, and the food is good. most people get a suite with their friends though--that's the only way its fun.
after sophomore year, live in ctown if you want a social life.
LEARN HOW TO COOK. or at least microwave frozen food its really not that hard. plus I have a BRB only meal plan and get lunch on campus everyday. for dinner I just make a salad, sandwich, pasta, pita pizza, etc. really easy quick stuff. half the time I don't even have dinner since I'm still on campus and just have coffee/snacks or go to trill if I'm hungry. full meal plans are unnecessarily expensive--are you really going to go back to west for lunch everyday to use that unlimited meal plan you're forced to buy?
Ravenwood are those brown apartments made from wood panels on the outside, correct? The inside seems pretty nice actually, but the distance is far enough such that you'll have to actively make an effort to see your friends if they're on West.
West campus is a huge dorm so visiting someone in another part of the building isn't too difficult. But if you live in Ravenwood, you won't have access to the building unless someone swipes you in late at night so it makes it harder to stop by.
Furthermore, you don't have the social benefits of living in collegetown even though you are kinda off-campus.
And yes, you have to buy unlimited (unless they changed this from 2 years ago). But the food is good at West dining halls and you have unlimited swipes for yourself.
Location: Southern California -> Cornell '16! Go Big Red!
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Yeah, Ravenwood are the brown apartments. I wasn't able to go inside when I visited because it was on a Saturday. You've been inside? I'm glad to hear that they're nice on the inside, the outside appearance worried me.
Campus Hill was unfortunately rented out. Would living there have been any different than Ravenwood, social life wise? It's definitely closer, but I'm not sure by how much.
