hazelorb

15 minutes isn't really that far. To get to my car it is a 10-15 minute walk, and I live right on central grounds in Brown. Everyone has to walk a long distance to something. People who live in Gooch/Dillard only have a 1-3 min walk to their car, but a longer walk to classes. People who live in Lambeth have a 10-15 minute walk to classes but their car is 1-5 minutes away. It's always a trade off.

Protean

more and more first years will end up at hereford as the university continues to grow, it's not the end of the world if you get stuck there. It's a different environment for sure, but you can't always get what you want. Hereford is, in my opinion, comfortable and quiet. The social scene is a bit quieter as people tend to hang out around the old/new dorms, but it's nothing to fret over, accommodations are only a small part of the college experience anyway.

2+ years ago it would truly be unlucky to be in Hereford. Nowadays with the new bus lines, they don't have to walk 5+ minutes just to get to the bus stop, it's now a 1-2 minute walk. Heck it used to be 5 minutes from Watson just to get to the bus 3 years ago.

If absolutely desired, you should be able to move during the first 2 weeks into new/old dorms due to various reasons.

galoisien

Private dorms may be twice the price, but private apartments on JPA are half the price. The only reason after the second year IMO to stay on-Grounds is if you get into a residential college or into a language house.

Really?! Wow...

(Are you Echols? I can't remember.)

barrons

Private dorms at UW are not typically twice the price. Most that are comparable in quality to the regular dorms are only slightly more expensive or even the same. They do have upgrades such as large Penthouse units in a building with a doorman just off campus that can run big bucks. But that is hardly common nor necessary.

parent2009

I'm sure there are private dorms at UW-Madison that don't cost any more than the public ones, but after being admitted to Madison my daughter was inundated with solicitations from private dorms (which also went to great lengths to hide their non-affiliation with the university) that were way more expensive. There's also the issue of perception versus reality; some private dorms at UW may not cost any more, but they certainly have the reputation of being more exclusive and of attracting primarily out-of-state, wealthier students. Testaments to this fact appear all over the UW board. There's no reason to foster a "coastie" versus "sconnie" atmosphere at U-Va if it can be avoided.