<p>I live in the mirror building of ISRC. The rooms themselves are alright - we’re pretty small, but honestly, I don’t spend much time in my room anyway so it’s not a big deal. I have one of the smallest rooms in East Fairchild and I’ve never had an issue. Both buildings are set around suites, and that’s where most studying occurs, and certainly socializing if your suite has any social people/you find a suite you like.</p>
<p>I can’t say much about the community of either. Most of my ISRC friends are excited to move onto other living arrangements next year (one to my dorm, another to the sorority quad), and I’m told it’s often pretty quiet. PARC I know very little of except that our dorm has some sort of rivalry with them, but I have friends who I wouldn’t expect to be in a res college who absolutely loved living in PARC, though they’ve since moved on. I think one would be happy in either place, but from my interaction with others in each dorm, PARC seems more community-based.</p>
<p>Have you seen the Freshman housing guide? There are first-hand accounts from a range of people in there, which may be somewhat more reliable and diverse than those found second hand.</p>
<p>[Freshman</a> housing guide 2010 » North by Northwestern](<a href=“http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/05/81000/freshman-housing-guide-2010/]Freshman”>http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/05/81000/freshman-housing-guide-2010/)</p>