<p>Residential colleges are really the core or essence of Yale. When you arrive and meet new people, you will often be asking “what college are you in?” and you immediately begin to have somewhat of a sense of pride for your college–but not overboard, it’s not an insane rivalry or anything. </p>
<p>I really like the college system because it breaks up the class into manageable little clusters with someone you can always turn to–the Master and the Dean. Both the Master and the Dean will be extremely welcoming and part of your family. They will eat with you on occaison, and you will always see them around. They are good advisors and resources. </p>
<p>Some colleges are better than others, for various reasons. My own personal view is that the best are Pierson, Davenport, Saybrook, Branford, and Berkeley. Timothy Dwight is also very nice, but it is far from the other colleges and thus can be somewhat alienating, but the TD kids seem to have a great community. Trumbull is currently being renovated so I guess I don’t really know much about it. </p>
<p>Silliman is big and relatively ugly. I don’t like it, but it’s being renovated next year so freshmen in SM will be living in Swing Space [which is actually quite nice]. </p>
<p>Calhoun is kind of ugly, and it’s not being renovated. I never go there to eat. I suppose it has a great location, though, close to Sterling and WLH and Cross-Campus Library and Durfee’s. </p>
<p>Morse and Stiles are unfortunately located and designed, but they could be worse [I guess.] The upshot is that Morse kids live in Durfee and Stiles in Lawrance (i think) in their freshman year, which have amazing dorms. </p>
<p>Jonathan Edwards is horrific in my opinion, and its basement is like 98 degrees constantly. Fortunately that will be renovated after Silliman, but it won’t be ready until my senior year and you [incoming JE’rs] junior years. But JE is a rich college so they take their kids on a lot of events and such, which is nice. Farnam is also a nice building for Freshmen. </p>
<p>All the colleges have advantages and disadvantages. I love the option of having so many dining halls to choose from close by, each with a different flavor. I usually chose from among Pierson, Davenport, Saybrook, Timothy Dwight, and if I can get in, Berkeley. Also available for eating are the Hall of Graduate Studies, the Law School, and Commons Dining Hall. </p>
<p>The colleges host interesting people in events called “Master’s Teas.” Some of my friends ritually attend them but I have not yet been to one. </p>
<p>The colleges, especially the renovated ones [Saybrook, Branford, Pierson, Davenport, Timothy Dwight and next year Trumbull] have really nice features. Not just beautiful, but they have game rooms and practice rooms and little bars and eating places run by students. The colleges are really just a gem. </p>
<p>Remember that for everyone except Timothy Dwight and Silliman, you live on Old Campus freshman year–which usually means for some loud, drunken freshman evenings on the weekends. Most of the rooms on Old Campus are extremely nice, except for the kids in Saybrook and Pierson, who live in Lanman-Wright Hall, which is older and smaller. Still, it’s not that bad. </p>
<p>Welch, Lawrance, and Durfee have the nicest rooms on the OC.</p>