Residential Halls

orngblu
Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:40:49 +0000

For university housing, ISR is by far closest to the engineering campus, and is highly concentrated with engineers But freshman year most of your classes will be on the main quad, which opens up other possibilities.

Also close to the quad are the six pack (Ikenberry North and South) where many freshman live. Also most of the Urbana dorms are not too far from the quad. But you probably want to avoid FAR and PAR which are both quite a walk from engineering campus.

All the university dorms are coed except Barton–women only. None have private bath, but that is overrated. You get used to the community bath quickly, and somebody else cleans it for you.

For private certified housing, the biggest are IT and Bromley. Both have lots of postings on this forum. They also have their fans and detractors. Both are known to have lousy food, even by college standards. And, in private housing you are stuck eating in your home hall unless you pay megabucks extra for a residence hall meal plan on top of your private hall meal plan. For the university residence halls, you can eat at any university cafeteria and use your flex points (or whatever they call them) to eat ala carte at other university food sites (such as in the Illini Union).

Another option in private residence halls is Neman Hall, it is affiliated with St. John’s Catholic Church, but they take non-Catholics too. It is very close to the quad (one block) and i have heard the food is good. Plus, it was recently rebuilt/expanded so the rooms are supposedly nice–i have not been inside.

So, it all depends on what you want–if private bath is #1, go Bromley or IT. If proximity to engineering is #1, go ISR. If proximity to the quad is #1, Newman Hall, ISR or Ikenberry are good options. If you want food flexibility, go University housing. And, if you want to make lots of new friends by living near many fellow freshman, Ikenberry is the place to be.

Best of luck on you decision.