Dorm And Residence Hall
The terms “dorm” is often used in the US. However, within the residence life community, the official term “residence hall” is preferred. According to the University of Oregon, their facilities “provide not just a place to sleep, but also opportunities for personal and educational growth. Highly trained Residence Life staff and Hall Government officers support this objective by creating engaging activities and programs in each hall or complex.”
In the UK, the preferred term in the context of student housing is “halls,” short for “halls of residence.” In English Canada, the common term is “residence” or “res” for short.
Santa Clara University Santa Clara California
Niche’s dorm rating: A+
Undergrads in college housing:;55%
According to a student:“Living on campus is great, I definitely recommend it for freshmen and sophomores. The CF’s are awesome, responsible, and reasonable; all really important traits you want in a CF/RA. The dorms are well located and close to your classes and some dorms even have classrooms in them, which is awesome.”
Fsu Has Best Dorms In Florida
<p>This is posted in the Florida Leader:</p>
<p>Best DormsCustomized CommunitiesEveryone knows that college opens up a whole new world of possibilities for students. They get to choose new friends, select their areas of study, and live new experiences. But how many colleges offer students the same amount of choices when it comes to selecting a dorm? Well, at Florida State University, students have half a dozen specialized communities to choose from.</p>
<p>FSU has many diverse residence halls in order to make the transition from high school to college life as smooth as possible, says Erin Hamilton, Student Government secretary for academic affairs. Specializations allowstudents to meet other students with similar interests, thus allowing them to make friends easier.</p>
<p>FSUs Department of Housing makes sure its incoming freshmen feel right at home. Bryan Hall has resident assistants trained to deal especially with the struggles of students living away from home for the first time, Hamilton says about the freshman dorm. Students are required to take at least one general-education course within the hall each semester to promote community. Also, many student organizations offer interest meetings at the hall to attract freshman and further encourage their involvement on campus.</p>
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Illinois Institute Of Technology
Chicago, Illinois
Points: 4School Website
The Illinois Institute of Technology aims to empower residents by providing support services and leadership opportunities that foster personal growth, academic success, and community development. There are two apartment buildings and nine residence halls in which 1,600 students can make their home away from home while they pursue their education. Students benefit from a dynamic and focused learning environment and other advantages such as close proximity to classes, the Campus Center, and Keating Gym as well as access to a wide variety of programs and events hosted at different buildings across campus.
Annual Cost of Room and Board: $12,762Article Rankings:
Points: 4School Website
The University of Virginia strives to maximize opportunities for intellectual growth, personal development, self-governance, and community. Centrally-located, student residential communities are in close proximity to state-of-the-art fitness centers, contemporary dining facilities, and virtually all academic classrooms. All incoming first-year undergraduates are required to live on-campus, and students may choose to live in one of UVAs residential colleges close-knit communities that foster intellectual and social interaction between students and faculty. First-year students pay the same rate regardless of the residential area in which they live or whether they are assigned to a single, double, or triple room.
Points: 4School Website
Manzanita Hall Arizona State University Tempe Az

Approximate Cost: $8,120
The designated hall for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at ASU, Manzanita Hall is a co-ed dorm, conveniently located near downtown Tempe. Rooms include internet access, a micro-fridge, and a shared bath. On site is Manzy Square, an all-you-can-eat dining spot, and a Starbucks is nearby. The common areas feature comfy couches and plenty of space, as well as a fitness center.
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The Best College Dorms And The Best Colleges For Food
If you plan on living in campus after going off to college, looking for a dorm where youll be comfortable and happy is pretty important. Considering the fact that youll probably be in your college dorm for at least a year, you should have a good idea of which schools have comfortable dorms .
In this post, we went over the list of colleges with the best dorms. We took into account factors like the cost of housing, safety and crime rates, and student reviews. We also cataloged a few dorms that have great food, as well as some really cool, architecturally adventurous dorms that are located outside of the US.
Brigham Young University Idaho
Rexburg, Idaho
Points: 4School Website
Students pursuing a college education from Brigham Young University Idaho may choose to room at Centre Square, a recent development on the schools campus in Rexburg, Idaho. Featuring green spaces, generously sized apartments, and newly minted traditions like volleyball contests and complimentary pizza, the complex is inviting and affordable. Students may choose from two, three, and four-bedroom options, and amenities include multiple fridges, an in-apartment washer and dryer, a dishwasher, a microwave and range, and keyless entry. Other housing options include University Village, which consists of university-owned married student housing, and community housing, which provides housing options for married students.
Annual Cost of Room and Board: $4,172Article Rankings:
Points: 5School Website
Annual Cost of Room and Board: $14,430Article Rankings:#19 by The Princeton Review
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Regent University Virginia Beach Virginia
Niche’s dorm rating:;A+
Freshmen living on-campus:;59%
According to a student: “On-campus housing is excellent at Regent University! There is a fully functional kitchen, decent storage space, free laundry and workout facilities, and individual mail boxes. There is generally good community in the halls, and there are hall events occasionally, and Life Group meetings regularly.”
Newman Towers Loyola University Maryland Md
Approximate Cost: $10,470
Foodie students will rejoice when choosing Newman Towers at Loyola University. While it might seem like an average dorm at first glance, one of its biggest perks is Iggy’s Market, located on the building’s ground floor. This swanky shop is labeled as a convenience store, but is much more. With meals such as crab cakes, steak, chicken parmesan, or good old mac and cheese, Iggy’s caters to all students’ tastes and dietary needs. The dorms consist of two towers, with accommodations for between two and eight students per suite. Each room is fully furnished and has shared common areas with a full kitchen, dining space, and a bathroom, and all are carpeted and have air conditioning.
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Beekman Hall Pace University New York Ny
Approximate Cost: $17,720
With sweeping views of New York City from every window, Beekman Hall is the tallest college housing building in the world. At 340 feet tall, this 34-story dormitory houses more than 700 students in single, triple, and quadruple rooms. Each unit has a private bathroom, shared only with other quad or triple residents, and the amenities floor has a 24-hour fitness center and lounge area.
The 8 Best Dorms In The South
Ranked by students who have lived there, these Southern universities have the best on-campus housing options.
Going off to college and living in a small dorm room is a right of passage so many of us have experienced. Freshman year housing is usually random, which means the age of the building is totally up to chance. You could get linoleum tile floors and drop ceilings or you could get brand new hardwoods and a private bathroom. We may be biased, but we think Southerners are some of the best-primed students to make the best of less-than-ideal living quarters but it certainly doesn’t hurt to start with an already pretty room.
The Princeton Review recently released its 2019 edition of college rankings, and one of the questions it asked students was, “How would you rate your school’s dorms and residence halls?” Of the 20 top-rated dorm rooms, 8 are in the South. Check out the list of the South’s best dorm rooms below.
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Portland State University Portland Or
Approximate Cost: $11,280
Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Portland State University’s dorm rooms provide optimum urban living and convenience. Each studio-style room has a kitchenette with a mini fridge, as well as a private shower. There are several residence buildings to choose from, and all have roomy common areas, with tons of shops and restaurants just steps away.
Colleges With The Best Student Dorms

If theres one experience all college students share, its dorm living. Whether its a good or bad experience, we all know what its like. Some of us share a dorm with 2 other people and use the same bathrooms as the rest of the floor. Some of us are lucky enough to have our own room and our own bathroom. At the end of the day, we all have to learn how to live with other people even if the space is small and gross.
However, some colleges have kicked it up a notch to give their students dorms that rivals the apartments of the rich and powerful. Heres some of the best! Try not to get too jealous or send in your transfer application.
1. University of Michigan
Upperclassmen at this public Michigan school have the opportunity to live in this 450 dorm complex and enjoy amenities such as central air and award winning food selections. Residents are treated to cuisines such as salmon and pesto dishes and if it happens to be after hours, they can still relax in the dorms very own cafe/coffee shop. Theres even an art gallery within the complex! Psh, no big deal.
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Also referred to as The Sponge, MITs Simmons Hall is the pinnacle of technological school housing and it really has it all: Lounges with PS3s and huge TVs, a movie theater, laundry on every floor, etc. The best part? While some colleges bring in puppies to relieve students stress, Simmons Hall has a huge ball pit! How crazy is that!
3. McGill University
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University Of South Carolina
USC Beaufort is a public university in South Carolina and scores an overall grade of B- from Niche. The college’s dorms are given an A+ and their campus scores a B.
Its student life isn’t as great and scores a B-, according to Niche’s data.
Its acceptance rate is 63% and the tuition fees are $16,807 per year.
North Lake Village Florida Gulf Coast University Fl
Approximate Cost: $9,672
Florida Gulf Coast University is a mecca for outdoor activities, with half of its 800 acres dedicated to preservation and nature. The housing facility at North Lake Village makes for easy access to any kind of outside fun. Situated on an 80-acre lake, amenities include a fire pit, hammocks, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, and access to motorized water sports. Rooms are set up as quads, with private bedrooms and shared living, kitchen, and bathroom spaces.
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Laurel Village Colorado State University Fort Collins Co
Approximate Cost: $10,438
Laurel Village is the newest addition to Colorado State’s student-living options, providing modern and updated rooms with spacious common areas. Consisting of three buildings, the two residence halls offer a combination of suite-style and community-style single and double rooms, with a mix of shared and private baths. The adjoining Pavilion community center includes a bike shop, and art and gallery space, and is LEED Platinum Certified for sustainability.
The 10 Colleges With The Best Dorms
Dorms are notoriously spartan, cinderblock affairs. However, some colleges definitely have better living quarters than others.
According to the Princeton Review, Pennsylvania liberal arts college Bryn Mawr has the best dorms in the country, followed closely by Maryland’s Loyola University.
Check out our slide show of the colleges with the best dorms. Do you think dorms are important? Weigh in below!
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South 40 House Washington University St Louis Mo
Approximate Cost: $11,650
Consisting of 24 halls on 40 acres, Washington University’s South 40, or The 40 as students call it, is a four-building complex that mixes modern and traditional styles. Dorms are mostly double occupancy, with a few singles and triples. All rooms come furnished and all have air conditioning. Common areas include fitness facilities, bookstores, and a convenience store, surrounded by a green, walkable landscape.
Aloha Tower Waterfront Lofts Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu Hi
Approximate Cost: $11,150
Located in downtown Honolulu, this newly renovated waterfront dorm space offers beach living at its finest, with single, double, and triple rooms situated in the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Students here do share bath and shower facilities, but there are also large common areas and kitchens, as well as proximity to retail shops, restaurants, and public transportation.
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College Of The Atlantic
Some of the greenest dorms are located at the College of the Atlantic in Ben Harbor, Maine. These include the Kathryn W. Davis Student Residence Village. The six student residencies in the village were built as an example of idealism in action. Every aspect of student housing was imagined with a conscious awareness of resources. Double stud walls with a super-insulated design include a foot of insulation made up of recycled newspapers. Frequent thermal breaks in the walls lead to a high level of integrity causing minimum heat loss. A wood pellet boiler provides the primary heating for the building through hydronic, in-floor radiant heating. Composting toilets, windows that maximize natural light, and orientation for optimal solar harvesting are a few more features of this unique set of dorms.
Two other historic cottages on the campus of the College of the Atlantic have also been preserved, updated and fitted with green apparatus similar to the Student Residence Village. The cottages, named Seafox and Sea Urchins, were summer vacation homes on the East Coast built in 1885. Between student initiative and generous donors, these cottages were brought to a highly efficient green standard. Both the cottages and Student Residence Village make the College of the Atlantic a pioneer in green campus centers.
Santa Clara University Santa Clara Ca

Approximate Cost: $15,720
Students attending Santa Clara University don’t just have the chance to enjoy the California lifestyle, they also get dorm amenities that include air conditioning, private bathrooms, and spacious lounge areas and kitchens. While there are several residence halls to choose from, all feature lovely architectural touches and communal outdoor space.
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Can I Choose Who I Dorm With In College
Most colleges have a housing form that all freshmen-to-be who plan to live on campus must complete. Often this form will allow you to include the name of an intended roommate. Even when students are not allowed to request a roommate, it might be possible for friends to live in the same dorm or even on the same floor.
What Other Expenses Can You Expect While Living On
Living on-campus often means students can avoid the hassle of budgeting for utilities, dealing with a landlord, and paying rent every month. However, there are still a number of costs associated with affordable college living. As someone living in low-cost student housing, there are many expenses that you can control. For instance, a meal plan may be required, but you can buy the smallest one available and keep snacks on-hand in your room for times when youre hungry. Similarly, if you take care of your room throughout the year, you wont face charges for damage repairs or cleaning when you check out. Finally, taking care of yourself by eating well, getting enough sleep, and finding time to exercise can help eliminate unexpected costs on things like medications and doctors appointments.
Below is a sample budget for on-campus students. Keep in mind that your costs may be lower or higher depending on your lifestyle, your personal choices, and where you live. Consider the budget a template that you can revise based on your individual situation.
- Food : $40/month
- Personal items : $15/month
- Clothes: $20/month
- Travel : $400/semester
- Transportation : $250/semester
- First-aid kit, over-the-counter medications, prescriptions: $125/semester
- Miscellaneous : $150/semester
AS StaffApril 2019
This concludes our ranking of the Top 30 Most Inviting Yet Affordable College Dorms in America for 2019.
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Sontag And Dialynas Halls Pomona College Ca
Approximate Cost: $9,666
Built in 2011, these halls are Pomona College’s newest housing additions and have just over 30 suites with more than 150 single bedrooms. Each suite has a common living room, with three to six bedrooms attached. The suites all have air-conditioning and low-use water fixtures, and both buildings are certified LEED Platinum, with a focus on sustainability. Residents can take in a movie via the dropdown movie screen in the lounge, or relax on the sun-drenched rooftop garden.
What Is The Largest College Campus In Florida
University of Central Florida is the largest college with 68,475 students including both undergraduate and graduate students. Florida International University with 57,942 students and Miami Dade College with 54,973 students are following it in the list of Largest Florida Colleges with Most Students.
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