Any advice for choosing a dorm and dorm preferences, preferably North campus?
West Quad
I lived on the hill my freshman year (not an engineer yet), West Quad my Sophmore (decided to switch to engineering halfway through), and off campus housing on south campus my remaining three years (all in engineering).
Personally I enjoy being on central campus. My one house was down the street from Yost, which was awesome. Makes it way easier to attend sporting events and go to parties. During the week, I'd usually leave early in the morning and it'd take 40 minutes to get up to north campus classes, but was nice to have a long walk to the bus stop to start the day. I'd spend all day up there usually going to classes, ME helproom for homework, or media center for group projects. Then go home to centtral campus for dinner. If I had to do more work, I'd usually go to Ugli to finish up.
Having a clear break between my work time and playtime was nice for me, and I think it helped me enjoy weekends more. This was over 15 years ago now, so I know things have changed quite a bit in how people interact and what they do for fun. Our gaming nights were either Bond on the 64, or harrassing a friend playing Super Mario Brothers 3 on an old NES until they gave up and handed over the controller to someone else for harrassment.
Hopefully has a grea time wherever they are placed. Enjoy the time there. It goes by quick, and then you end up like me, reminiscing about the good ol days.
You don't want a car. Between parking, parking tickets, forgetting where you parked (!), and friends constantly asking if they can borrow your car, it's got to be a complete pain in the ass (I never had one for these reasons, but I knew guys who did). Also Ann Arbor is a terrible town to be driving around in--pedestrians own the road, traffic is bad, one-way streets, etc. Besides all the walking is good for you, and is way more social--lots of people you'll just happen to run into.
Prime location next to the Union. You are central to everything.
I lived in the graduate dorm - Cambridge Hall - which used to be the Union Hotel. You got your own room and your own bathroom, and you were attached to the Union.
I'd move back today if I could.
West Quad is next door, so it shares the prime location advantage.
I think Cambridge will still be open, and it still has a great location even if the Union is not open.
In any case, West Quad will definitely be open, and it shares the same location advantage.
And smack dab between West & South Quad.
When I was a senior back in 1981 they had a schematic up in the Union of the University in 2000 and when they put it up the Sig house was projected to be a parking lot. And given that the Sig hous at Michigan was the FIRST Sigma Chi house built exclusively for the fraternity and not an existing house taken over later in life our members werent too happy about this projection and worked actively to stop it.
Last time I checked the house was still there.
West Quad's good for 2nd & 3rd years. I was in there as a freshman and hated it because it was mainly 2nd or 3rd year guys and girls who had their friend groups already
Did they have a copy of "Being Not Rich at Michigan" then?
You might be the first person to put down a first preference for North Campus. Even if you're an engineer, you'd prefer to be on central. Though if you end up on north, it's no big deal as you'll still be with tons of freshmen up there.
That said, West Quad and East Quad
Engineering classes wont really kick into full gear until you are a sophomore. you will have a few up there, but the majority of classes will be on central so you will be taking the bus either way. You want to live on central. Markley hall is the tits too.
was
100% (or near it) live on campus as freshmen
50% live on campus as sophomores
12-15% live on campus as juniors/seniors. (and this number is likely lower now since they flipped selection priority after 2011-2012 school year so that sophomores pick before juniors and seniors).
I lived on campus my first three years and loved it. Burlsey, then Stockwell, then North Quad. And honestly I kinda wished I could have done it senior year too, but that was after the flipped selection priority went into effect, so I knew anything I'd get would be terrible.
You can name a different preference every year, and as a sophomore, you get higher priority. Honestly, though, I think you'll find that living off-campus in a house or an apartment will be cheaper than dorm living.
That said, as a freshman engineering student, you're still going to have most of your classes on Central Campus. All your math, science, and liberal art prereqs are going to be on Central Campus. If you're living on North Campus, you're going to be on the bus a lot for classes and just for social life.
Physics, chemistry, and math are all on central campus, as well as any electives you take. You'll have ENG100/101 (one class per semester) on north campus and possibly ENG110, but that's about it as a freshman.
I had bad roommates in a high traffic dorm and it helped shape me into the man I am today. Dorms are a rite of passage; take what you get and make the best of it.
I loved Baits. It's quiet and there are non-communal bathrooms. No dining hall but Bursley is just a few minutes walk away.
No idea, I lived there 14 years ago...
is the best Quad.
North Campus??
Do you even want sex?
That's why you have to increase your odds.
JK. Studies come first, son.
STFU. He will not have a better opportunity than fresh/soph years as long as he's respectful.
People kept calling him "Master."
I laughed. But I'm not your role model.
Maturity is cyclical.