Nicole, since you were a freshman last year, I was just wondering which dorms are the best in your opinion for incoming freshmen girls?

Hi Amy!
Great question. I lived in McVinney last year and so I'm definitely partial to the dorm. McVinney is almost completely freshmen girls and all double rooms. I had never had to share a room before and was a bit intimidated by the idea of a roommate which is why I applied to live in McVinney. A lot of my friends lived in Raymond Hall and this dorm is right near the cafeteria. If you decide to live there you will most likely have 3 other roommates. Also, a lot of my friends lived in Meagher Hall which is located on the quad. Once again if you live in Meagher you will most likely have 3 other roommates. There are other freshmen dorming options on lower campus. My friend Jess is a currently a freshmen and she lives in Dore Hall. She, however, does not have a roommate because she is living in what is considered a single. Honestly, if you ask someone who lived in Ray they will say that Ray is the best place to live and if you ask someone who lived in Meagher they will say that Meagher is the best place to live. I loved living in McVinney. I was on the 9th floor (we called it cloud nine) and had a beautiful view of Providence. I could even see the water on clear days. When applying for housing I think you should try to consider how many roommates you think you can handle. Also, you may want to consider where you want to live on campus. I was very stressed about the whole dorm life thing. It was scary for me but what I forgot to consider was that everyone was in the same boat as me. Everyone wants a great roommate/dorm experience and is eager to make friends. If you have any other questions about dorming, Amy, the office of Residence Life can definitely answer questions about the specific procedures and such. Goodluck!

Hi! What is a good dorm for freshman boys? (I know this might not be your area of expertise, but...) My son is coming from an all boy school and definitely would like to be not too far from girls. But I am wondering if any of the dorms where the guys live have just doubles? Thanks for any insight!

Hi Liz! So, like you said freshmen boy dorming isn't really my area of expertise so I did a little surveying to see what my friends had to say. Most of the guys felt that the dorm they lived in was the best so I'll try to give you my opinion and a little taste of the freshmen boy dorm scene. You mentioned that your son is coming from an all boys school and doesn't want to be far from the lovely PC ladies. The only co-ed residence hall is Aquinas Hall. This is where I currently live. It is located on the quad and co-ed by wing. Almost all of the girls, however, in Aquinas are sophomores (which your son may absolutely love) and there is a mixture of sophomore and freshmen boys. If he decides to live in Aquinas Hall then he will have two other roommates. If he wants to live in a predominantly freshmen boys dorm then I suggest looking into Guzman Hall. These rooms are quads but a lot of the guys love living there because it is mostly freshmen boys. A bunch of my friends lived in McDermott Hall last year. This residence hall is also located on the quad near Aquinas and across from the all girl dorm, Meagher. There is a mixture of freshmen and sophomore guys in McDermott and they are also quads like Guzman Hall so, your son would have three other roommates. If he is concerned with having more than one other roommate then he can look into living in Fennel Hall. This residence hall is located on lower campus near the new suite complex and theater. Though it is on lower campus, I think its a great dorming option for anyone who wants a little more privacy. The rooms are actually divided by a wall so essentially everyone has their own space but they still have another roommate. The other option for freshmen boys is to live in St. Joseph's Residence Hall. This dorm is between Guzman and the girls residence hall/dining facility, Raymond Hall. Like I said to Amy, your son should consider how many roommates he wants and where he wants to live on campus. I highly recommend living on the quad and McDermott hall or Aquinas hall are great opportunities for that. "Guzman guys" love living in Guzman because they are all freshmen guys looking for a great freshmen year experience. St. Joe's has a prime location between the dorms and many academic buildings that your son will be using next year. Fennel is a great options for those who are just looking to live with one other person and may want a little more privacy. After surveying my friends, they only had good things to say about each dorm. Thanks for the question Liz and I'm sure your son will be happy wherever he ends up living next year.