Northwestern University Freshman Dorms: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Campus Home
Choosing the right dorm is a significant decision for any college student, and it can affect your study habits, social life, and overall experience during your university years. Northwestern University offers a variety of dorm options that cater to different preferences and needs. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Northwestern's freshman dorms, helping you make an informed decision about where to spend your first year on campus.
Understanding the Campus Layout: North vs. South
Before diving into the specific dorms, it's essential to understand the general layout of Northwestern University's campus, which is divided mainly into North and South campuses.
North Campus: Known to be vibrant and social, housing the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion (the largest gym on campus) and close proximity to the Technological Institute. This area is often preferred by STEM majors, athletes, and those seeking an energetic environment. The general vibe of North Campus is work-hard, play-hard. You’ll find a lot of students who are very focused on their academics but also like to unwind & have fun on the weekends.
South Campus: Contrastingly, South Campus offers a quieter atmosphere, often preferred by students who prioritize a more relaxed environment and closer proximity to arts and humanities academic buildings. The students on South Campus are often described as more chill & creative. It’s a great place to be if you want a more balanced college experience with easy access to off-campus activities.
Mid-Campus: There’s also a small "mid-campus" area that’s home to the Foster-Walker Complex, affectionately known as “Plex.” We’ll get more into Plex later, but it’s a unique option that offers a middle ground between the two main campus vibes.
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Housing Models: Residence Halls vs. Residential Colleges
Northwestern offers three housing models: residence halls, residential colleges, and special interest communities. Each provides a unique opportunity for engagement and growth. Regardless of housing model, all students share in a universal residential experience by living in a residential area that includes common services, amenities, programming, staff, and Faculty-in-Residence. There are two main housing models: residence hall, and residential colleges. The primary difference between them is the degree of faculty involvement.
Residence Halls: The traditional residence halls on campus range from residences with as few as 25 students to larger residences with more than 500. Each building has its own character, spirit, and unique advantages. The residence halls are a great place to live and meet people from all over the world.
Residential Colleges: The residential colleges range from 40 to 250 students. Some have a single unifying theme such as international studies while others are multi-thematic. Each college is headed by a faculty member who serves as the Faculty Chair. Chairs and student officers recruit faculty and staff members for the fellows program, which supports faculty presence through meals in the college, informal presentations known as firesides, and outings around campus and Chicago. Residential colleges offer more opportunities for faculty engagement and programming as well as continuity of community that comes with a culture of returning residents and longstanding faculty affiliations.
Special Interest Housing: Special interest housing is for students who choose to live with others who share a special academic or personal interest.
North Campus Dorms: A Closer Look
Each dorm on North Campus has its unique flair and resident community.
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Elder Hall: Known for its vibrant community and active social scene, Elder Hall is a go-to for freshmen seeking an immersive experience. If you want the quintessential social freshman experience, Elder is the place to be. It’s known for being one of the most active & vibrant dorms on campus, with a strong sense of community & tons of events.
Sargent Hall: Offering a dining hall within the building, Sargent Hall is perfect for those who appreciate convenience and a strong community vibe. Sargent Hall has its own dining hall and is located to the north of Tech. Sargent is another popular North Campus dorm, especially for engineering & science majors due to its proximity to Tech. Like Elder, it has a dining hall in the building, which is a major convenience. Sargent is known for having a strong sense of community & a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
Bobb-McCulloch Hall: Has a reputation as the loud, mainly-freshman social residence hall. While the rooms are average-sized, bathrooms and lounges are relatively old and outdated.
Slivka Residential College of Science and Engineering: Hosts suite-style rooms and Lisa’s Cafe.
Schapiro Hall (formerly known as 560 Lincoln): Is among the newest dorms, with suites and lounges with full kitchens.
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The nearby newly repurposed fraternity houses 2307 Sheridan, 2313 Sheridan, 2347 Sheridan, 2349 Sheridan are located in the fraternity quad.
Also in the fraternity quad, 2303 Sheridan is home to two special interest housing options. The GREEN House is centered around sustainability and hosts environmental discussions, and the Residential College of Cultural and Community Studies features activities related to cultural and social issues.
South Campus Dorms: A Focus on Serenity and Academics
South Campus dorms are known for their serene environment and closer proximity to arts and humanities academic buildings.
Willard Residential College: Is consistently ranked as one of the best dorms at Northwestern. It’s a residential college, so it has that tight-knit community feel & tons of events. The rooms are spacious, the building is clean, & it has a fitness room & a cafe called Fran’s right in the building.
Allison Hall: Has a two-story dining hall, large rooms and clean bathrooms, but does not host many events. Allison is another top-tier South Campus dorm. It’s known for having some of the biggest rooms on campus, & it’s located right above a dining hall, which is super convenient.
Shepard Residential College: Is multi-thematic. They have amenities like kitchens and seminar rooms. Shepard is a bit of a hidden gem on South Campus. It has amazing amenities, including a huge study lounge in the basement with a full kitchen, which is great for cooking with friends.
Chapin Hall: Is home to the Humanities Residential College. It has relatively large rooms and is the oldest residence hall. Chapin is the oldest residence hall at Northwestern, & it has a lot of character. It’s a small, tight-knit community, & the rooms are surprisingly large.
1838 Chicago Ave.: Has a communal kitchen, the South Area fitness room and easy access to Allison Dining Hall.
The nearby North and South Mid-Quads are home to the Public Affairs Residential College, which hosts activities like political discussions.
The Women’s Residential College is located in Hobart House and hosts programming like fellows lunches.
Mid-Campus Dorms
- Foster-Walker Complex (Plex): Known by many students as “Plex,” Foster-Walker Complex is the only mid-campus dorm, and the only one with a package center, convenience store and two dining halls. Plex is a unique beast. It’s the only dorm on mid-campus, & it’s the only dorm that’s exclusively single rooms.
Residential Colleges: Themed Living-Learning Communities
Northwestern’s residential colleges offer themed living-learning communities that extend education beyond the classroom.
Slivka Residential College of Science and Engineering: Slivka Residential College of Science and Engineering, hosts suite-style rooms and Lisa’s Cafe.
Public Affairs Residential College: The nearby North and South Mid-Quads are home to the Public Affairs Residential College, which hosts activities like political discussions.
Shepard Residential College: Shepard Residential College, which is multi-thematic. They have amenities like kitchens and seminar rooms.
Humanities Residential College: Chapin Hall is home to the Humanities Residential College. It has relatively large rooms and is the oldest residence hall.
East and West Fairchild: Next to Kresge, East and West Fairchild are home to the Communications Residential College, where faculty often have meals or “firesides” with students, and the International Studies Residential College, which features events like international food cooking nights. Facilities have not been updated in a while.
Residential College of Cultural and Community Studies: Also in the fraternity quad, 2303 Sheridan is home to the Residential College of Cultural and Community Studies features activities related to cultural and social issues.
Important Information for Incoming Students
Residency Requirement: Northwestern University has a residency requirement for all incoming first- and second-year undergraduate students and all incoming undergraduate transfer students. This institution-wide initiative is designed to support social and academic transitions. All incoming first-year students are required to live on campus for their first two years. All incoming transfer students are required to live on campus for their first year. Students who participate in University-sponsored programs (such as internships and Study Abroad), or who request a leave of absence, will be required to fulfill the two- year residency requirement upon their return to campus.
Accommodation Requests: A committee comprised of various university offices will review any request for an accommodation under the residency requirement. Accommodations considered are typically for medical or psychological conditions, financial reasons, family, age, or other situations. The request process for residency requirement accommodations will be available April 1 - May 31. Rising second-year, third-year, and fourth-year students are encouraged to submit accommodation requests for the new academic year by February 1. Complete the online Housing & Dining Accommodation request form on the Housing Portal.
All Gender Housing: All Gender Housing allows students, regardless of sex or gender, to share a room or suite. If you already have a roommate in mind, you will need their name and NetID. You will select roommates in your group for your room assignment.
Twin Extra Long Bedding: All mattresses in undergraduate buildings are 36″ by 80″. They’re referred to as “twin extra-long” mattresses.
Meal Plans: Students living in campus residences are required to have a meal plan as a condition of the housing contract. All incoming students will be assigned the Open Access meal plan. The meal plan contract does not permit exceptions based on religious dictates, personal food choice or preferences (e.g. vegetarianism), or other non-medically-based, dietary requirements.
Housing Cancellation: First- and second-year students may not cancel their housing contract due to the two-year residency requirement.
Summer Housing
Thank you for your interest in summer housing at Northwestern University. Please review the following information carefully before accessing and submitting your summer housing contract. The Summer Contract will be available on the Housing Portal on Monday May 4 until Friday, May 22. All students will be notified by Friday, May 29 of their summer housing assignment. Residents must be enrolled in courses at Northwestern during the summer quarter.
Accommodations: Summer housing will be available in a building with singles and doubles; however, please note that singles are first made available to students with approved accommodations for a single room. Residents will be responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of their individual sleeping rooms. Sleeping rooms are air-conditioned and include the following furnishings: a bed frame and mattress, a set of dresser drawers, and a closet with space to hang clothing. Linens, pillows, blankets, and towels are not provided. Residents must provide their own bed linens and towels. Full laundry facilities are located within the building.
Dates: Summer housing begins at 8:00am on June 21 and ends at 12pm on August 29. If a Spring Quarter resident intends to stay on campus between June 14 at noon and June 22 at 8:00am, please indicate this during the contracting process. Checkouts occur every Saturday at 12:00pm. The rate is $50 per night or $350.00 per week.
Cancellation: Summer housing students can request to cancel via the Housing Portal. Submitting a cancellation request is not an automatic release from your contract, nor does it guarantee a release.
Essential Items to Bring
Though seemingly unlikely, dorm rooms can be a sanctuary in a whirlwind of new activities, classes and people to meet during your freshman year.
Laundry: Laundry rooms are available in the dorms free of charge, yet the journey down can be treacherous - especially if you live in a building with no elevators and multiple floors. Laundry bags equipped with shoulder straps are the easiest way to bring your laundry down multiple flights of stairs. As for cleaning supplies, detergent pods are easy to toss into the washer to get the job done.
Storage: To maximize the small, shared living space in your dorm, smart, compact storage items are a definite must.
Cleaning: Maintaining your space also means doing some extra cleaning in your spare time.
Mattress Topper: An essential to ensure relaxing nights of sleep year-round is a Twin XL mattress topper, which will upgrade your dorm bed to a cozier plane of existence.
Shower Essentials: Often seen as a collegiate rite of passage, the dreaded communal bathroom - which most NU dorms have - has no reason to be anxiety-inducing if you are well-prepared. A sturdy pair of shower shoes and a hanging shower caddy are essentials for hitting the dorm showers.
Winter Gear: And no matter how tough you think you are, pack multiple winter hats, scarves and gloves - you might lose a few along the way so it’s good to have spares - and actually use them.
Personalization: Once you have all the basics down, it’s time to personalize your space! Bring your favorite posters and print out pictures of family and friends to decorate your walls.
Every dorm comes equipped with a desk, chair, bed, closet space and recycling and trash bins. Extra services, like lofting or bunking your bed, are available for request on the Housing Portal later in the summer.
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