A Comprehensive Review of UVA Dorms for Freshmen

Choosing the right dorm is a crucial part of your college experience. At the University of Virginia (UVA), incoming freshmen have several dorm options, each offering unique benefits that cater to different preferences and lifestyles. By the end of first year every student has a fierce allegiance to their particular dorm.

UVA Dorm Classifications

UVA dorms are divided into categories based on their locations and amenities. The primary classifications are Old Dorms, New Dorms, and Residential Colleges.

Old Dorms

Located on McCormick Road and central to major academic buildings, the Old Dorms are renovated with modern amenities while preserving traditional charm.

New Dorms

The “New Dorms” are the first year residence halls located on Alderman Road. New Dorms offer more modern accommodations. Features such as air conditioning, upgraded facilities, and being closer to newer campus amenities characterize these dorms.

Residential Colleges

These are themed living communities that offer a more private and enriched academic environment.

Read also: All About Freshman Dorms at BU

Applying for Housing

Please note that there is no advantage to applying early! All first-year housing is randomly assigned following the June 1 application deadline. Once you are logged in, you’ll see a Welcome page with your name, computing ID, and class year. On the Welcome page that follows, you’ll see the steps at the top that you’ll need to complete during this process. Note that you can return to this application at any time before the deadline. On this page, you’ll see your personal information as obtained from the Student Information System, or SIS.

Housing & Residence Life offers individual assistance for students who wish to explore on-Grounds housing options that accommodate their gender identity or expression. On this page, you can enter information for an individual to be contacted by the University if you are determined to be missing. This page allows you to tell us if you require special housing accommodations based on medical-, psychological-, or disability-related needs.

Special communities are completely optional. Students who do not opt into a special community will be randomly assigned within UVA's first-year housing areas: Alderman Road Hall-Style, Alderman Road Suite-Style, Gooch/Dillard Suite-Style, and McCormick-Road Hall-Style. If you opted to apply to live in a residential college, you will see the Residential Colleges page. If we don't have your ID photo on record, you will see the ID Card Photo Needed page. If you've already submitted your ID photo, you will see the Roommate Selection Information page.

Roommate Preferences

The housing portal is also where you'll share your roommate preferences. Remember, the process of searching for a roommate or creating or joining a roommate pair is completely optional. If you want us to assign a roommate to you, there's nothing more you need to do, and you don’t need to participate in the Roommate Profile or Roommate Searching steps of the housing application. Please note that you must submit your ID photo before you can participate in the roommate preferences phase or receive your housing assignment. This page lets you specify if you want potential roommates to be able to request you.

On this page, you can create a roommate pair by searching for potential roommates, sending roommate requests, or accepting roommate requests. If you send a request to a potential roommate, that person must accept or decline the request within 48 hours. Note that you can only have one roommate request at a time. We try to honor roommate requests, but can't guarantee you'll be placed together due to space limitations. This page confirms that your roommate preference details have been received.

Read also: On-Campus Living at PSU

New Dorms: A Detailed Look

The “New Dorms” are practically sparkling. They were built with modern technology, design, and lifestyles in mind.

Balz-Dobie: A Prime Example

Balz-Dobie is a former “New Dorms” home.

Air Conditioning

My roommate, Jane, and I were in our air-conditioned room on move-in day (August 2017).

Amenities in New Dorms

Every new dorm has its own laundry room, so you never have to go far to do your laundry. My hallmates Stephanie and Edie were in the Balz-Dobie laundry room. The first floor of every New Dorm has a small kitchen area, or a kitchenette, with a sink, counter space, and a refrigerator. This is not really used for cooking daily meals, but for heating up leftovers, or storing ice cream in a freezer. Ja’Mel lived in my dorm building first year and loved to bake and cinnamon rolls pretty regularly.

Study Spaces

There are parts of living in New Dorms where there are lots of couches for hanging out with friends and armchairs. Personally, I never studied at the desk provided for me in my dorm room, but within the comfort of my home. The study rooms came in handy when it can be pretty chilly. A lounge and a study room in my dorm.

Views

New Dorms are typically 6 stories tall (don’t worry, there’s elevators). Your lounge and sometimes even your dorm room view is pretty phenomenal. The view from Lile-Maupin dorm and the view from Kellogg Dorm.

Community

While dorms can simply be a place where you live, they also can be a great place to make friends. I am an out of state student and before moving in I did not know a single person at UVA. But yet, I remember feeling like I had found a community from the very first weekend here. I have my dorm to thank for that, who make the world a little brighter.

RateMyDorm Rankings

At RateMyDorm, they've collected student reviews for University of Virginia dorms. Based on the reviews, they've ranked the best dorms on campus.

#5 Gibbons

Literally looks like a hotel! The study room on each floor is also really convenient, and as a STEM major, it’s right next to the Chem building. If you workout, the AFC is right across the street. Plus, some food trucks park right outside the stadium so it’s really easy to get food during the day. The bathrooms get these flies that are really annoying, but otherwise that, Gibbons is AMAZING!!! - 2 years ago

#4 Echols

Windows were really big with a lot of natural light and the flooring is also really nice. The location was also really nice-- really close to grounds - 2 years ago

#3 Courtenay

Dorm is super nice a spacious, and it’s 10 people per suite so you really get to become close with your suitemates. Bathrooms and showers are never a problem and are always clean, and also a big common area that can hold more than 20 people. Only huge problem is it’s old and location is super far from class, it takes me around 10-15 minutes to get to classes - 3 years ago

#2 Gooch/Dillard

Gooch/Dillard is far from central grounds, but is where the bus goes first so rainy days aren’t too bad. The stairs are annoying, but the rooms are slightly bigger than any other first year dorms, and the perk of having a private (shared between you and 5 other people) common room and bathroom is a pretty cool perk. There is A/C and it is relatively quiet since all hallways are outdoors. Also, Runk is super close (especially to people in Dillard), and Tendy Time was a great way to meet people during games (since the grill usually only had chicken tenders after hours). - 5 years ago

#1 Dunglison

Worst UVA dorm. You are the farthest away from laundry and study rooms than any of the other motels. If you are on the top floor have running trudging up and down with laundry because there are no elevators. Students frequently have constant headaches due to mold and we do not have access to a kitchen.

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