There’s no A/C in Nason. However, there is heating for the winter season but using an additional heater is not allowed in any dorms at RPI.
Freshman Five
Are there elevators in Bray Hall?
No, unfortunately not.
What size rug would be appropriate for a double in Hall Hall?
It depends on how much rug space you want. The rooms in Hall Hall are in genera 188 square feet big. You can find floor plan of Hall Hall here: http://reslife.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=86
In freshman 5 dorms are there cork strips on the walls, or how would we hang anything on the wall? ex. small photos
No, there’s no cork strips on the walls. You can hang things using sticky adhesive hooks. For photo frames, you can hang them as long as you are not using nails.
How would you rank the freshman dorms? It seems like Sharp would be number one. In what order would you place the remaining dorms.
I would actually not rank Sharp as number one. I personally would rank the Freshman 5 as top. Everyone has a different opinion. That being said, if I were to give mine, it would be the following:
- Freshman Five
- Davison/Nugent
- Warren
- Barton
- BARH
- Sharp
Which res halls have kitchens with a stove top?
The following freshman halls have kitchens with a stove top:
- Freshman Five (Bray, Hall, Cary, Crocket, Nugent)
- Davison & Nugent
- Warren
- Sharp
- Quad (each stack has a kitchen on the first floor with a stove and oven)
- BARH
For freshmen, does any room have a bathroom or are they suite bathrooms shared between 2 rooms?
Suite bathrooms: Davison, Nugent, Barton
Hall bathrooms: Freshman Five (Bray, Cary, Hall, Nason, Crocket), Barton
Individual room/suite bathrooms: Warren, Sharp
Do you know anything about applying for special interest housing (ie. DArts House, Leadership House, etc.)? And if so, do you know how this would affect roommate assignments? Thank you so much!
I believe you still apply for this through the ResLife housing portal. Your roommate would also be apart of this special interest housing if you select it as something you would like.
How high can the beds be raised in Bray Hall?
It can be raised about 4-5 feet high without bunking.
In the freshman five there are a block of rooms (117,217,317) that are 168 SF (20 SF less than the standard 188SF), with a door not centered, but off to the side. Are the wardrobes built in next to each other along the wall, as shown on the floor plan? And, do you have any photos of the #17-block with how students set up and accommodate for the smaller space? I imagine lofting is a good idea for both roommates who share these doubles.
We do have some pictures of this. The wardrobes are next to each other. You do not need to loft the beds to still have room!
For double rooms in Cary, are the beds all oriented the same way? More specifically, are the ends of the beds pointed towards each other? I would really hate to have a room where the ends of the bed are touching, too close for my comfort. I prefer each person to have their own half of the room with the middle being common ground.
You can orient your furniture in your room any way you want.
Are the floors co-ed in Bray Hall? Thanks.
Typically in the freshman five the first floor is all male and the second and third floor one wing is male and one wing female.
Are there washing machines in the freshman five? Or do you have to go somewhere else to do your laundry?
There are washing machines in the basement of each Freshman Five dorm.
Is the Design and Arts (D Arts) program only for freshmen?
At this time the themed housing for D Arts is only for freshman. I am sure you can contact the program to still do things with them, but I am not totally positive.
Which of the freshman dorm is close to a gym?
While all Freshman dorms are pretty close to the Mueller Center, the closest dorm is Hall Hall.
I’m an engineering student and is Hall Hall close to classes? Also is it worth it to bring your own desk chair because the chairs they provide you look extremely uncomfortable. Also is food at RPI good? Which meal plan btw?
All dorms that house freshmen are close to classes.
I personally brought my own desk chair and was incredibly glad I did. I was one of the few people that was able to study in my room because it was comfortable. That being some some people do not want to bring their own chair because they still have to keep the school chair with them in the room (or else you will be charged for it). Also some people will just buy a cushion to put on the school chair to make it more comfortable.
The food at RPI is similar to most colleges, not terrible but not fantastic. You will learn to appreciate home cooked food after your first semester here. What meal plan depends on how much you normally eat and how much flex you want. I personally got 15 meals a week when I was a freshman and never even hit that. That being said, I know people that got higher plans and took advantage of them. It honestly just depends on how much you believe you will eat at college. Remember you can always increase your meal plan, but you can only decrease it the first week.
Could you post pictures of the freshmen halls bathrooms
We just added some pictures of the Freshman Five Bathrooms! Check them out here.
I’m an incoming freshman, and was wondering which freshmen hall is the best/most popular? Also wondering what the situation is with incoming athletes and rooming. I know some schools make you dorm with teammates
There are pros and cons to each freshman hall. If you talk to current students you will hear each of them say a different hall. If you want to see pros and cons for some of the halls check out the list on the official RPI Class of 20XX Facebook Group, you should be added to that soon. In regards to athletes and rooming, as far as we know you are not required to room with teammates, though highly recommend and most of the time athletic team members room together.
How many people share the bathroom for one of the freshman 5?
About 20-22 people share the bathroom in one of the Freshman 5 dorms
Are there any singles available for freshmen? If so, are they hard to get?
Singles are available for freshman, though they are limited. The chances of getting a single depend on the number of students in the incoming freshman class. For instance in each Freshman 5 there are 2 singles available as well as in BARH, but the singles in BARH may become forced doubles if the rooms are needed.
Can you you raise your own bed? What tools are needed?
Beds in the Freshman Five & BARH are adjustable. You just need to pop out the bar and place it in the selected height. A hammer is beneficial, but you don’t need it to adjust the bed. Risers are not recommended for the Freshman Five & BARH as the beds are heavy. You can also choose to loft the beds.
For beds in Nason and Davison, these are not adjustable. You should get risers to raise the bed or choose to loft it.
For Barton, the beds are already lofted and you do not have to do anything.
What’s in the lounges on every floor of the freshman five? Is it worth getting a microwave or do they have one there or in the kitchens?
On the first floor this is a kitchen. In the kitchen you have a fridge, a stove, and a sink. There is a staircase that leads to the second floor lounge. You then have to go to the main staircases to get to the third floor study rooms that are above the 2nd floor lounge (i.e. the first and second floors connect but the third does not). Personally, I recommend if you are going to be warming things up a decent amount of times to get a microwave. I was on the third floor and didn’t want to walk down 2 flights of stairs, warm up my food, and walk back up 2 flights of stairs when I could just warm up my food in my room.
How much space are under the freshman five beds? I’ve seen pictures of lifted beds that are not lofts. Is that a special kind of bed we can order or is that the standard style?
The freshman five beds are adjustable beds. They can go up to about 5 feet off the ground. These are the standard bed given for the freshman five and you do not have to specially order or request it.
Do you have a pro/con list to living in Quad vs. one of the Freshman Five?
A few things:
1. For the 2015-2016 school year freshman are not being offered a place to live in Quad, so the comparison is a moot point if only comparing to the Freshman Five.
2. Please check out the RPI Class of 201X Facebook group that has a pro and con list.
3. Please search on this website or use the tags to find previous pros and cons.
My son just received his housing assignment at Hall Hall. Is it possible to go visit RPI and see one of the 3rd floor rooms at Hall Hall during this summer vacation? Thank you.
This would be a question you can ask Admissions and / or Res Life. If you visit you can ask for a residence hall tour of the Freshman Five, but it may not be Hall Hall. Keep in mind the Freshman Five are all identical except for the suites on the first floor, which does not apply to you. Furthermore, you can check out the pictures of the Freshman Five on our website to get a good idea of what the room can look like.
How big are the bathrooms in Hall Hall?
They are the same sized bathrooms as all of the other Freshman Five. Between the toilets, sinks and showers, they take up the size of two dorm rooms. When you first walk into the room you will have stalls (for women there are 5, this may be different than men), then you walk through a doorway and you have 5 sinks and 5 showers.
Does anyone know the footprint (dimensions) of the wardrobes in the Freshman Five doubles?
Wardrobe (tall, 2 doors, rod and 2 large drawers on bottom) 6′ tall x 3′ wide x 2′ deep
Hello, my son will be in a Crockett double. I’ve purchased two box fans (one to point out and one to point in) in order to circulate air but I think they may be too big to fit in the window openings. Do you know how big the window openings are? Any recommended fans? Thanks.
The window openings are smaller than the wall but I do not know the exact measurements. That wall is 14’ 8” long so width of the window is a little less. Many students get what is called a Tower Fan. These are tall, rotating fans that take up very little room but are very effective. They can be found at major retailers, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and Walmart. In addition many tower fans come with remote controls for easy access to switching speed, position, etc.
Does anyone one have the dimensions of the dresser drawers in Cary? Particularly the depth. I know the set has various sizes.
3-drawer chest 38″ tall x 32″ wide x 19″ deep
I read that they will be opening up Davidson for freshman in a year. Is that true and is it’s location too far away from the other typical freshman living? Also, those rooms seem to be doubles with a divide down the middle making you have some private space. Do you think this is a disadvantage because you don’t end up sitting around talking w/ your roomate because you can’t see them?
Davison is on freshman hill, just like the freshman five and Barton, so it’s not far away at all. Davison is split so you do have your own private space which is just different than other freshman buildings. This doesn’t prevent you from getting to know your roommate, but put effort into hanging out in the common rooms, outside, and other spots on campus.
Do the beds (in all residence halls) have adjustable legs or do you suggest buying bed lifts for the legs?
Yes, the beds are adjustable in height. No need to buy those bed lifts, unless you want the bed super super high.
I was just wondering if all the doubles in Hall had bunk beds
They will not unless you specifically request lofted beds. Those request will go to a third party company who will set up lofted beds before you move in.
Do the desks fit under lofted beds? I saw a picture of a triple in one of the freshmen five where that wasn’t the case but I wanted to make sure.
Yes, a desk will fit underneath a lofted bed.
I just got my housing assignment – it’s Crockett, an apartment-double. Does this mean that I’m living in a suite-style thing? Also, do you know if we get a suite/apartment if we have to clean our own bathrooms?
You were assigned the Crockett apartment which is suite style. Bathrooms are cleaned once a week by the RPI staff.
I was assigned Room 117 in Hall Hall and I see on the floor plan that it is only 168 sq. ft. as compared to all the other doubles that have 188 sq. ft. Any chance I can get one of the larger rooms? Do they switch after the assignments are made?
I believe you can ask to switch rooms after you have moved in and lived in your assigned room for a week or two. Then you have to give a logical and justifiable reason why you want to switch. I suggest you give the room a chance and see if the lack of the additional 20 sq. ft. really is an issue. I know people who have lived in rooms similar to yours and never had a problem.
Do we get chose for bunk bed or normal twin size bed, or it’s just randomly selected when student arrives? Also, it states on RPI website that student get dorm key during student orientation? (or am I wrong?) Is that mean that the student and/or his/her parent stay in the student’s dorm for the night during the 2 day student orientation? or do we need stay in some hotels? Thanks!
For the freshmen five dorms (Cary, Crockett, Hall, Nason, and Bray), the beds will not be lofted. You can have them lofted if you choose, and can find the form to fill out on the ResLife website. As for Barton, all rooms are triples. One bed will be lofted, while the other two beds will be setup in a bunk bed style.
As for orientation, you will get a key to stay in a dorm for the night. You will most likely also have a roommate, so your parents will need to make arrangements to stay in a hotel.
Then what would the major differences amongst the dorms be? How do people choose their preferences?
All of the freshman residence halls have some amount of lounge/kitchen space, but it does vary.
- Quad – two double rooms share a suite bath. Rooms are irregularly shaped. VERY close to class. No long hallways – often quieter. Upperclassmen on the third floor. Close to Sage Dining Hall. A/C.
- Freshman Five (Bray, Cary, Nason, Crockett, Hall) – all very similar. Kind of plain-Jane rooms. Long hallways, lots of social-ness. Part of some of these halls is devoted to: Wellness Housing (Bray), Vasudha Housing (Nason), Leadership Housing (Hall), Design and the Arts Housing (Cary). Close to Commons Dining Hall. Community/floor style bathrooms.
- Barton – newest residence hall. A/C. Mostly triples. Close to Commons Dining Hall. Two triples share a suite bath in some cases. In other cases, there is a community/floor bathroom.
- BARH – very close to ECAV/athletic facilities. Similar plain-Jane as Freshman Five. I believe two doubles share a suite bathroom. Has BARH dining hall within. Farthest from classes. Lots of lounge space.
I’m an incoming freshman and won’t be able to visit before school starts in the fall and having trouble figuring out which hall to pick. Could you describe in a sentence or so the basic feeling or personality (if any) each of the five freshman dorms have. Also I’m a very social person and want a hall with a lot of friendly people. Thanks!
I was in the same position as an incoming freshman – in fact, that is the reason that I created this page.
Unfortunately, I can’t answer your question specifically. It just changes too much from year to year. Each hall creates a personality as the residents get to know each other – wherever you live, you will have no problem making friends. I know this answer may frustrate you, but there is no way for me to know what personality the Class of 2017 will bring to the different halls.
There is themed housing, that you may know about. This includes Wellness Housing (Bray), Vasudha Housing (Nason), Leadership Housing (Hall), Design and the Arts Housing (Cary). This just means that part of the hall (typically 1/6-1/3) is interested in having some focused programs about these topics.
Where can sophomores live that has a shared kitchen in each apartment?
1. Keep in mind that there are minor changes in the housing availability from year to year.
2. Historically, the 5 buildings of STACwyck and the 3 apartments in Crockett, Cary, and Bray are the options allocated to sophomores that have a kitchen in each apartment. STACwyck includes Thompson, Wiltisie, Rousseau, Williams, and McGiffert (Alpha Phi) with 12 apartments each.
Can one bunk the beds in doubles in Bray Hall? If so, how does one do it? My roommate and I are considering doing so, instead of paying for lofts.
I understand that you were being proper, but it might be difficult for one to bunk the beds. I imagine it would take at least two people. :p
Yes, you can do it. The beds are made to do this – they are not simply resting on one another. That’s all I know.
How “movable” are the dressers in the Freshman Five? I’m in a triple in Cary, and didn’t really like the setup too much. Is there anyway to rearrange the room?
The furniture along the walls where you enter (the same wall as the door) is not movable at all. It’s built into the room. You will be able to move your bed, your desk, and of course the shelf on the desk.
Sorry, bud. Good luck arranging it in a desirable way!
A freshman from China asking: are the beddings ready in freshmen 5? Should I bring any of the pillows, quilts, sheets, mats or even mattresses?
Great question, mostly because it’s you’ll be at a loss if you don’t have the right answer.
NONE of the residence hall beds on campus come with bedding. Every bed comes with a mattress (size is twin extra long: 38” x 80”), but nothing more than the mattress. You will need to bring (or purchase when you arrive to Troy) sheets, pillow(s), quilts/comforter, and a mattress pad.
What are the pros and cons of lofting your bed in a double? Bray specifically, if the hall matters.
The hall doesn’t matter much.
Pros:
- More space in the room
- You can put your desk and other stuff under your bed
Cons:
- You have to literally climb into bed. Easy for some. Hard for others.
- You’re sleeping higher… it can be warmer/hot in the winter.
- Yes, it’s possible to fall out of bed. If you don’t follow out of your bed on a normal frame, you probably won’t fall out of a lofted bed. I think it comes with a rail.
- It costs about $150.
Have a double in Cary. Can the shelf above the desk be removed and used elsewhere in the room? I’m thinking of putting the desk by the window but don’t want to block the view.
Yes. The shelves above the desks on campus are a separate piece and can be removed.
Does Bray have indoor bike racks? I intend on bringing my bike to Rensselaer, but I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it in the winter…
Yes, Bray does have an indoor bike room.
Are all the rooms in Bray carpet?
Yes.
How do people typically feel about being in a triple in the freshman 5?
I have never talked to anyone about how they feel about this. I know this setup is quite rare, but the room is larger. It’s another person to get to know and connect with on campus. It can be more fun to have two roommates – do you have specific reservations about this living situation?
So I just recently got assigned a dorm that I was at first happy about but now I’m not as much. How easy is it to switch dorms completely (when you have a roommate and they will go with it too)? Say, from one freshman five to another freshman five? Or from BARH to a freshman five? I know you probably don’t know much about it but I thought you might have known someone that wanted to switch their dorms at some point.
It’s impossible to quantify the ease of room-switching. You and your roommate should call ResLife/ResEd ASAP to find out if you can switch before you move in. Otherwise, you have to wait 2 full weeks after classes start.
Regardless, you might not be allowed to switch halls “just because.” The staff goes through a lot of effort to place all of the students and allowing switches on a whim would be very time-consuming. Best of luck – call and ask as soon as you can.
What do you know about the themed housing ? – Vashuda , Leadership & Wellness. Is it located separately from the others?
Nason, Hall, and Bray are all halls located on Freshman Hill and each of them also has other non-themed housing residents. Themed housing is very integrated with non-themed housing, in this way.
I was wondering if they have elevators in Crockett Hall? Also, do the doubles there have ACs? Last question, I know the teachers for my classes, but don’t know what books I need. Does each teacher have a different book, even for the same subject and are they needed in the first week? Thank you for the help.
No, Crockett Hall does not have elevators. You probably found this out today, but hopefully some of the fraternity brothers and other volunteers were able to help you get your things inside and upstairs.
You probably also learned that Crockett does not have air conditioning.
To find out the books that you need for your classes, go to bookstore.rpi.edu and click “BOOK INFO” at the top or go straight to: https://login.rpi.edu/cas/login?service=http://bookstore.rpi.edu/cas/index.php. If you search for your courses here, you will get book information specific to your professor and section. Before you buy through the campus bookstore, though, check out the APO book exchange on the third floor of the Student Union, and look at websites like half.com and amazon.com.
RPI Rooms 