Pros And Cons To Every Dorm At Boston University
There are a ton of on-campus housing options at Boston University, to the point that deciding where to live may feel overwhelming at times. If you’re having trouble deciding, here’s a list of every dorm accommodation at Boston University and some of the pros and cons that come with living there!
Danielsen Hall
Pros: One benefit of living in Danielsen is how close it is to Newbury Street, which is huge if you’re into shopping. There’s also a common kitchen in the basement, which will come in handy if you love cooking or you’re just looking to eat something other than dining hall food.
Cons: It’s super far from everything. On foot, it’ll take you around 20 minutes to get from Danielsen to the College of Arts and Sciences in the middle of campus where a lot of classes are held. One way to work around this is to make use of the Boston University Shuttle, which conveniently makes a stop right in front of Danielsen, or the T, with the closest T stop being a 5-minute walk away at Hynes Convention Center.
Myles Standish Hall
Pros: The suites in Myles are gorgeous. It was renovated recently, so you won’t be seeing the cinder block walls that you would expect from a college dorm room. Plus, it’s air-conditioned, which really comes in handy when Boston gets hot at the beginnings and ends of the school year. It also has a common kitchen, just like Danielsen.
Cons: While it’s not quite as far removed from Danielsen, Myles can definitely feel a little bit out of the way at times. This is especially true since the campus book store moved from Kenmore Square and a short walk from Myles all the way to West Campus. The closest dining hall is Marciano Commons, so it’s a decent walk when compared to other dorms and how close they are to dining halls.
Kilachand Hall
Pros: Kilachand Hall is a pretty solid pick in terms of dorms on campus. It’s a really short walk to the Marciano Commons dining hall and it’s pretty close to where many classes are held. There’s air conditioning, a kitchen, and a study lounge on the ninth floor that offers a beautiful view of the Charles River.
Cons: Kilachand Hall is where many honors college students live, especially the honors college freshmen. Some people have expressed that they feel like outsiders as a result of this. But if this isn’t a deal-breaker, Kilachand Hall is a great place to live on campus.
575 Commonwealth Ave. (or HoJo)
Pros: 575 Commonwealth, or HoJo as it’s affectionately known on campus, offers two things that are considered luxuries when it comes to college dorms: air conditioning and private bathrooms. Well, not totally private, but sharing a bathroom with a few suitemates is much preferred over sharing a communal bathroom with an entire floor. There’s also a study lounge on the top floor, offering a nice quiet place to get work done.
Cons: HoJo’s general appearance is one of the downsides. It used to be a Howard Johnson hotel, and that’s exactly what it looks like: an old hotel. The inside looks the same way, so it definitely isn’t the prettiest out of Boston University’s dorms. Plus, the rooms are all triples and they might feel a little tight at times.
Towers
Pros: The Towers are located right behind Questrom, the business school at Boston University, so it’s right in the middle of the action in terms of proximity to classes. There are also lots of places to study, so you don’t need to trek to one of the libraries to study somewhere other than your room.
Cons: The rooms are pretty small. For reference, I remember being shown a room in Towers during my first campus tour of Boston University and the tour guide said these dorms were the worst in terms of size, so if we could be happy here we could be happy anywhere on campus.
Warren Towers
Pros: An upside of living in Warren I think a lot of people overlook is the fact that there’s a dining hall in the building. That may not feel like a big deal, but there’s a huge benefit to being able to get to the dining hall without leaving your building, especially during those wicked cold Boston winters. There are also other food options steps away with City Convenience, Starbucks, and Basho located right below Warren. Plus, Warren is predominantly freshman housing, so it’s easy to make friends as a first-year student when you’re living in Warren.
Cons: There’s no air conditioning in Warren, which can be brutal when the weather starts to get hot. Getting out the door in the morning for class might be a little difficult, too. Warren is huge. There are 14 residential floors in each of the three towers, which means the elevator situation can be a bit of a nightmare at times.
West Campus
Pros: West Campus is a great place to live if you’re the athletic type. The three buildings that make up the West Campus dorms surround Nickerson Field, where you can get some exercise by yourself or with friends from 9 am to sundown. You can also go there to catch a game or two. West Campus is also close to FitRec, the campus gym; Agganis Arena, where you can catch a men’s ice hockey game; and Case Center, where the women’s ice hockey team and men’s and women’s basketball teams play.
Cons: West Campus is a bit of a trek to your classes, which are located mostly in East and Central Campus. And just like Warren, you’ll have to deal with communal bathrooms that you share with your whole floor and no air conditioning.
Brownstones
Pros: In my opinion, the Bay State Brownstones are underrated gems in terms of Boston University housing options. Depending on which building you land in, you’re close to not one but two dining halls and you’re also a short walk away from a good chunk of your academic buildings. The Brownstones are considered small dorm accommodations, so it feels a little more private than, say, Warren Towers. And as a cherry on top, the Brownstones come with some beautiful views of Bay State Road and the Charles River.
Cons: Some people are really looking for the college vibes that come with living in a big dorm building with lots of other people. So if that’s what you’re looking for, I wouldn’t recommend living in a Brownstone.
South Campus Dorms and Apartments
Pros: Living in Boston University’s South Campus can almost feel like living off-campus at times, which makes South Campus a popular pick for upperclassmen who are looking for the best of both worlds. There’s also a little bit more privacy because there aren’t any security guards like in the large dorm accommodations.
Cons: The downside of feeling like you live off-campus is it can feel like there’s no social environment to speak of. Also, some of the buildings have critter problems, so it really is luck of the draw depending on what building you end up in.
StuVi 1 and StuVi 2
Pros: The Student Village, or StuVi 1 and StuVi 2 as their affectionately known, are the crown jewels of Boston University housing. Just about everyone wants to live in StuVi at some point in their college career at Boston University. The views of the city are beautiful, the rooms are nice even by non-college dorm standards, and you’re right in the heart of the West Campus action.
Cons: Good luck getting a room here. The Student Village is notoriously hard to get into due to the high demand unless you have an insanely good housing number or a friend to pull you in. They’re also the most expensive accommodations at Boston University.
1019 Commonwealth Ave.
Pros: I like to think of 1019 as a happy medium as far as West Campus dorms go. It’s a step up from West in terms of room quality (you’re in a suite, so you don’t have to share a bathroom with a whole floor) but it doesn’t have the price tag that comes with StuVi. Plus, you’re still in the heart of Boston University West Campus culture.
Cons: Just like all of the other West Campus dorms, it’s a bit of a trek to get to your classes in most cases. Also, you need to buy your own toilet paper for the bathroom in your suite.
Fenway Campus
Pros: I’ll be honest, not a lot of people know the deal with the Fenway Campus dorms, considering they’re a new addition to Boston University but I’ve heard through the grapevine that the rooms are a little bigger than rooms on the Charles River Campus, the main campus at Boston University. There’s also a separate dining hall on Fenway Campus which has received some pretty solid reviews.
Cons: It’s super far away from the rest of campus, which makes it easy to feel isolated. Plus, Fenway Campus at this point feels a little bit like a mystery, so living there might feel like a bit of a blind gamble.
