As a relatively small university, the University of Miami has five residential colleges and the University Village. First year students must live on campus unless they commute from home. If you’re not commuting, you are not allowed to bring your car to campus. After the first year, most students decide to live off campus. If you live in any of the residential colleges, a meal plan is required. All the residential colleges and the University Village have security at night for safety purposes. Here is a ranking of the University of Miami Dorms from best to worst.
The Coral Gables campus University Village consists of the newest buildings to live in. There are seven buildings altogether, but only full-time juniors and seniors with 60+ academic credits can opt to reside in them. It’s an easy walk to campus or there are shuttles that run to and from campus. There are five different apartment models ranging from one bed/one bath to four bed/four bath or even four bed/two bath. Apart from the four bed/two bath, all the other models come with full-sized beds in each bedroom and private bathrooms.
The apartments are fully furnished with kitchen appliances and a washer and dryer within each unit. There is also a living/dining room and utilities paid for include local telephone service, high-speed internet, and cable TV (with HBO). The UV has two parking garages, so students can buy parking permits to park close to their apartment. The Village feels as if you live off-campus, however, there are still RA’s, package delivery assistance, dorm-like restrictions, and “lock-out” assistance. The quality and amenities offered are what make the UV the best out of all of the University of Miami dorms.
Located near the main entrance at the Coral Gables campus, Pearson is a socially active residential college. Upperclassmen are usually placed here if they decide to live on-campus. Some freshmen can also be assigned here if there aren’t anymore rooms available in the Towers (Stanford and Hecht). Pearson is set up in a suite-style arrangement and is co-ed throughout each floor. Single rooms have their own bathroom and doubles have bathrooms connected, so only 4 people share.
The residential college has art classrooms, laundry rooms on alternate floors, study rooms on floors 4-7, and Special Interest floors. Pearson has more of a social atmosphere than Eaton and it seems cleaner than Mahoney. The parking garage is also closer to Pearson if you decide to bring your car to campus.
Mahoney is at the northeast part of campus next to Pearson. The building is connected to Pearson and is also set up in a suite arrangement with two rooms connected by a bathroom. Mahoney is a mirror image of Pearson except for that Mahoney has kitchens on floors 6 and 7. Mostly upperclassmen and some freshmen are placed within this residential college. Mahoney is supposed to be newer, but I still believe that Pearson is cleaner and put together. They both have the same amenities and social atmosphere. A hallway connects both Mahoney and Pearson so students from each residential college can interact easily. Students from these colleges eat at the renovated Mahoney-Pearson dining hall located west of the college.
Eaton is the oldest residential college on campus and located on the eastern side of Lake Osceola. It is set in a suite arrangement like Mahoney and Pearson. It’s houses the least amount of students compared to the other University of Miami dorms and tends to be more quiet. Unlike Mahoney and Pearson, there are lounges and laundry rooms on each floor. Eaton doesn’t have it’s own dining hall, so students must choose from eating in Mahoney-Pearson Dining Hall or the Stanford-Hecht Dining Hall.
Stanford is another first-year residential college next to Hecht. The college has two co-ed 12 story towers, Rosborough and Walsh Tower, housing 950 students. Stanford and Hecht are the same, but Stanford has substance free floors. Students eat at the Stanford-Hecht Dining Hall with the students living in Hecht. Stanford apparently has a more “studious” rep compared to the other University of Miami dorms.
Hecht is a first-year residential college on the south side of Lake Osceola. The college has two co-ed 12 story towers, McDonald and Pentland Tower. They house 900 freshmen altogether. Each floor has one bathroom that is cleaned daily and floors are assigned by gender. The common area is on the first floor. This is where the front desk, Faculty Master’s apartment, a classroom, study room, student mail boxes, Academic and Career Advisor in Residence office, vending machines, and laundry facilities are located.
The Department of Theatre Arts is also located on the second floor of the commons. Hecht is said to have a party rep. If you are a freshman, you will enjoy either Stanford or Hecht. Both residential colleges have a social atmosphere where you are getting to know everybody you live with. The friends you make here will stay with you throughout your college years.
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