Brown University - Campus Housing - Campus Housing

B+

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Quick Stats

On-Campus Housing Available?		Yes
Campus Housing Capacity		4,643
Average Housing Costs		$6,522
Freshmen Required to Live on Campus?		Yes
Undergrads Living On Campus		80%
Number of Dormitories		31
Number of Campus-Owned Apartments		2
Best Dorms		Andrews Hall Barbour Hall Young Orchard Apartments
Worst Dorms		New Pembroke Perkins Hall

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Brown guarantees housing for four years if a student wants it. The University also require that students live on campus the first six semesters of their Brown career. Although many students complain about this policy, it makes life easier for rising sophomores and juniors, and relieves a lot of the stress between freshman and junior year. Starting in the spring of freshman year, students are faced with a lot of choices in terms of housing. In addition to the lottery, all the program and Greek houses give students the choice of getting around the fickle lottery system. In addition to circumventing the lottery, special housing is one more chance to meet new people and have new experiences.

Despite complaints about the frustrating lottery system, Brown’s housing system is better than most. After freshman year, the system can be worked to a student’s advantage—including some houses reserved specifically for sophomores. Live in the dorms first year, then live in a house sophomore year. Move to a different program house junior year if you didn’t love your sophomore digs. By senior year, you’ll skip the whole lottery system and will be guaranteed prime on-campus housing without ever being forced to enter the lottery or move off campus. A little finesse is all it takes to make the housing system work for you.

Brown Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Housing at Brown University

mamoranger

Mechanical Engineering '14

B+

The Expected College Life at Its Finest

The dorms at Brown University aren't the best, but they are exactly what I expected from a college life: an average dorm. What matters more is the people who live there, not the dorm you live in.

Jul 02, 2011

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Campus Housing at Brown University

ckata

Biological Sciences '14

C+

Grody at Best

Though there are a few exceptions, most of Brown's dorms haven't been properly updated in the last three decades. They're functional, but you gotta work to make them homey and comfortable.

Jul 01, 2011

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Campus Housing at Brown University

BrownBear14

History '14

B+

Not Shabby

Freshman housing is great--rooms are big, everyone gets a double, and is living around other freshman. That said, dorms are not palaces, but they aren't the reason you come here

Jan 12, 2011

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First

User rating for Brown University - Campus Housing is 3.5 out of 5 based on 21 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus housing on the following subjects

Facts

Room Types		Apartments – Several students share a suite, which has single or double bedrooms, a common room, and a sink area without a toilet. Doubles – Students share a large central bathroom facility. Most first-year students are assigned to these rooms. Houses – Each has its own unique features, but students enjoy the advantages of living in a house without the hassles of moving off campus. Suites – Several students share a suite, which has single or double bedrooms, a common room, and a sink area without a toilet.
Bed Types		Twin extra-long
What You Get		Bed Bookshelf Desk Dresser Ethernet connection Lamp Phone jack

Available for Rent

Microwaves, refrigerators

Cleaning Service

Public and common areas are regularly cleaned, but students are responsible for their own rooms. Facilities will do occasional random inspections.

Did You Know?

Campus housing is the source of many of Brown's most popular rumors. There is a highly mysterious tunnel system that connects a good deal of Wriston Quad to the Greek and Program houses. There are endless theories about the original intent of these tunnels, but rumor has it they used to extend over a large portion of the school.
Brown is also said to have a few secret societies in addition to the well-publicized organizations; these societies are said to be located near campus in mysterious mansions. The most famous myth concerns the ominous Graduate Center Suites. It is rumored to have been designed in 1968 by prison architects as a fortress in case of riots. Regardless of the building's design intent, it is a fact that the imposing concrete spiral staircase was actually built incorrectly because the builders read the blueprints wrong.
After talking so much about housing, Brown students have come up with their own terms for Brown's sometimes odd dorms. A "dingle" is a room originally built as a double which has been converted to a single. A "trouble" is a room originally built as a double which has been converted to a triple.
Adding to the eccentricity of the Brown housing system, Residential Life sponsors a movie contest each year in February. The prize, which can go to any group, including rising sophomores, is the ability to select any on-campus room, suite, or apartment. As you would expect, this is a competitive contest.

DormitoriesWhat's This?

Andrews Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 166
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles (upperclassmen), doubles (freshmen)
Special Features: Each room has a sink with a medicine chest, which is very rare for freshman rooms.

Barbour Hall
Floors: 1
Number of Occupants: 37
Bathrooms: Shared with adjoined room
Coed: Yes
Residents: Sophomores
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Every room shares a sink, toilet, and shower with one other room. Rooms also feature an enormous walk-in closet.

Caswell Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 90
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
Special Features: Caswell is split into three towers, and each room has a non-working but atmospheric fireplace.

Emery-Woolley Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 227
Bathrooms: Shared by a cluster of about six students
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: In the coldest depths of winter, living in the same building as the V-Dub Cafeteria will make you the envy of Pembroke Campus. There is also a huge common room with a working fireplace and an elevator.

Graduate Center Suites
Floors: 4 to 5
Number of Occupants: 120
Bathrooms: Shared by suite
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly sophomores
Room Types: Suites with singles
Special Features: It might look a little like a prison, but it provides a good way for sophomores to get singles.

Hegemen
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 70
Bathrooms: Shared by suite
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Suites with mostly singles, some independent singles and doubles
Special Features: The five Hegemen towers are connected by underground tunnels.

Hope College
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 76
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Hope College is conveniently located on the Main Green, and residents can look forward to a year of leisurely strolling from their bedroom to classes.

Keeney Quad (Archibald, Bronson, Everett, Jameson, Mead, and Poland)
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 597
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: About half of the freshmen class lives in the Keeney megaplex. To support so many, the dorm has a lot of common rooms, storage rooms, kitchens, and two private quads.

Littlefield Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Doubles
Special Features: Littlefield is open for winter break to house student athletes. If you’re not a jock, you might have one staying in your room over the holidays.

Metcalf Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 60
Bathrooms: Varies by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles
Special Features: Metcalf is a quiet dorm ideal for serious students or light sleepers. The top floor is reserved for female students only.

Miller Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 55
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Graduate students
Room Types: Singles
Special Features: Miller includes laundry facilities and services, kitchens, an Ethernet connection in each room.

Minden Hall
Floors: 6
Number of Occupants: 80
Bathrooms: Shared by suite
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, suites
Special Features: Minden was renovated in 2002. The top floors have great views of the city, but not all suites have equal accommodations. When choosing Minden in the lottery, scope out the rooms first.

Morris-Champlin
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 200
Bathrooms: Shared by cluster
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, suites
Special Features: This is one of the few dorms that has an elevator, which makes moving in a breeze. Since the first floor of Champlin used to be the Pembroke infirmary, some rooms on the first floor have their own bathroom.

New Pembroke 1, 2, 3, 4
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 193
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: New Pembroke may be at the edge of Pembroke campus, but it is on Thayer Street and close to restaurants and stores.

Perkins Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 275
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Perkins is strictly first-year housing shared only with upperclassman counselors. It is one of the furthest dorms from campus, but it is known for breeding camaraderie.

Slater Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 50
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Juniors, seniors
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Special Features: This is a favorite of juniors and seniors because it is right on the Main Green. Rooms are spacious with high ceilings and great views.

Vartan Gregorian Quad
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 290
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Three-, four-, five-, and six-person suites
Special Features: This housing complex forms a quad, and Josiah’s is conveniently located in the center. Residents enjoy the use of elevators and large common rooms in their suites. The quad also houses the Brown Hotel where your parents can stay at a bargain price.

Wriston Quad (Buxton, Chapin, Diman, Goddard, Harkness, Marcy, Olney, Sears, Wayland)
Floors: 4 to 5
Number of Occupants: 743
Bathrooms: Shared by floor or suite
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, suites
Special Features: Wriston Quad has the advantage of being near campus and the main dining hall. The singles and doubles are nothing special, but the suites on the top floors are arguably the nicest at Brown. Fraternities or sororities usually occupy the lower floors of the buildings, but they do not dominate the scene except during weekend parties.

Campus-Owned ApartmentsWhat's This?

Barbour Hall Apartments
Floors: 2
Number of Units: 129
Bathrooms: Private
Coed: Yes
Residents: Sophomores
Room Types: Apartments
Special Features: Each apartment has a kitchen, common room, and a private bathrooms.

Young Orchard Apartments
Floors: 4
Number of Units: 190
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Apartments
Special Features: Basically the same as living in an off-campus apartment, but it is close enough to campus that students don’t have to worry about transportation.

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Hometown: Austin, TX
Major: Undecided

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