Written by Jordan Abudayyeh
Dorm preference at Marquette is a tossup. The University provides down-and-dirty to clean-and-classy places, so there are dorms to suit any student’s needs or interests. There are coed and single-sex options, rooms with private bathrooms, and specialty floors for nursing, engineering, and honors students. Though most students complain about dorm life, studies have shown that students who live on campus tend to achieve higher grades, become more involved, and flat out have a more pleasant college experience than those who live off campus.
Since Marquette freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, it might be more difficult to get into some dorms, such as McCormick or Abbottsford. Although it’s slightly rundown and cramped, McCormick is the No. 1 choice for the majority of incoming students because it is coed and all freshmen, so it’s an excellent place to start your first year of college. If a party atmosphere is not your scene, O’Donnell and Cobeen halls house single-sex first-year students, and honors floors are located in the best-rated dorm on campus, Straz Tower (East). So, overall, Marquette dorms have their ups and downs, but all first- and second-year students are in the same boat, so just know that you’re not alone and make the most of it.