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Oberlin College
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Oberlin College - Campus Housing - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Campus Housing

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Campus Housing rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Campus Housing Grades:

Quick Stats

On-Campus Housing Available? Yes
Campus Housing Capacity 2,600
Average Housing Costs $5,720
Freshmen Required to Live on Campus? Yes
Undergrads Living On Campus 75%
Number of Dormitories 24
Number of Campus-Owned Apartments 10
Best Dorms
  • Burton
  • Quadrangle (Asia House)
  • Talcott
Worst Dorms
  • East
  • North

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

All dorms have their trade-offs; although Dascomb is an all-freshmen dorm, it is conveniently located in the center of campus and houses one of the two major dining halls. As for attractive architecture, Asia House and Talcott are by far the best bet. Asia House is an old, ivy-covered, brick building, which boasts a collection of Oriental art and literature for its residents. Talcott looks more like a castle than a regular building. Firelands, a converted apartment building, is a nice alternative for upperclassmen who can’t secure off-campus housing. As for students who are interested in living in a multi-lingual environment, program housing such as La Casa Hispanica, La Maison Francophone, Russia House, Hebrew House, and German House provide a great opportunity for language improvement. These living arrangements are also popular among students who prefer smaller-sized dormitories and a tight-knit community. In addition to the diversity of many of Oberlin’s dorms, Afrikan Heritage House and Third World House provide students of color, in particular, with a safe space and a culturally sensitive living environment.

Many students (who could otherwise not get into a single their freshman or sophomore year) find that they have a better chance of securing a single room in a program house rather than in a regular dormitory. Baldwin Cottage is a safe space for women, and the third floor of East Hall is a quiet space for students who do not enjoy raucous neighbors. Finally, Harkness, Tank, Keep, and Old Barrows are combined dormitories and food co-ops, particularly suitable for students who do not wish to eat in the on-campus dining halls.

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Oberlin Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Housing at Oberlin College

dsall

'12

Music Performance

3.1
B-

Everyone Lives on Campus

Good accommodations, but everyone is required to live on campus, with the exception of about 10 percent of upperclassmen who find their way out of on-campus housing in a lottery.

Jan 17, 2012

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Campus Housing at Oberlin College

ncecil2012

'07

Economics

3.8
B+

Totally Fine Accomodations

The freshman dorms at Oberlin are not super, but upperclassmen have a better selection of off campus housing.

Jan 12, 2012

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Campus Housing at Oberlin College

ktucker9589

'12

French Language and Literature

3.8
B+

Eh...It Depends on Where You Live

OK, so some of the dorms are awesome. Talcott has walk-in closets, huge windows, large spacious rooms with high ceilings, but you have to be a junior or senior to have a good shot of living there, and even then, getting a single is very very difficult. Burton has good closet space and high ceilings, and it's newly renovated with flat-screen TV's. Kahn is a pretty good first year dorm, newly built, but there are a lot of complaints about it being "fake environmentally friendly" And then there's just your run of the mill dorms: North, South, East. The only really good part about them is the doubles are divided, so you essentially have your own room even when you have a roommate.

Dec 14, 2011

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Page 1 of 9

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus housing on the following subjects

Facts

Room Types
  • Apartments – Students share a semi-private bathroom, one bedroom, a private living area, and an in-room kitchen
  • Open Doubles and Divided Doubles – Students share a large, central bathroom facility, and an open or divided bedroom
  • Quads – Four students share a large, central bathroom facility, two bedrooms, and a private living area.
  • Singles and Super Singles – Students share a large, central bathroom facility, but have their own bedroom
  • Triples – Three students share a large, central bathroom facility, two bedrooms and a private living area.
Bed Types Twin extra-long
What You Get
  • Bed
  • Bookshelf
  • Closet
  • Desk
  • Desk and chair
  • Dresser
  • Ethernet connection
  • Free campus and local phone calls
  • Mirror
  • Phone
  • Window coverings
Also Available All-female sections, all-male sections, co-ops, program housing (such as language houses), quiet areas, special interest halls (for example, the Classics Hall, Science Fiction Hall), and substance-free areas

Cleaning Service

Cleaning services—several times a week—are for public areas only, like lounges and bathrooms. For your own room, grab the vacuum cleaner down the hall (all residences have them), and keep your personal space in order.

Did You Know?

A recent article in USA Today reports that gender-neutral housing is becoming more and more common at colleges and universities worldwide. Campuses that offer gender-neutral housing options or other gender-neutral facilities include, amongst others, Oberlin College. Revised housing policies on college campuses are part of a national movement aimed at serving the nation’s transgender population.

All campus residents have access to the online Oxford English Dictionary (www.oed.com), JStor, and various journal databases.

DormitoriesWhat's This?

Allencroft (Russian House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 15
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles
Special Features: Built during the Civil War, interestingly shaped rooms, highly prized porch swing, large library, Russian dinners, weekly Russian movies and lectures

Bailey (French House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 35
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles, quads
Special Features: Large lounge, small kitchen, teaching assistants from France, French films and a French petit dejeuner every other Sunday

Baldwin Cottage (Women’s Collective)
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 35
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: No, women only
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles, two triples
Special Features: Safe space for support of feminist and women’s issues, built in 1889, piano lounge, large windows, high ceilings, spacious rooms, Third World Co-op dining hall

Barnard House
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 40
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles, quads
Special Features: Home of Substance-Free Living, large lounge, located near center of campus

Barrows Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 130
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles
Special Features: Many lounges and kitchenettes, specifically designed to help students who are making the transition from high school to college

Burton Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 175
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles, triples
Special Features: Vaulted ceilings, offices of the Oberlin Review and the Grape (both student-run campus newspapers) are located in the basement

Dascomb Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 170
Bathrooms: Shared by Floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles and open doubles
Special Features: Disability accessible, located in center of campus, dining hall, piano lounge with a Steinway grand piano, several lounges, two kitchenettes

East Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 180
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles and quads
Special Features: Quiet hall, many singles, small lounges, gender-neutral housing

Fairchild House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 70
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Four singles, the rest open doubles
Special Features: Lounge, co-op dining halls (Brown Bag Co-op, vegetarian Fairchild Co-op)

Harkness Hall
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 64
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Open doubles
Special Features: Largest co-op dining hall on campus, popular vegan- and vegetarian-friendly kitchen

Harvey (Spanish House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 30
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open and divided doubles, quads
Special Features: Spanish movie nights, informal house study breaks and brunches, large lounge, TV lounge, kitchen. Some familiarity with Spanish is required.

Johnson (Hebrew House)
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 30
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles, two triples
Special Features: Stately mansion, spacious irregularly shaped rooms, high ceilings, large windows, Judaic library, Jewish holidays and celebrations observed

Kade (German House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 35
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open and divided doubles, and one quad
Special Features: Large living room, kitchen, German library, visits by Max Kade, German writer-in-residence. Requisit of some familiarity with German.

Keep Cottage
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 54
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles
Special Features: Big stone porch, lounge, fireplace, movie nights, late-night cocoa by the fire, annual Keep Halloween Party, meat-friendly meals

Langston (aka North Hall)
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 240
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: 72 singles, two super-singles, 56 divided doubles, nine quads, two super-quads
Special Features: Two quiet study lounges, two lounges for large meetings, piano, kitchenettes on each floor, TV lounge, elevator, science fiction wing, transfer-student wing

Lord-Saunders (Afrikan Heritage House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 70
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles, quads
Special Features: Center of activity for students who want to heighten their understanding of African, African American, and African Caribbean cultures, traditions and issues; activities typically include soul sessions, art shows, poetry nights, and the Kuumba festival

Noah Hall
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 97
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles, triples
Special Features: High ceilings, chandeliers, lounges with fireplaces

Old Barrows
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 15
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: One single, open doubles, one triple
Special Features: Stately house with graceful columns, small co-op dining hall, near Arboretum, edge of campus, famous for hand-cranked ice cream

Price (Third World House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 50
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles, quads
Special Features: Safe space for self-identifying marginalized persons, arena for critical analysis and discussion of liberation, self-determination, and combating oppression in the West

Quadrangle (Asia House)
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 80
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open and divided doubles, apartments
Special Features: Residents share interest in Asian and Asian American culture; includes lectures, films, special dinners and performances; built around open courtyard, large wood-paneled library, Pyle Inn co-op (largest dining co-op)

South Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 230
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles, quads
Special Features: Located conveniently close to the Conservatory and also to the Center for Environmental Studies, lounge with piano, two kitchens, many small lounges, gender-neutral housing as well as all-female and all-male floors

Talcott Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 80
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, open doubles
Special Features: Built in late 1880s, centrally located, irregularly shaped rooms, Kosher-Halal Co-op dining hall offering weekly Shabbat meal, gender-neutral housing

Tank Hall
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 40
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Located in a more residential section of town, co-op dining hall, beautiful front yard, stained glass and skylight windows

Zechiel House
Floors: 2
Number of Occupants: 45
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, divided doubles, two quads
Special Features: Located across from Philips Physical Education Center, home to many athletes

Campus-Owned ApartmentsWhat's This?

137 Elm
Floors: 3
Number of Units: 20
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly seniors
Room Types: Two single-studio apartments, one double-studio apartment, five double-occupancy apartments, two triple-occupancy apartments
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

152 West Lorain
Floors: 2
Number of Units: 4
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Four single bedrooms in one apartment
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

200 West College Street
Floors: 2
Number of Units: 4
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Two single bedrooms in one apartment
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

Cedar St. Houses
Floors: 2 or 3
Number of Units: 5
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Four single bedrooms in one apartment
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

East Lorain Street (20 & 22)
Floors: 3
Number of Units: 4 each building, (8 in total)
Bathrooms: Per apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Four single bedrooms to one apartment
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

Firelands
Floors: 6
Bathrooms: Per apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly seniors
Room Types: Single studios, double, triple, quad apartments
Special Features: Converted apartment building, spacious living areas, nice kitchenettes

North Pleasant Street (40, 62, & 66)
Floors: 2 per building
Number of Units: 4 each building (12 in total)
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Four single bedrooms in one apartment
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

Professor Street Houses
Floors: 2 or 3
Number of Units: 6
Bathrooms: Shared by house
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Single bedrooms
Special Features: Each house has a porch, study, living room, dining room, and kitchen

Union Street Housing Complex
Floors: 3 per building
Number of Units: 123
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: 30 quad apartments, and 3 quad apartments
Special Features: Furnished, most recently built

Woodland Street Houses
Floors: 10 buildings, each 2 floors
Number of Units: Mostly 4 in each building; 2 in 160 Woodland, 5 in 184 Woodland (39 total)
Bathrooms: One per apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Most are four single bedrooms in one apartment
Special Features: Private bathrooms and kitchenettes, telephone and network connection, one couch, two living room chairs, a kitchen table with four chairs, smoking permitted

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Major: Latin/Computer science

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