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Rhode Island School of Design
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Rhode Island School of Design - Campus Housing - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Campus Housing

B
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Quick Stats

On-Campus Housing Available? Yes
Campus Housing Capacity 1,459
Average Housing Costs $6,490
Freshmen Required to Live on Campus? Yes
Undergrads Living On Campus 70%
Number of Dormitories 13
Number of Campus-Owned Apartments 3
Best Dorms
  • 15 Westminster
  • Colonial Apartments
Worst Dorms The Quad (freshman dorm)

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

It’s true, you can’t avoid dorm life if you come to RISD as a freshman. However, there are some definite pluses to living in the Quad. You are right by food and studios, and there are always people around and awake to hang out with. Some of the dorms are suites, so you’re not sharing a bathroom with an entire floor, and all the rooms are big enough to be comfortable. If you’re not so lucky as to get a suite, the communal bathroom is only for a year. Once you’re out of the freshman dorms, life gets better. Almost all of the dorms on campus are full of character and have a nice atmosphere and space to them. They are fairly small, so you get to know your house and remain plugged into what’s going on around campus without being smothered by it. If you stick it out a year or so in outer housing, then you will build up enough points to get yourself into Colonial Apartments, which is basically just as good as living off campus, only slightly less homey. Colonial is the goal of every student living on campus because you get your own bedroom, and there is a bathroom and kitchen for every apartment.

Students who want to live in doubles or triples have an advantage because if one roommate gets a better lottery number, the best number of the group rules. For example, if one student has lived on campus for two years, and another has only lived on campus for one, when the two-year student is called, she brings the one-year student in, they pick out their room together based on the floor plans, and both sign contracts in order to secure their space. If you are not present at the lottery, you will not be given a space, and there is no way to reserve a space.

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RISD Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Campus Housing at Rhode Island School of Design

ibabieredi

'13

Fashion and Apparel Design

3.5
B

Depends on Dorm

Charles Landing is nice but very far from school (about a 15 min walk). 15 West is very close to all the school buildings and is in the same building as the library. The freshman dorms don't all have AC so it could be very hot.

Aug 11, 2011

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Campus Housing at Rhode Island School of Design

swylde

'11

Interior Architecture

3.1
B-

Living on Campus

it's expensive. From 4,500- 12,000 a year for on campus housing. You can get off campus housing for as little as 300 a month if you look hard enough.

Oct 27, 2010

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Campus Housing at Rhode Island School of Design

aweiss23

'12

Arts

4.6
A

RISD Housing

The Rhode Island School of Design housing system is certainly unique. During the initial year, most students live in the "Quad" which is a compound comprised of four dormitory buildings and a large dining hall in the center between the buildings. Because of the increased admittance in the past few years, the school has added freshman housing in the form of houses along the hill in which the "Quad" resides. These houses are themed: The Carpenter House is a music themed dormitory and the Pardon-Miller House is centered upon health consciousness. Housing is required for students during their freshman and sophomore years. During sophomore year, students have the option of more houses on the "hill" which are preserved homes of 18th century Providence, the Colonial Apartments - an apartment complex consisting of efficiencies, studios and 3-bedroom apartments, Charles Landing apartments-an apartment complex that is available to RISD students as well as to the public. Finally, the school offers apartments in the downtown area of Providence, in which I live. "15 West" as it is commonly referred to, is a high rise building in the heart of the financial district. This building houses RISD Library and another dining hall entitled "The Portfolio". At one time, this building was the home of the Rhode Island Trust Company and the high ceilings and recesses in the rooms truly adhere to their previous vault purpose. Our dormitories are known to be spacious, especially the sophomore housing apartments. Each dormitory room in each of the housing formats comes with a work surface, a desk, storage units and workrooms on each floor of the buildings, each equipped with proper ventilation systems for art supply fumes.

Jun 14, 2010

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Page 1 of 4

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate campus housing on the following subjects

Facts

Room Types
  • Apartment single
  • Double
  • Double triple
  • Efficiency
  • Large studio
  • Single
  • Studio
  • Suite
  • Triple
Bed Types
  • Lofts
  • Twin extra-long
What You Get
  • Bed
  • Closet
  • Desk and chair
  • Dresser
  • Internet connection
  • Kitchen in each building
  • Laundry facilities in each building
  • Local phone service
  • Lounge with cable TV
  • Night stand
  • Recycle/trash room in each building
  • Window coverings
  • Wireless internet

Available for Rent

Microwaves and minifridges are available for rent.

Cleaning Service

The maintenance staff takes care of all public bathrooms (including bathrooms in the suites) and hallways every weekday.

Did You Know?

All housing is smoke free.

Dexter House was a funeral home in which H.P. Lovecraft’s aunt had her wake.

DormitoriesWhat's This?

Barstow House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 19
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry.

Carpenter House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 22
Bathrooms: Shared
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry.

Congdon House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 31
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry, vending machine, porch.

Dexter House
Floors: 2 + basement
Number of Occupants: 20 (+RA)
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: TV lounge, laundry, half kitchen, studio space, porch, vending machine, connects to freshman studio “What Cheer Garage.”

Dunnell House (16 Angell St.)
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 16 (+RA)
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry, house ghost.

East Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 80
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Single and double suites
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry.

Farnum Hall
Floors: 3 + basement
Number of Occupants: 50
Bathrooms: Shared by suite
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Single suites
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry.

Homer Hall
Floors: 6
Number of Occupants: 142
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, Ping-Pong and pool tables, vending machines, computer station, laundry.

Nickerson Hall
Floors: 6
Number of Occupants: 142
Bathrooms: Bathrooms Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, piano, laundry.

Nightingale House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 19 (+ RA)
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry.

Pardon Miller House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 15 (+RA)
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Doubles, triples
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, laundry.

South Hall
Floors: 4
Number of Occupants: 80
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Single and double Suites
Special Features: Studio space, TV lounge, kitchen, air-conditioning, laundry.

Thompson House
Floors: 3
Number of Occupants: 16 (+RA)
Bathrooms: Shared by floor
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles
Special Features: TV lounge, laundry, kitchen, studio space.

Campus-Owned ApartmentsWhat's This?

15 Westminster
Floors: 11
Number of Units: 500
Bathrooms: Shared by suite or apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Single and double suites; 3- and 4-bedroom apartments; mini-, single-, double- and 1-bedroom lofts
Special Features: First 2 floors contains RISD library and café, and upper floors are like three separate living spaces: floors 3–5 are alcove suites, 6–9 are apartments, and 10–11 are lofts.

Colonial Apartments
Floors: 3
Number of Units: 121
Bathrooms: Shared by apartment
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Efficiencies, studios, large studios, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments
Special Features: Apartment-style with personal kitchen, living area, and bath, communal laundry.

Dwight House
Floors: 3
Number of Units: 21
Bathrooms: Private
Coed: Yes
Residents: Upperclassmen
Room Types: Studios, large studios
Special Features: Apartment-style with personal kitchen and bath, communal laundry.

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at RISD

Name: Helen Koh

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Major: Graphic Design/Painting

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