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Comparable Schools'
Campus Housing Grades:
Quick StatsUndergrads Living on Campus
22 %
Best Dorms
- Beaty
- Hume
- Keys
- Lakeside
- Springs
Freshmen Required to Live on Campus
No
College Prowler Take
The most important thing to remember is that dorms are dorms; they all involve nasty linoleum or industrial-strength carpeting, cinderblock walls, possibly irritating neighbors, a lack of automatic dishwashers, and a bathroom to be shared with at least one (but as many as 50) other kids. On the other hand, you are offered all kinds of practice with choosing carpet remnants, applying posters in an artistic and wall-obscuring fashion, getting along with your fellow (wo)man, and achieving parent-surprising levels of immodesty. The surprising part is that it doesn’t take seven semesters or a ridiculously optimistic mind to realize how much fun dorm living can truly be. UF’s “residence facilities” (unofficially known as “dormitories”) are about as good as those in most other large universities. Okay, you probably will never hear of a UF student complaining about his or her dorm room being “overly spacious.” Eventually, you will tire of the adventure that is pretending to have the correct number of appliances plugged into the outlets for fire inspection. The non air-conditioned bathrooms are either stifling hot, or a tad bit chilly. On the other hand, the people who work for Housing are nice, everything’s pretty clean, repairs are taken care of reasonably quickly through an online work-order system, and at any rate, it’s home sweet home. Almost anyone you talk to will tell you that living on campus was a valuable and fun experience. Just try to ignore the fact that most of these nostalgic people are now living in apartments. Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
Anonymous says:  |
The dorms aren’t bad at all, and...
The dorms aren’t bad at all, and they’re getting better all the time. I lived in Broward for all four years of school, and it was conveniently close to a lot of classes, very social, and neither too small nor large. The new dorms, like Springs and Lakeside, are supposed to be pretty nice, but you’ll pay a lot to live there. |
Anonymous says: |
One awesome thing is the cable. If...
One awesome thing is the cable. If you live on campus, you get great channels, and in addition, there is a movie channel that shows Pay-Per-View-type movies all month. It’s great because you get to watch newer movies all the time. I think it’s great to live on campus at least one year. |
Anonymous says: |
I lived in Jennings and Broward,...
I lived in Jennings and Broward, two typical freshman dorms, I think. They were both okay—pretty representative of the others. The rooms are small, and sharing a bathroom with 50 other people sucks, but that’s dorm life. There are awesome dorms for honors program kids, so I would take advantage of that if that applies to you. I have heard mixed complaints and praise. Overall, I’d say the dorms are no better or worse than at other big universities. |
Anonymous says: |
Dorms are a lot of fun. You meet...
Dorms are a lot of fun. You meet so many people and have a great time. You can check online; some don’t have air-conditioning. Avoid those. Some are suites, like apartments, and others are normal dorms, depending on preference. Dorms are an experience that I’m glad I tried. |
Anonymous says: |
The dorms are all very different....
The dorms are all very different. If you like communal living (much more social, but you share hall bathrooms) the Tolbert area is fun; it’s also close to classes. Springs, Keys, Lakeside, and Hume are newer, more expensive, and a little less social. Your chances for fewer roommates and a bathroom shared with only a few people increase in these halls. East and Springs were my favorite places to live. |
FactsWhat You Get
- Bed
- Cable TV
- Desk and chair
- Dresser
- Ethernet access
- Kitchen appliances (suite-style rooms only)
Room Types
- Singles, doubles, triples – one, two, or three students to a room, bathroom shared with the rest of the floor
- Suites – Usually four people in two bedrooms, a living area, and a bathroom
Available for Rent
MicroFridges
Bed Types
- Twin extra-long (bunkable)
Also Available
- Honors-only housing
- Special-interest housing
Cleaning Service
Hallways and bathrooms except in co-ops; bathrooms in suite-style areas.
Dormitories
Beaty Towers
Number of Occupants: 787
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Doubles, suites
One of the few suite-style dorms a freshman will get into, Beaty is organized into apartments of two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a study room/kitchenette with refrigerator and range.
Broward Hall
Number of Occupants: 690
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Singles, doubles, triples
Broward Hall is adjacent to Broward Dining (hence the name) and Broward Beach (again, hence the name), tends to have a high percentage of students pledging frats and sororities, but is not quite as social as the less-gigantic dorms, like East and Weaver, where many people prop their doors open during the day. On the other hand, Broward is very close to classroom buildings, especially for liberal arts and education majors.
Buckman Hall
Number of Occupants: 126
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores, some juniors
Room Types: Doubles, suites
Houses the Buckman Co-op and is one of the first buildings constructed on UF’s campus. The Buckman area (Buckman, Sledd, Fletcher, Thomas) is old, but there is an extremely strong sense of community there—once people are in, they often don't want to leave, which makes it difficult for other students to have a crack at the area.
East Hall
Number of Occupants: 210
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen and upperclassmen
Room Types: Doubles
It’s very close to the Gator Corner Dining Center and has central air-conditioning.
Fletcher Hall
Number of Occupants: 166
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly sophomores, juniors, some freshmen
Room Types: Suites
Fletcher is part of the Murphree Residence Area. It’s close to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, a dining center, the O’Connell Center, the Advising Center, and the Florida Gym.
Graham Hall
Number of Occupants: 218
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Doubles
It’s next to the Graham Pool, near the Graham Pond (complete with sedated—but living—alligator), and above the Graham Oasis convenience store.
Hume Hall
Number of Occupants: 608
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
None of the dorms is really far from classroom buildings, but the lucky honors students living here sometimes have to go no farther than the first floor of their own building for class.
Jennings Hall
Number of Occupants: 520
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Doubles
It’s right next to the police department—‘nuff said. It houses a ton of kids, but it's not usually quite as social as the less-gigantic dorms, like East and Weaver, where many people prop their doors open during the day.
Keys Residential Complex
Number of Occupants: 419
Coed: Yes
Residents: Sophomores, juniors, seniors
Room Types: Suites
The coveted of all dorms on campus. Only students with 30 credit hours or more can live here, and even then it’s difficult to land a spot. Good luck!
Lakeside Residential Complex
Number of Occupants: 528
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Suites
Each four-person apartment has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen, but this swank style is necessary to balance out being the dorm farthest from the rest of campus (although it’s close to Southwest Rec).
Mallory Hall
Number of Occupants: 175
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores, some juniors
Room Types: Doubles
Murphree Hall
Number of Occupants: 348
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, upperclassmen
Room Types: Suites
Close to a dining center, building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
North Hall
Number of Occupants: 158
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
Used to be a co-op, but is now a regular dorm, it’s across the street to UF’s collegiate baseball stadium, soccer field, track, indoor activities building (O’Connell Center), and Ben Hill Griffin Football Stadium.
Rawlings Hall
Number of Occupants: 364
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
Weight room, near an outdoor swimming pool.
Reid Hall
Number of Occupants: 166
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
Near an outdoor swimming pool, a series of tennis courts, and Broward Beach.
Riker Hall
Number of Occupants: 194
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores, some juniors
Room Types: Doubles
Previously known as South Hall, it’s across the street from UF’s collegiate baseball stadium, soccer field, track, indoor activities building (O’Connell Center), and Ben Hill Griffin Football Stadium.
Simpson Hall
Number of Occupants: 225
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly freshmen
Room Types: Doubles
There’s a volleyball pit, large brick barbecue area, swimming pool, dining area, and a pond retreat nearby.
Sledd Hall
Number of Occupants: 187
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Suites
When viewed from the air, Fletcher, Sledd, and Murphree form the letters “UF.” A dining hall is nearby.
Springs Residential Complex
Number of Occupants: 476
Coed: Yes
Residents: Mostly sophomores, freshmen
Room Types: Suites
The only place with single-room suites (two people, two bedrooms, one bathroom), it also has double-room suites (four people, two bedrooms, one bathroom.) A lot of athletes live here.
Thomas Hall
Number of Occupants: 170
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Suites
One of the first buildings on campus, it’s in the immediate vicinity of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, the O’Connell Center, the Advising Center, and the Florida Gym. A dining center is also nearby.
Tolbert Hall
Number of Occupants: 252
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores, some juniors
Room Types: Doubles
Tolbert hosts the Mudfest games each year, is across the street to UF’s collegiate baseball stadium, soccer field, track, indoor activities building (O’Connell Center), and Ben Hill Griffin Football Stadium.
Trusler Hall
Number of Occupants: 208
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
There’s a volleyball pit, a large brick barbecue area, swimming pool, and a dining area.
Weaver Hall
Number of Occupants: 172
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
Home to the Weaver International House, across the street from UF’s collegiate baseball stadium, soccer field, track, indoor activities building (O’Connell Center), and Ben Hill Griffin Football Stadium.
Yulee Hall
Number of Occupants: 177
Coed: Yes
Residents: Freshmen, sophomores
Room Types: Doubles
Yulee Hall opens up to Yulee Pit, a massive grassy area where students can often be seen studying, sunbathing, or playing Frisbee or football.
Did You Know?
All UF dorms are smoke-free. For those of you thinking of repairing to the stairwells for a quick cig, know two things: one, hallway smoke detectors are very, very sensitive, and two, you will well and truly grow to hate heaving yourself out of your bed and into a Gainesville winter night wearing nothing but a T-shirt and boxers because the fire alarm is honking and shrieking. It is definitely faster to go outside and smoke than it is to wait for the fire department to decide that there really is no dire emergency after an alarm goes off.
The dorms are organized into area councils. This is almost completely unimportant unless you’re interested in area government, in which case you should look for the enormous signs announcing meetings and go for it. Rooms inhabited only by people over 21 are considered “wet;” students living there may have alcohol in their own room and in their floor lounge. If even one person under 21 lives in a room or suite, however, it’s “dry,” and there is definitely no liquor allowed. All the dorms have laundry rooms (mostly in the basements). The machines take quarters, which you can get from the change machines they have in most dorm lobbies. The really cool, amazingly forward-thinking modification Housing made in terms of laundry, however, is that you can also just put money in a university vending account and swipe your student ID through the machines’ card readers. This is much nicer for you—and your roommate—than saving your wash until you win a big poker game.
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