University of Wisconsin–Madison Dorms Ranked

Number 10

"My freshman year living in Sellery was not the best nor was it the worst since I live in the unrenovated floors. My bad experiences so far was the numerous amount of fire alarms going off with the most notable ones being the ones at midnight and the ones that happen during construction. Bathrooms are fairly clean, but don’t expect it to be clean after a Friday night. There is no way to control the heater so either you keep it blasting in your room or you open up a window that will cool down your room really fast.
Otherwise, Sellery is a good form to start out in. The first week of moving in was really amazing since everyone was very welcoming and friendly to one another especially the neighbors on my floor. Sellery is right next to the Amazon hub locker so it’s very convenient if you often order things from Amazon. Sellery is also right in front of a dining hall called Gordons and a gym called the Nicholas Recreation Center. Lastly, Sellery is a great location to wake up for classes since most classes are located near Sellery. " - 1 year ago

We collected 12 dorm reviews for Sellery Residence Hall

Number 9

"Chad is the best of many worlds in my opinion. It has its own dining hall attached to the building so you don't have to go outside for food in the winter if you don't want to (especially when it's really cold), the location is unbeatable especially if you are a business student, and it's not too crazy that you can't sleep at night on weekends (but it's still typically lit enough that you won't miss out on parties if that's your style). Also, the inside of the dorm is quite nice with a den that almost forces you to interact with others (which makes it a bit easier to make friends & meet people on your floor). The only downside is that the rooms are hella small, but I think everything else makes up for it." - 4 years ago

We collected 14 dorm reviews for Chadbourne Residence Hall

Number 8

"This is the best dorm on campus in my opinion. It has private bathrooms, so you don’t have to deal with communal bathrooms. The rooms are quite large compared to most dorm rooms on campus. It’s a generally accepting environment (especially for queer students). It’s very quiet (you can always go elsewhere for wilder parties). The kitchen and elevator are outdated. However, the building is right next to dejope. You’re basically closer to the dining hall than the kids who live in dejope. Depending on what side of the dorm you are on, you might get a sick lake view. It’s right on the lakeshore path and a short walk to the bus stop. There are plenty of study spaces in the building that are not crowded, so you don’t always have to trek to the library to study. Also, there are always plenty of laundry machines open. I had a great time in Phillips because it was quiet when I needed it to be, but fun when I wanted it to be." - 4 years ago

We collected 4 dorm reviews for Phillips Residence Hall

Number 7

"The rooms are great, they are big and if managed well can be very easy to keep clean and to stay tidy. There are areas with sofas and desks where you can study/chat with with your friends or peer next to every few dorm room. There is also a bigger common area, where you can come join to watch the TV or just chill to hang out with others or study. The only downside is, if you get a room like mine, at the far edge of the hall, it's pretty far from the bubbler/water fountain, as they are all located in one area, and the kitchen. So sometimes it can be quite bothersome to run to clean your dishes or fill your water bottle and come back. A plus on the other hand is that you have four lakes!! If you have early classes you can stop by to get coffee, or any food at the building at your comfort. Might be a plus or minus, but you can also take the long walk to class to your class and enjoy the sunset/the lake view on the way to classes. Dejope is a little bit further from the classes in the center, so it might be a little walk. It can be real dark some days if you are coming back from late-night classes. But Dejore is pretty safe with its security overall and comfort. If I had to stay there next year I most definitely would!!" - 4 years ago

We collected 3 dorm reviews for Dejope Residence Hall

Number 6

"Pros:
-Just about the best location on campus. Seriously cannot stress this enough. I could just roll right out of bed and get to a lot of classes in less than five minutes.
-The dining hall, Liz's market is in the building and is very inclusive to all allergies/dietary restrictions
-The rooms are huge. Some of the biggest on campus. My roommate and I lofted our beds and fit a huge futon in there plus a tv.
-Generally a great mix of introverts and extroverts. If you want to go out and party you can find others that do too and if you want to stay in, the building is generally pretty quiet.
-A lot of rooms have great views of either the lake or the lakeshore path/nature.
-Has tech center with computers and B/W printer

Cons:
-Only one fairly small kitchen for the whole building. Get prepared to eat at Liz's a lot.
-No air conditioning, but honestly this doesn't matter. Bring a fan for the first few weeks then the weather will cool off for pretty much the rest of the year.
-Communal bathrooms. You will share a bathroom with the others on your floor (floors are separated by gender). Mine was 5 stalls and 4 showers. It's not great but you get used to it quickly; it's part of the college experience.
-Not really any good common spaces. Not a big problem though, the rooms are big and work pretty well as a hangout space.
-Liz's (dining hall) closes a bit early compared to other halls.
-confusing layout (you get used to it) and the elevator doesn't reach most of the building" - 4 years ago

We collected 5 dorm reviews for Waters Residence Hall

Number 5

"Beautiful building, solid room-size, the newest of all the dorms Wisconsin has to offer. There's never not something going on- it's a very social dorm so you have to put little effort into making new friends. I loved living in Witte- an even bigger plus is the fact that we had AC, onsite laundry, and a really nice kitchen. Would definitely recommend to all freshmen!" - 4 years ago

We collected 6 dorm reviews for Witte Residence Hall

Number 4

"From my experience, Smith Residence Hall is a great place to live. The rooms are clean, new, and spacious. In addition to having a bed frame and mattress upon moving in, everyone is also provided a desk and a shared mini fridge. In addition, each cluster of 3 rooms shares a bathroom, which is convenient since some dorms only have one bathroom per floor. The dorm as a whole is quite social but relatively quiet compared to some other dorms located in the Southeast neighborhood such as Witte and Sellery. In terms of location, Smith is located a little further from the center of campus compared to some of the other Southeast dorms mentioned above but even then, it is still fairly close to classrooms, dining halls, and recreational centers. Over the course of the school year, I personally did not find the extra distance (an extra 3-5 minutes walking) to be a problem. Overall, I would highly recommend Smith Residence Hall as a place to live on campus!" - 2 years ago

We collected 8 dorm reviews for Smith Residence Hall

Number 3

"Really nice to have your own bathroom, amazing location (right next state street, memorial library, memorial union, on the lake, close to many halls) " - 10 days ago

We collected 2 dorm reviews for Lowell Center

Number 2

"I love living in Ogg. I have a double and though it is not huge, it is bigger than many doubles on campus. The closets are also a decent. The over head light can be a little harsh but my roomate and I almost never use it. The dorm comes with a loftable bed desk, and shelves for each person and a minifridge to share. The walls are thick enough that you cannot hear the people on either side of you. You can hear people in the hall and people above you if they are loud enough. There are dens and kitchens on every floor. The kitches are pretty minimal but there is a stove, oven, and microwave in them. The dens have tables, chairs and chars with attached desks. There is also a TV. There are printers on the first floor. The room tends to be used as silent study as there are cubby-esque spaces. I really like studying there. The location of Ogg is great, especailly if your classes are in the south east. It is really close to The Nick, Gordon, Grainger, and Smith hall which has a Starbucks. Some of the negatives is that you can hear people that are in the hall. Also, we have had drain moths in the showers but other wise they are clean. I love Ogg and would recomend it." - 3 years ago

We collected 4 dorm reviews for Ogg Residence Hall

Number 1

"Merit has single rooms (small, no private bathroom) & double rooms (spacious, private bathroom), It has about 60 residents total. I lived in a double my sophomore year (2019-20), so my review will be based on this.

It's quite close to a lot of classes (<10min walk) and a bus stop (<1min walk). The dining hall is 2min away by walk. The closest gym is in Ogg (<1 min) away. Having lived in lakeshore prior, I was blown away at how convenient living in south-east was. I use the buses a lot, but not depending on a bus to get somewhere was wonderful. The location is great, and knowing that you could get anywhere (gym, the terrace, UHS, Walgreens, Fresh, dining hall, memorial union, union south, etc) quickly was crazy.

I chose Merit primarily because it had private bathrooms. I cannot tell you how much of a relief it is to not rush to the communal bathroom, hoping you get a stall (+ one with hot water) every single day. The AC worked fine, maintenance was prompt, facilities were new. The kitchen is spacious. Never had an issue with the laundry, always got a washer/dryer when I needed one. The only con would be the social life. Merit is a quiet dorm. If you're looking for making friends, this may not be the best choice. If this isn’t a problem for you, and/or you spend most of your time outside the dorm, then great!

I really enjoyed living in Merit and was quite sad when we were made to move out mid-semester due to COVID-19. I definitely recommend staying in a double in Merit! :)" - 4 years ago

We collected 1 dorm reviews for Merit Residence Hall