University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign Freshman Dorms Ranked

Number 5

"Nice rooms, smaller than average but carpeted & felt warmer/cozier than the basic Ike dorms. Very nice window + I had a street side dorm so my view was sweet. Communal bathrooms weren't great although they were wayyy better/cleaner than the communal bathrooms at Ike, mostly bc people don't blackout every night at Evans. Pretty quiet, also not very social. Closer to the main quad than most first year dorms (might be the closest between Ike, PAR/FAR, Lincoln/Allen and ISR), but pretty far from bars & frats. Definitely get something to put water in as the nearest water fountain is in the basement. Also the AC units are mad old and filled with dust; gave me throat issues in the fall. Solid dorm overall." - 1 year ago

2 student reviewers said they lived in Evans Hall during their freshman year

Number 4

"It a very typical generic dorm. It's obviously not the best, but it's also not the worst. The bathrooms are communal, the laundry room does slightly suck but I think that's for all the generic dorms. There is ac which is great because some dorms on campus don't have it. Snyder hall is supposedly suppose to be the "substance free" dorm, but literally nobody cares about that at all, so if you are here to have fun don't worry. One thing I really liked is that its right next to the arc so I didn't have to travel very far to go to the gym!" - 2 years ago

3 student reviewers said they lived in Snyder Hall during their freshman year

Number 3

"Newman Hall is the closest dorm to the Quad, and has both suite- and traditional-style rooms. GREAT dining, and a super active student community. There are intramurals, tons of clubs, weekly events, and the vibe is really friendly and welcoming. You will not feel alone here. Also, weekly housekeeping, free laundry, on-site library and fitness center, lots of study rooms, and the main seating area of the dining room is open 24/7. Basketball and pickleball courts, great courtyards and a terrace, nice lounges. Air conditioning, big rooms, well-maintained." - 1 year ago

3 student reviewers said they lived in Newman during their freshman year

Number 2

"FAR should not be your first choice dorm under any circumstance, but if you do end up living there it’s really not too bad. The AC is great and you can make your room as cold as you like, the study lounges are also air conditioned and nice unlike most other dorms. FAR has its own dining hall with decent meals and across the street PAR has an equally great dining hall. The busses all start at FAR so it’s pretty nice. The only downside is it’s a 15 - 20 minute walk from classes if you miss the bus. Also the bathrooms are communal but are cleaned everyday." - 4 years ago

3 student reviewers said they lived in Florida Avenue Residence (FAR) during their freshman year

Number 1

"I lived here during the first full year of the pandemic, and I had a few mixed experiences. The room was fairly spacious, has a large desk, and tall windows for natural light. The only issue was the temperature regulation was often all over the place. The bathroom is shared between 4 people (roommate and suitemates), which is much better than a communal bathroom. This may have been due to pandemic struggles, but the food was very hit or miss for the entire year. If you have dietary restrictions, don't expect the food to be of consistently of satisfactory quality. I did appreciate the variety of cuisines they rotated in and out, though. The location is pretty good, especially if you are looking for a quiet dorm. The downside is that it is pretty separated from a lot of the campus social life, so if you're looking for a fun and interactive place, Hendrick House may lack in that aspect." - 1 year ago

4 student reviewers said they lived in Hendrick House during their freshman year