UW Dorms Ranked

"I lived in a 4br2ba apartment at Cedar for the 2019-2020 school year. The building is new and well-maintained but gets very hot during the summer without any air conditioning or decent ventilation. The windows only open a tiny amount. I never interacted with anyone else outside my apartment and the RAs in the building. RA hours are extremely limited and the residential life office is almost never open, and never any help with anything."

"The rooms themselves are new and decent sized. Lived on 9th floor of building A and had a great view of the water and space needle. Gets super hot (80+) when weather is above 70 and sunny out and is extremely difficult to cool it down. Windows have no screens but living on upper floor, did not have any issue with bugs. Bathrooms light switched are weirdly placed but have lots of counter space and drawers. Shower heads do not move but aren't awful. Kitchen is large with tons of storage space and huge fridge. Freezer gets super cold too! On the outer side of west campus and can make going to class feel like a trek. If you struggle with going to class, the distance will NOT be your friend, especially in winter quarter. Overall really enjoyed Mercer!"

"Terry Hall is a West Campus, compared to North Campus, residence hall at the very end of West Campus, meaning it is the absolute furthest residence hall from the main campus and takes about a fifteen minute walk to get to classes each and every day. Furthermore, there are triples in rooms the size of double, so you're three roommates crammed inside a room with the amount of space made for two people. Overall, it isn't old or run-down or anything, but its location makes it not very likeable in my opinion and experience. "

"Pros: - Its close to campus Cons: - Fire alarms every other day. - Shower is tiny and no bidet attachment. - Smaller dorm building. - No stoves on any of the floors except the second. Most halls on campus has one on every floor. - Boring - Water pressure is terrible. "

"Mccarty is great! Very close to campus, and the University feeling of the North campus is better. The room size is decent but maybe be better suited for doubles and not triples. Amenities are also decent, with a spacious closet and desk big enough for 34in monitors, but chairs can be uncomfortable for long periods of time. It is also very close and convenient to the IMA. It can be kinda loud at night as north campus is right next to greek row. All in all can complain but my only complaint is how expensive housing is at UW."

"Highlight: Homeless dude started a trash can fire at 5 am and we all had to evacuate into the rain. Quiet if your window isnt facing the courtyard. South facing dorms can see seattle skyline/rainier. Common room couches are unstable and blocky but push the table against the back of the couch to make it more comfortable"

"Pros: District Market is below you and is extremely convenient Cons: Only 1 kitchen is available on the first floor, and it has poor ventilation so people often set off the fire alarm"

"Along with Alder/Poplar, Elm has bigger rooms (and bigger private bathrooms) compared to the other west campus dorms. The downside is that there's only 1 kitchen to share for the whole building on the bottom floor. Each floor has a handful of study lounges and two living room lounges with couches, a TV, and a microwave. RIP the elm tree out front, you will be missed"

"As good as a dorm gets at UW and it has the convenience of being right next to the dining hall that you will go to for every meal."

"Last year, I lived on the 7th floor of Madrona Hall, a dorm on North Campus with 8 floors and an L-shaped layout. My 3 bed, 1 private bathroom dorm overlooked Denny Field, and sometimes I still wish I lived in the dorms. The hallways in Madrona Hall are divided into two, with one hallway having rooms that share a communal bathroom and the other hallway having rooms with private bathrooms. Each room in the dorm comes with beds, desks, and dressers for every resident, and the room layout is ultimately up to the students. In addition, the ends of each floor have one study room and one kitchen that are both accessible 24/7. Other amenities include washer and dryer units, vending machines, a piano room, and public and private study tables for students within the dorm, all available on the first floor of the hall. Madrona Hall is located on North Campus (within campus grounds) compared to West Campus dorms (off campus grounds). For this reason, North Campus is safer and more social for students. There is an RA on call 24/7 as well as security guards on patrol during all night hours. My overall experience living in the dorms during my freshman year is 5/5 stars :)"