Ranking the Dorms at Boston University

I lived in specialty housing (though I didn’t apply because I was placed there).

The building I was in was decent—no A/C, elevator or kitchen, messy bathrooms due to sharing them with basically all of the floors, iffy washer/dryer so always chose to walk to Towers, no communal basement like in other Brownstones.

However, we did have hardwood floors (plus to me), a living room space, and it was generally quiet (minus the hustle and bustle of Storrow Dr.) The size of my single was very nice too—lots of storage space in the closet (though some dorms have physical armoire-type dressers and not closets), large window and high ceilings.

The location was A1 as a CAS student—took me less than 5 minutes to get to class. Bus met right outside of Wheelock if I wanted to go to the FitRec/GSU/any other place on campus. Both Warren and Baystate dining halls were close by, too. Also the bridge to over the esplanade was close by and convienent. - 4 years ago

This is a review for 34 buswell, apartment with one double. We split the apartment into two singles in the bedroom and the living room. While both rooms were around the same size, the linear layout of the apartment meant that you entered directly into the living room "bedroom," and had to walk through it to get from the official bedroom to the kitchen or bathroom. It wasn't a huge issue for us because we were friends and had coordinated our schedules, but it was hard when the official bedroom occupant wanted to have an earlier breakfast or come home late. The kitchen was galley-style, so very narrow with super limited cabinet and counter space. We got an over the sink drying rack that could be rolled up, which made life significantly better. It's not a great kitchen if you like to cook, but it can be improved with some shelves or a microwave cart under the window. The bathroom was pretty small and the floor was on an angle, which came in handy once when the toilet broke and prevented water from getting into the kitchen. I cleaned about twenty years of solid black dust from the bathroom vent, so I can't say it was cleaned before we moved in. There's not laundry in the building, but it's not too hard to bring it a couple doors down to the south campus laundromat. There is an elevator, but it is exceptionally slow, small, and has a tendency to break. Also not helpful for moving because there are stairs down to the front door of the building. No bugs or mice as far as I could tell. The bedroom got good light, but the living room and kitchen tended towards the dark side because they face an internal courtyard. Overall, it's a nice apartment if you have a good friend or partner and don't really cook. - 4 weeks ago

We had a mouse problem during the end of the fall semester and the beginning of spring semester. Multiple girls including myself complained about it, but my roommate had mouse shit literally building up behind her bed where the mice where getting in, maintenance said it was because of the poor construction of the building, but only installed trim and the mice still figured out how to get in through another crack. The mice chewed through all my roommate's food, and we had mouse traps in our room scared they'd snap in the middle of the night and we'd wake up to a dead mouse. I spent a lot of nights listening to mice skitter in the walls and afraid they'd hop onto my bed. It was sad considering how nice our dorm room was (it's way bigger than freshman dorms) because we had a big bay window. Bathroom itself was nice until the girls started trashing it by not flushing the toilet, letting the garbage overflow, and leaving hair stuck to the walls. - 4 years ago

I loved living in the whitestones my senior year! First, the location is perfect. You're right across Marsh chapel, with the T right in front of you, CVS on your left and insomnia cookies on your right. If you still have a dining plan, Warren Towers is just a block away too. Second, the room I was in was pretty nice-- we had a private bathroom, kitchen, and me and my roommate each had our own room. There was also a laundry room in the basement which is really convenient, especially during the long winter season. Even though the building's a bit old, me and my roommate really loved living there and making the place our own. Highly recommend if you're looking for that apartment vibe but still want the conveniences of being on Comm Ave - 4 years ago

Being an honors student, I was lucky to live in KHC my first year. It's such a better option compared to what first year students usually get. However, the rooms are getting older and things like lights, blinds, faucets are starting to break. This is also a stark contrast to the bottom floor, which is swanky and recently renovated. I will say though that residents are fortunate to have AC (for like 1 month before they shut it off and then not at all in the spring even when it gets hot), have close access to the dining hall (less than 60 seconds to get there), have a quiet study room on the 9th floor and have a tight-knit community with floor-mates (even though it has a reputation for being dead, I've witnessed parties of 30+ people take place). It's being renovated right now, but I'm sure a bunch of improvements will be made by the next time it opens. Also the basement was cursed lol I hope it survives the renovation - 2 years ago

The building is one of the newest of BU’s dorms so the amenities are pretty good! The bathrooms are cleaned daily so they are often pretty clean, unless the occasional person leaves their stuff or paper towels. I’m in a triple and its really spacious! We have a lot of natural light coming in from big windows in the side too. The only downside is the dining hall closing early but the commute is not that bad its a pretty short walk! The Fenway campus is also located near a lot of food options, Target, and a supermarket. - 2 years ago

Best place to live on campus hands down. 4 singles with 2 bathrooms and a shared kitchen per apartment. We had a corner room so the living room is huge. The apartment's fully furnished, and air-conditioned. There are plenty of lounges/study spaces and 24-hour security. Around a 10 min walk to central campus and public transportation's super accessible – the BU shuttle, 57 bus, and the T. There's Dunkins right downstairs and Buick Market right downstairs, and is within walkable distance to Target, Star Market, Dollar Tree, and Super 88. Personally, I don't think the lower floors without a view are worth the price, but if you're okay with paying a bit more and living on a higher floor with a view I'd say go for it. I attached photos of the view and what the living room looks like, but it is amazing. - 2 years ago

Stuvi 2, as they call it, is. a dream!! If you are lucky enough to live in the apartments, you will love it (only Juniors and Seniors allowed, but underclassmen can live in the dorm-style apartments in the same building). The easiest way to secure a spot is to know someone who already lives there and can pull you in. The location is okay, it's perfect for athletes but if you want to get to class in east campus, you'll have to take the shuttle (which can get really packed) or walk about 20 minutes across campus. The rooms themselves are amazing and have a great view. - 4 years ago

I really love living in Myles, I'll be staying here another year. The windows are big, and so the rooms have lots of light. You never have to wait that long for the elevator to arrive. The one downside that I've noticed is that there isn't any way to turn the heater off. The lowest that the heater goes is to 72, and so it's hot all the time. I keep my window open whenever I'm in my room, and it feels like I'm either sweating or shivering. This might not be a problem for everyone, because some people like their rooms to be hot, but I leave my windows open and use a lot of blankets. - 4 years ago

Love it. More modern compared to a lot of the old buildings in Boston. Fairly clean and pretty quiet. Really enjoyed living here. I will miss it. Only annoying thing was the constant fire alarms but whatever. - 2 years ago