Picking where you are going to live your first year at NYU can be a stressful experience and the 30 second clip on the NYU website can only tell you so much. Here is a list of the pros and cons of all of NYU’s first year residence halls so that you can find your perfect home at NYU:
1. Weinstein Hall
Weinstein has been an amazing home for me my freshman year. In Weinstein, you can find mainly doubles and just a small amount of triples. All of the rooms have their own bathrooms. Although Weinstein certainly does not have the nicest rooms (in fact nowhere near it), there are a lot of pros for this hall. Weinstein is literally right on campus. Right now, my farthest walk to class is five minutes. Weinstein is also home to so much food that you’ll never know what to eat. Between Upstein, Downstein, Sidestein and the Kosher Cafe, you have plenty of choices without ever leaving your building. Although Chick-Fil-A is great, my favorite part about Weinstein is the community. It seems to me that the small rooms and hallways bring your floor closer together. I was able to meet my best friends on my Weinstein floor.
2. Rubin Hall
Rubin is another great choice to live for your freshman year. Its Fifth Avenue location is super close to all of the NYU buildings. The rooms are also nice and spacious. Because Rubin used to be a hotel, you can find a variety of different types of rooms and suites. Rubin is also a little cheaper than the other freshman dorms because of its lack of air conditioning. This may seem like a huge deal but I have heard that it is really only a problem for the first and last few weeks of the school year. Freshmen say that with a fan, you will barely even notice.
3. Founders Hall
Founders has really nice rooms that are pretty spacious. Although it is not located on Washington Square Park, it is only a 10-15 minute walk to class. Founders has traditional rooms that do not have a kitchen, but do have bathrooms. There are no dining halls in Founders but you will be able to find some pretty close by. There are also an abundance of cool places to hang out in Founders to get to know the people in your hall, including TV rooms, study rooms and a courtyard.
4. Goddard Hall
Located right on Washington Square Park, Goddard Hall definitely has one of the best locations in NYU housing. You will be able to get to your classes, the library, the park and multiple dining halls in less than a five minute walk. You never know how much those extra minutes of sleep might end up helping you. The rooms in Goddard do not have kitchens, but do have bathrooms. Goddard rooms are the only ones with carpeting. This can either be gross or nice depending on how neat you keep your room. Because Goddard is small, it is easy to build a close community within your hall.
5. Hayden Hall
Everybody wants to live in Hayden because it really does not have any cons. In addition to being newly renovated, Hayden has an incredible dining hall, and overlooks Washington Square Park. It is also known for being one of the friendliest dorms at NYU. It may seem perfect (and it pretty much is) but unfortunately there is not enough room for the entire freshman class. I wouldn’t rule out any of the other dorms just yet. There are tons of awesome options at NYU.
6. Brittany Hall
Brittany rooms are some of the biggest for NYU freshman dorms. There are also hardwood floors that look a lot nicer than the beige tile in other rooms. Every time I walk into a Brittany room I am immediately jealous of its size. There are various types of rooms in the dorm because it used to be a hotel. Brittany is located about a 10 minute walk or less from campus. There are no dining halls or kitchens in Brittany but you will certainly not go hungry with Weinstein and Hayden nearby.
7. University Hall
UHall is the only NYU freshman dorm that also houses upperclassmen. Although it may seem strange, this could be a great way to meet older students. All of the rooms in UHall are two bedroom, four person suites with a shared bathroom, common area and kitchen. The Burger Studio and Dunkin Donuts, both of which accept meal swipes, are located in UHall – definitely a plus. You would also be located very close to Palladium, which has an awesome dining hall and gym. Although the dorm is a 15 minute walk from campus, the Union Square area is an amazing place to live.
8. Third North
Third North may be the farthest freshman hall from campus but it is still a great choice. There are a variety of different types of suites that all have shared bathrooms, common areas and kitchens. There is a dining hall in Third North, allthough it is rumored to have the worst food in all of NYU dining; it’s still good to have the option to go. Third North has the reputation of being one of the “party dorms” at NYU, so you will definitely find a fun group of students to hang out with.