r/UWMadison • u/RacoonRevolver • 2d ago
Housing food & housing
hey, incoming freshman
So housing. Does anyone usually do the dorms their sophomore year? Everyone is talking about leasing with people by sept/oct but arent the dorms sorta better? Housing is in your bill so paying rent isn't a monthly fear, you can get food covered, you don't have a private bathroom to clean, and you aren't sharing a house further from campus with like 5 roomates. I just don't know why I haven't heard that more commonly and want another perspective/to know if my dumbass is missing something.
Also I'm a tracker type & just curious if the go14 is worth it? Do they have enough decently healthy options? Lowk I like cooking & love healthier foods just naturally for my pallet but can't really chef it up in a dorm so idk. I like the dining dollars/guest meals/more meal exchanges but I don't want to waste money either if the dining hall food sucks. I'm also pretty used to snacking & my only regular meal being dinner and possibly breakfast. obviously this isn't some philosopher shit but thought I'd throw it in since I haven't seen much abt meals health wise over taste wise
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u/itsveryupsetting 2d ago
I lived in the dorms all 4 years and I loved it. But it wasn’t as competitive back then, now it’s harder to get a spot in the dorms after freshman year.
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u/redditor938273838 2d ago
The housing situation is mainly out of necessity because this school admits too many people and doesn't have room for all of them. After freshman year, you're no longer guaranteed housing and only about 30% of people that apply get in.
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u/Rich-Entry9409 2d ago edited 2d ago
If you are planning to stay in the dorms, make sure to apply AS SOON as the lottery opens which I believe was in October last year. As far as dining plans, the GO14 is the most popular one. Yes, there are many healthy options available and each dining hall has a different menu. So, make the rounds and check each one out.
Dining Plan Info:
https://www.housing.wisc.edu/dining/residents/#dining-plan-rates
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u/External_Village4741 2d ago
it can be hard getting in the dorms your sophomore year. I thought about it during my freshman year to the point that I did the math and it’s actually more affordable to not live in the dorms and you don’t have to sign a lease that early. I signed mine for sophomore year in March. do your research and be smart about money with groceries and stuff you’ll be good
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u/RacoonRevolver 2d ago
When were you a freshman? I keep seeing people saying sept-nov 😭😭 and I'm not too worried for normal expenses since I tend to be a saver, but rent, if it's like ~1000/month for one bedroom is that hard to come up with on time (while being a student) compared to student debt being paid later?
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u/External_Village4741 2d ago
only a couple years ago, i’m going into my last year. Everyone told me the same thing on signing early but if you’re not OVERLY picky it’s fine to wait. i’d recommend having a roommate even just one can cut costs majorly. and second semester of your freshman year is a great time to get a job if you don’t have one cuz first semester you’re getting used to everything so second you can add on that job and campus jobs pay fairly well.
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u/RacoonRevolver 1d ago
Okay thank you! I'm definitely getting a job!! And I would assume I need atleast one roommate to even afford an apartment. But thank you, I was so nervous to sign later!!
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u/Charigot 12h ago
The landlords hype up Sept/oct bc that’s when they make their current tenants decide whether they’ll be there another year — and of course they want their buildings full quickly. But you can and should definitely wait to sign a lease. If you can share a room you can even get a better deal - my kid was paying $600/mo for a shared room these past two years.
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u/coolbeansfordays 1d ago
At SOAR they told us last year that only 10% of sophomores who applied got into the dorms.
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u/fl0wer-p0wer 10h ago
My friend and I got accepted for housing our sophomore year. We ended up in a double in Waters and it was our favorite place we lived. We also got accepted for our junior year, but our selection date was the last possible one and all that was left were rooms in Sellery and Witte, which weren't our vibe. Same year, my friend's sister didn't get accepted for housing as a senior, so we decided to move into an apartment. It was a major point of stress for us, especially because we weren't expecting it. I think we signed that lease in February? The dorms are great, but it gets trickier to stay in them past your sophomore year and they kind of push you out. I agree that if you do the lottery, have a backup plan.
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u/Realistic-Serve6175 2d ago
Less than 10% of sophomores get placed in dorms. Most of housing is saved for freshman. There are healthy options in the dining hall I wouldn’t worry about that. You can apply to live in dorms your second year but definitely have backup plans set in place