Home Sweet Home

After months of applying to several colleges, weeks of waiting for acceptance letters, and hours of debating about which university to attend, thousands of prospective students have made that difficult decision in deciding where to spend the next four years of their lives.

So future BU Terriers you thought the hard part was over, right?  Well this past weekend I interacted with many prospective students who all had the same dilemma – Where should I live on campus? Fear not. BU offers a diversity of housing options to fit the personality and needs of its students. Here’s my advice on choosing the right housing option for you.

West Campus – Claflin, Sleeper, and Rich Hall

- Thirteen-story buildings, large dormitory-style

- Majority of rooms are doubles

- Singles and triples available

- Community style bathrooms

- Coed floors (separated by sides)

- Dining hall located on the first floor of Claflin and Sleeper

Because I lived here my freshman year, I’m a bit partial. West is the best. Because it is a large dormitory it’s a great place for incoming students to meet a lot people and socialize. Students enrolled in the College of General Studies, the College of Fine Arts, and the School of Hospitality often choose to live here because it is so close to their classes. However, West is integrated with students who are part of every school and college. Some of the rooms in Claflin, Sleeper, and Rich overlook Nickerson Field. There are also several grassy areas outside of the buildings making the area feel like a traditional college campus. For outgoing students who love to socialize, eat great food, and enjoy spending time outside during nice weather – West Campus is the home for you.

Warren Towers – 700 Commonwealth Avenue

- Three 18-story towers

- Majority of the rooms are doubles

- Singles and quads available

- Community style bathrooms

- Coed floors (separated by sides)

- Dining hall located inside the building

This is the most popular housing choice for BU freshmen. Like West Campus, it is a large dormitory with community bathrooms and co-ed floors. Students who wish to immediately immerse themselves into an urban lifestyle choose to live in Warren Towers because it is located on Commonwealth Avenue, which is the heart of our busy, urban campus. Some of the rooms in the Fairfield Tower (A Tower) have a view inside of Fenway Park!

Whether you’d like a traditional campus or want to dive right into city life, I would recommend either of these residences to incoming students. Although at least 10% of freshmen live across campus, a majority of incoming students live in West Campus or Warren because students have the opportunity to get to know their classmates in a friendly and welcoming environment. A Resident Assistant lives on each floor of both these dorms and is there to offer guidance and advice when needed and also plans monthly floor events so students have the opportunity to socialize and get to know the people who live on their floor.

Although the Bay State Brownstones are really pretty and it would be really nice to have a bigger room like the ones offered in the 1019 suites, I think it’s important to experience the typical college community living situation in a dorm. If you ask any current student, I’m sure a majority of them will say that most of their friends were their floor mates freshmen year.

And if you’re lucky, junior and senior year you’ll have the opportunity to live with friends you met freshmen year and will have a view like this.     

For more information about other BU Housing options visit the housing website at www.bu.edu/housing

And remember, the sooner you get your housing request in the better your chances of getting your first housing choice!