Unit 1

• Close to campus, close to downtown, close to FPF
• Music practice rooms downstairs near the Academic Services Center (really bad ones, but better than nothing)
• Louder than Stern and Foothill but manageable enough
• Buildings are quite new, but rooms can be small, especially the triples which are the same size as doubles
• Uses Crossroads as its main dining facility, which is close but can be a hassle if you live on the top floors. Crossroads has pretty decent food, in my opinion. The largest dining hall with the most diverse selection.

Unit 2

• Completely IDENTICAL to Unit 1 except for the fact that it is two blocks farther from campus.
• Very close (basically adjacent) to FPF classes
• Uses Crossroads

Unit 3

• Close to campus, close to downtown, close enough to FPF
• Reputed to be rather party-friendly
• Can be a bit loud at times
• The dining hall is located within the Unit itself (VERY close)

Foothill

• Located up the hill, across the campus from downtown
• Close to the chemistry/math/engineering buildings
• VERY far from FPF classes
• More costly than the Units, partly because suites are the only option, and they are by default more expensive
• Rooms are bigger than in the Units, and unlike the other dorms, triple rooms actually get more space than doubles
• Quiet compared to the Units, some wildlife nearby
• Close to Maxwell Field, Memorial Stadium, and the Greek Theatre
• Food is reputedly better than Crossroads, albeit with fewer choices
• The dining hall is located within Foothill itself (VERY close)

Stern

• All-female dorm, and yes, male overnight guests are allowed
• Located at the exact same spot as Foothill so I won’t repeat the location advantages and disadvantages
• Can hear outdoor concerts at the Greek Theatre from some rooms
• Quiet compared to the Units, some wildlife nearby
• Uses Foothill dining, which is right there
• Bowles guys come up and serenade the Stern girls every Thursday
• Annual Bowles-Stern set-up dance
• Lots of history, culture, and a tight-knit community

Bowles

• All-male dorm
• Spacious rooms, but they are all quads so you’d have to share with more people
• Not exactly known as the cleanest dorm
• Lots of dorm history, culture, and a tight-knit community
• Has been compared to Hogwarts
• Uses Foothill dining, which is close enough but not right there
• Right next to the stadium, and Cal Band stops by Bowles every game
• Residents get to serenade the Stern girls every Thursday
• Annual Bowles-Stern set-up dance

Clark Kerr

• WAY too far for most people. I taught at their preschool a few times, and it took me a full 30 minutes to walk there from campus.
• Some steep hills near the area
• One of the most costly dorm options available
• Food is reputedly the best, dorm rooms are quite large as well
• Optimum location for student athletes (close to training facilities)

In addition, Units 1-3 are all tall buildings so you need to account for the time it takes getting downstairs when going to class, whereas the other dorms don’t have this issue. All residence halls have an Academic Services Center (ASC) with free computing, relatively cheap (used to be cheaper) printing, free scanning, occasional events such as game nights, not to mention free tutoring for math, chemistry, physics, and writing. There are also Finding Your Way advisers (professional L&S college advisers) available at every dorm, as are ASC peer advisers. Some dorms have resident faculty such as Prof. Chang living there as well.

Some students who live within an hour of campus do decide to commute. I personally would not recommend it unless you really need the money. The reason being, it’s so much harder to get involved when you’re living so far away. I commuted for two summers from Fremont via BART, and it was fine for the summer. But I can’t imagine commuting when trying to participate in clubs that required evening and weekend involvement. It’s hard to immerse yourself in the environment and truly enjoy the experience when you’re worried about catching the next train home and about having to endure the horrible smell of automobiles for an hour.