Why Hopkins: Admitted Student Blog

Congratulations, Class of 2016! Some of you are already counting down the days until Move-In Day in late August, while others are still deciding whether you will be arriving in Baltimore to start your college experience.  In whichever group you fall, freshman year living is always something of great importance. The environment in which you live will serve as a backdrop for all of the new, fun and exciting experiences you are going to have at Johns Hopkins, so it’s especially important to consider all of the different housing options available to ensure that you start your college experience off right.

Between the months of April through June, admitted students will have the opportunity to fill out a housing-preference survey for freshman housing. There are six different dorms that freshmen are housed in: AMR’s I & II and Buildings A and B are located on the Freshman Quad, while Wolman Hall and McCoy Hall are just on the other side of North Charles Street (a three-minute walk from the Freshman Quad).  On the survey, freshmen rank these dorms in the order of their liking, and can either request a roommate or enter the room selection process randomly (random is highly recommended).

The buildings themselves offer different living environments, along with varying amenities that incoming freshmen should take into consideration before completing their surveys. Below are detailed descriptions and accompanying pictures/videos of each freshman housing option:

Alumni Memorial Residences (AMR’s I & II)
If you’re looking for a social and open environment, the AMR’s are a good fit for you. The AMR’s offer a traditional hall-style living arrangement.  All of the bedrooms (comprised of singles, doubles, and the occasional triple) are connected to hallways and grouped into “houses.”

The floors are co-ed – there are both girls’ and boys’ common bathrooms on each floor in each house and a common kitchen for the building.  (Don’t worry – both of these areas are cleaned by Hopkins staff on a regular basis.)  The rooms are heated in the winter but do not offer air conditioning in the summer, so bring a fan!  AMR I also houses a multi-purpose room and a television room, while AMR II has the mail room, a branch of the Office of Housing and Dining, the Blue Jay Café (a study room with vending machines), and a large common area downstairs with a kitchen, a pool table, a television, and more. The AMR’s are just a few steps away from the Fresh Food Café (FFC), which is the main dining hall.

Lucie F. shows off her room in AMR II, Baker House

Nick G.’s crib in AMR I, Willard House

Building A and Building B
For students who prefer a quieter and more personalized dorm, check out Buildings A and B. They’re suite-style dorms – there are two bedrooms (comprised of singles, doubles, or triples) in each suite that share a bathroom and shower, and the suite itself is off of a hallway in the dorm that connects all of the suites.

There is also a common kitchen in the basement that can be used by everyone in the building. The rooms are climate-controlled, so the university will provide air conditioning and heat when the weather turns particularly warm or cold. Buildings A and B also have the advantage of being directly above the FFC.

Marina G. shows us her crib in Building A

Dominique D.’s crib in Building B

Wolman Hall and McCoy Hall
Although these two dorms are farther away (Wolman and McCoy are the two freshman dorms that are not on campus), Wolman and McCoy provide the best of both worlds in terms of privacy and being social. Located across North Charles St., the buildings are much farther away from the FFC, but are also right next to Charles Street Market/Einstein Bros. Bagels, where students can use their Dining Dollars and meal swipes as well.

Wolman and McCoy offer quite a few luxuries.  Both are suite-style living just like Buildings A and B and, and while residents here also share a bathroom with their suitemates, they also share a kitchenette that is complete with a sink, stovetop, and mini-fridge.  The two dorms have air-conditioning and heat, controlled by thermostats in each suite.  All of the suites are arranged by floor, and each floor also has a common room and common bathroom for students.

There is a mail room in the basement of Wolman Hall where mail can be picked up and packages can be sent out. The Wolman Renovation Project, completed in March 2012, has expanded the space downstairs, which now includes a workout room, computer room, and a multi-purpose room/study lounge. The recent renovations in Wolman Hall have also made room for an additional lounge and study area on the main floor, and a 60-person movie theater. Similarly, McCoy has a workout room on the second floor and extra room in the basement for bicycle and suitcase storage.  It’s important to note that McCoy Hall is mostly a sophomore dorm, but freshmen live on the first floor (the terrace level).

Noah G. takes us on a tour of his suite in Wolman Hall

Wafa K. shows off her Wolman Hall suite

Sydney R. shows us her McCoy suite

All of the dorms have one upperclassman Resident Advisor (RA) per floor/house who is available to help out with any issues or questions new freshmen may have.  Also, there are laundry rooms in the basements of each building and different communal areas to socialize and/or study. Regardless of personal preference, the variety of on-campus housing options at Hopkins provides the perfect setting for freshmen to mingle, adjust to college life, get involved, and start making Hopkins their home for the next four years.

For more information, visit the official website of the Department of Housing and Dining Services, and to ask current students about their perspectives, be sure to check out the “Housing” thread on the Hopkins Forums. Also, for more Cribs videos, take a look at our Hopkins Cribs 2.0 YouTube Channel!