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‘The Shaft’ Category
Two of Spec’s own win the Housing video contest
Derek Arthur, CC ’13, and Steven Lau, CC ’15, won the Housing video contest! Derek is a former Spectator A&E multimedia deputy, and Steven is Spectator’s multimedia editor. The two will have their video featured on the Housing website, and will be rewarded with $500 Flex (total—we hope they’ll split it 50-50). We wish Derek the best of luck in managing to spend all of it before he graduates (hint: Westside).
Check out the video below!
Remember, you can direct all of your Housing questions to shaft@columbiaspectator.com!
UPDATED: Room Selection recap and some thoughts on next year’s housing options
Update (3:35 p.m.): Only two rooms are currently available in Online Selection—two beds in McBain 229 and 525. Because Online Selection does not have Open Housing and the other beds in the doubles have been claimed by female students, only other female students can select into these rooms. The portal closes at 5 p.m. There’s a chance that those who haven’t picked will lose guaranteed housing if not all available rooms are taken.
All others unable to receive a room must fill out a Waitlist Preferences Form on the Housing Portal by 5 p.m. today to maintain guaranteed housing.
Today marks the end of Online Selection, which means this year’s Housing season is finally over. Here’s a brief review of what happened over the past month and what it means for the few who still don’t have a room as well as what’s likely to happen next year.
In-Person Selection
Because of 2011 and 2012‘s housing fiascos, where many sophomores (and even some juniors) were unable to get singles, the bulk of students took the safer route and opted for doubles and suites, registering for In-Person Selection. This trend had many consequences: More »
Frosh housing preview 2013: In the walls of Wallach
This post is the last installation of our 2013 first-year housing preview :’( In case you missed it, we already profiled John Jay, Hartley, Furnald, and Carman.
Welcome to Wallach! Part of the Living Learning Center (along with Hartley), Wallach will finish undergoing renovations this summer. Though the set-up is now a bit different from Hartley’s suites, Wallach residents are still invited to LLC programming, and the buildings are connected (as is John Jay). More »
Frosh housing preview 2013: Carman Hall, it doesn’t get better
The headline is a reference to this epic music video from a few years ago. (All Carman residents inevitably sing this song the day they find out their housing over the summer.) In this installment of our freshman housing preview, we’re looking at Carman Hall, the largest freshman dorm. Read our previous features on John Jay, Hartley, and Furnald. Don’t forget — housing applications for first-years are due May 1!
Known as the most social freshman dorm, Carman is a popular choice for first-years for its suite setup and semi-private bathrooms. There’s a stereotype of Carman being the “party dorm,” but having lived there this year, I can definitely say there isn’t one “type” of person who lives in Carman (or even one dominant social scene). More »
Frosh housing preview 2013: Furnald is fur furst-years
Here we are at the third post in our series profiling freshman dorms. Things that have not changed: We have pictures, opinions of real students, and many bad puns of mine (see above). Read about John Jay and Hartley, and stay tuned for more—freshman housing apps are due May 1!
There are probably two stereotypes most commonly spread about Furnald. One is that it’s the nicest dorm, facilities-wise, on campus. The other is that everyone there is an anti-social loser. One of these things is true, and the other is kind of mean.
Furnald actually used to be the most desirable senior housing—apparently there was a bar in the basement. It’s known for having a huge, beautiful lounge on the first floor (true). Home to freshmen and some lucky sophomores, Furnald is made up of mostly singles with a few doubles. More »
Online Selection Update: Surprise, sophomores!
Hey, sophomores (and mixed-point groups)! Remember when we said to err on the side of caution since the chance of you getting a single is difficult to forecast? Well, after the senior and junior rounds, and with two days left in Online Selection, the weather report looks about as clear as it can get.
What that means is, as of right now, every sophomore up to and including 10/2339 is virtually guaranteed a single, and the earliest possible room cutoff is 10/2678, so about thirty sophomores will be on the waitlist this year.
Now, if you were a sophomore in Online Selection not within the Furnald range (like me), you were probably hoping for a nice junior- or senior-quality room on the sophomore waitlist. Unfortunately for some, it looks like Housing was more equitable this year and held out fewer rooms, leading nicer rooms to trickle down to juniors, and leaving sophomores to get… sophomore-quality housing. So if you’re looking at Harmony floor plans with a look of disgust, don’t be alarmed! You still have alternatives that I’ll cover in detail. More »
Frosh housing preview 2013: Hartley, where there’s no excuse for getting locked out
This post is the second in a series profiling first-year housing options. Read the first post on John Jay Hall here, and remember—your housing application is due May 1!
I vaguely remember my Columbia tour. If the letters “LLC” ring a bell—and not the corporation kind—you probably heard about Hartley and Wallach, the two dorms that make up Columbia’s Living Learning Center.
Before we dive into the details of Hartley, a short explanation of the LLC. Self-described on the Housing website as “the only all-class integrated residence at Columbia University,” the LLC is truthfully made up of about half first-years and half sophomores. LLC residents have the benefits—and challenges—of sharing suites (or more traditional floors, in Wallach) with upperclassmen.
LLC-ers are also invited to the many programming events put on by RAs and Faculty-in-Residence, who host events from professors talking over dinner to Central Park ice skating trips.
One thing to note: Wallach (which we’ll look at later this week) will be completely renovated by the fall, and the setup is now slightly different from Hartley’s. Hartley is assembled in one- or two-level suites that share a kitchen and co-ed bathroom, while renovated Wallach has more traditionally-arranged floors and a higher person:kitchen ratio. (We’ll get more in depth in our Wallach post—don’t worry.)
As I mentioned in our first installment, there’s no one “best” dorm at Columbia (at least for freshmen)—only what’s best for you. (And, truthfully, it’s all what you make of it.) With that vague helpful advice, here’s our Hartley preview. More »
Online Selection update: Here’s your chance, juniors!
The first few days of Online Selection are over and done with, and with 692 singles left, here’s the rundown on the possibilities left for those who have yet to pick (juniors and sophomores, we’re looking at you).
A Recap
Over the first three days of Online Selection, seniors and mixed-point groups snatched up the best singles on campus. First to go were the Watt studio singles, which had a surprisingly low cutoff of 30/238, with some seniors choosing Broadway singles on the top floor over a private bathroom and kitchen.
Next on the chopping block were Nussbaum singles with a private bathroom, as well as huge 150 square feet singles. The large singles in Wien and Harmony were also taken out of commission.
Broadway
Broadway singles were taken off the board predictably — first the abnormally large rooms on lower floors, then rooms with a view, then higher floors. There are still 128 singles left, mostly smaller rooms on the building’s interior. Expect the tenth through twelfth floors to fill up by the end of tomorrow. In terms of cutoffs, Eric made a post showing a slight discrepancy between the Shaft and Housing’s numbers. Partially due to Schapiro’s renovations, the cutoff for Broadway is likely to drop somewhat. More »
Frosh housing preview 2013: John Jay, or the place with curly fries in the basement
You’ve made your tuition deposit, replaced all your dish ware with Columbia-decorated equivalents, and asked 50 other pre-frosh at Days on Campus what they want to major in (spoiler alert: they don’t actually know). As you prepare to spread your metaphorical wings and leave your metaphorical nest, you must consider to what nest you will next flock (OK, I’m trying, but it’s a little poetic, right?).
Over the next few days, The Shaft — Columbia’s official unofficial guide to surviving housing — will be outlining each of the five dorms that house freshmen first-years: Carman, John Jay, Furnald, Hartley, and Wallach. Tonight, we will take you on an honest virtual tour of John Jay Hall, a popular freshman choice for its balance between privacy and social life. More »
‘General’-ly speaking…it’s time for Online Selection
For those of you who are still floating in the abyss of housing uncertainty, we bring you our General Selection Online Selection preview. (BTW, it starts today.)
Below, we’ve outlined which options are likely to go when, what’s what, and what to expect. After all seniors and mixed-point groups pick during the rest of this week, we’ll have a recap of what’s happened and a preview of what’s to come.
Read on for the preview… and as always, please comment below with any questions or additions for us! More »