Iowa State University Dorm Reviews

🧐 What do students think about the dorms at ISU?

Geoffroy

8 Reviews

Geoffrey is one of the newer dorms and It is one of the best freshman experiences you could ask for. Everything is modernized and the people that live there are respectful of others and aren't too loud. The staff was amazing during my time there and any maintenance that was required was handled swiftly. more

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Friley

8 Reviews

I think my experience as a Friley resident would be much better if not for COVID-19 and all the restrictions set in place as a result. The size of my room in Friley is great, but my particular section has closets built into the wall that I am not a fan of. My bathroom is always clean and I never have a problem getting a shower or sink, but only two showers actually have good pressure and hot water. Also, if I had a sink in my room it would make my experience 100x better. more

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Larch Hall

5 Reviews

Larch Hall at ISU is a small community of people with the same interests in mind. I would definitely say it is the "cool" dorm, but that is my opinion! Every seemed very outgoing and friendly and I loved my time there. more

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Larch

4 Reviews

The bathrooms are pretty old and haven't been updated. There was three stalls for my side of the floor and two of the locks were broken. The location is really nice and has AC. Also there is a dining hall and a convince store. more

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Buchanan

4 Reviews

Buchanan has a very welcoming staff of RA's who helped ease the transition into college. They're always there if you have questions or need help with something. I also really enjoy how I have met many of my new friends here that will create friendships that last a lifetime. more

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Martin

4 Reviews

I loved living in Martin, it was a great location and I loved the suite-style rooms. It is so nice to be close to UDCC and Windows dining halls, and it is super close to the central campus. The only thing that I noticed is that Martin floors are less social, and I think that it is because of the suite style set up. You won't meet people as you walk down the hall to the community bathroom like you would in other dorms. That being said, I loved my suitemates and my roommate and still loved living there. more

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Helser

4 Reviews

For the past couple years I've lived in Helser, I must say that it is the best dorm for meeting new people and forming a close-knit community that you'll have for way beyond college years. Located in the heart of campus, Helser is perfect for being nearby classes. Not to mention, the lack of AC in the building allows people to open up their doors more often, which in turn makes it much easier to start getting to know your house mates! more

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Maple

3 Reviews

My experience in Maple Hall was not too bad. It was a good dorm for freshmen year since there were a lot of incoming students who are also looking to make friends. My experience with a random roommate was not the best, so I would recommend finding a roommate to move in with or get to know your roommate a little before moving in. The dorm was pretty newly renovated which was nice. I enjoyed having a sink in the rooms and individual shower rooms instead of one big shower room and having to share. Having Seasons Dining right underneath was amazing, especially in the wintertime not having to walk through the snow. The location is pretty close to central campus, about a 10-minute walk to get to most classes, which was also very convenient. more

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Lyon Hall

3 Reviews

I loved it there. I made so many friends and enjoyed my space with my roommate, which overall boosted my freshman experience at Iowa State University. The RA's were super nice and everyone there was so welcoming. It was Co-Ed, which is my only grievance, but it still made it a fun time. more

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Willow

3 Reviews

The hallways are poorly lit and the stairways are cramped. The elevator takes forever but there is a bridge way that allows you to get to the cafeteria fast and easy. It is quiet most of the time but the residents in the room above mine always seemed to be moving their furniture at night. more

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Eaton

2 Reviews

Eaton is located next to two dining halls so you have always got multiple options which is nice, the rooms are bigger than I expected and I love that it is suit style. There are tons of study rooms on every floor which I enjoy. The only thing I really dislike is that there isn't a big sense of community and everyone pretty much keeps to themseleves. more

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Wilson

2 Reviews

I have lived in Wilson Hall for the past three years. Throughout that time I have gained friends for years to come. When it comes to the quality of the dorm, it definitely leaves much to be desired. The rooms are relatively small for two people, there is no air conditioning installed in the dorm, and the building is about a mile south of campus. That being said, the community there has been amazing. I originally came out here to lead a bible study and quickly fell in love with that community. Staff and students have a sense of pride about being part of this community. To me, that trumps whatever the dorm may be lacking quality wise. more

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Geoffroy Hall

2 Reviews

Overpriced, needs to crack down more on vandalism. However the staff works hard to engage people, the place is nice, and air conditioning works well. I have to live in a dorm my first year for my scholarship, but will happily be leaving next year for the cheaper on-campus apartments Fredrichson. more

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Oak-Elm Residence

2 Reviews

Oak-Elm is a pretty good dorm for your first and second year at Iowa State. Most students living here and underclassmen so everyone is pretty much in the same boat. The staff can also be very helpful. more

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Friley Hall

2 Reviews

It was very fun, welcoming and interactive. They made sure to create events for us to have fun or enjoy some food together throughout the semester. In addition, they have many rooms dedicated to study and hang out throughout the dorms with vending machines provided in the room. more

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Helser Hall

1 Review

Helser hall has a great location on campus, close to two dining halls, engineering classes, and Starbucks! The bathrooms aren't that nice but aren't terrible either. The one major downfall would be the no air conditioning. When the heat wave came my room reached 98 degrees. The desk were handing out fans to try and help. On the flip side, one good thing is the sense of community. Lots of people during the first week left their doors open making it easy to meet people. The RA's also put together a bunch of fun challenges to get you to meet people. Everyone in the building is super nice. more

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Oak

1 Review

Oak was a very quiet, typical dorm. It is an older building, so the rooms tend to be a little drafty, there is a heater in the room, and there is no AC. However, if you can get along fine for the few months in the summer when it is the hottest, you'll be ok. The floor I stayed on was very quiet- one downside of this was that I didn't make many friends on my floor. For the most part everything is pretty clean, although there were often troubles with plumbing in the bathrooms since the pipes were old. I think this is a great starter dorm and with a good location on campus, it will work for most people. more

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Welch

1 Review

Overall the building isn't up to the date with maintenance, but the location is great. The area outside is a great place to hang out with friends and do all sorts of activities. It's close to central campus and places to get food. more

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Union Drive

1 Review

Union Drive is an interesting but oddly mundane residence hall. It is great for being an enjoyable part of your day but nothing else is very special about it. I enjoyed sleeping there but that all I could stand. more

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Linden

1 Review

Linden was a great location for students majoring in business, kinesiology and health, and anything in the LAS department. I would recommend living on the west side if majoring in design or engineering. One downside to living in Linden is that there is no air conditioning. However, this is only a big deal for a couple months. The rooms are bigger on the top floor than the typical size of other dorms at Iowa State. It is also close to Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton, so it is very convenient for sporting events. more

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