Pros:
-Unlimited free laundry when I was there, and I always did it at midnight because of my busy back-breaking schedule. 12AM to 5AM is definitely quiet hours, as planned, but it really is quiet. There might’ve been partying happening but you just can’t tell unless you’re involved
-You definitely have to live at least with 1 other person but the space is quite spacious for a dorm in NYC. The bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom is bigger than average (I think all of them were bigger than 100 sq ft at least). Dorms were nothing like the ones for Brooklyn College and NYU (they’re tiny in comparison, less than 100 sq ft for sure)
-The space is also very clean, surprisingly. We have carpets in bedrooms and obviously we kept them clean but the hallways, shared spaces, and the entire awning surrounding the building is super well-kept.
-The delis nearby are 24/7 but there are druggies outside those delis all the time, especially from 11PM to 5AM
Cons:
-As a college freshman of 17 years old, I felt like the management office was the mafia. They HOUNDED me for rent despite active communications with City College and knowing that financial aid, grants, scholarships, and student loans do not get disbursed until a much later date than the monthly installment date. They KNOW this. Many students use their aid from college to pay for it, and KNOWING this, the dorm asks us to get our college’s financial aid office to fill out forms on money we get and dates. Yet, they still hounded me again and again asking me where the money was even though they know their residents don’t get xyz check until a certain date (and as us NYC students know, grants, scholarships, student loans, and financial aid are always pushed later than anticipated)
-There were definitely times when I felt like thievery was attempted. Maybe it’s the people living with me, maybe it’s the RA’s sorting the mail, but I’ve had my checks go missing. People received it a certain date, and I didn’t. I had to report missing checks several times and have them sent elsewhere, only to find out weeks after that the check is in the mailbox. Funny, huh?
-Definitely think through what type of life you want when starting college and living in a dorm. I know I made the mistake of choosing someone more outgoing and friendly on my preliminary roommate survey (to match you with someone) – ends up being I had a roommate who brought friends over every day. I felt like I was sharing a room with 4 people, not 1. Also, shy people really shouldn’t dorm in this building. You have to go through so many people like people playing pool, cooking in the shared 1st floor kitchen, etc., and I hated it so much. I didn’t know how uncomfortable I’d feel until I got into the situation. I was exhausted all throughout college – 3 jobs, full-time courses, fellowship, and crazy networking/personal life. I just didn’t want to walk into the dorm to do MORE socializing. Young college students also don’t understand boundaries or even why you’re hustling so hard, so definitely pick your poison if you NEED to dorm for a healthy commute but you NEED to hustle to succeed as well!
-Do multiple tours of the dorm. Your first tour as a high school senior doesn’t give you much information unless you go into the dorm when there’s a whole crew there – but you might be visiting on a quiet day or a weekend.
-I had no issue with this but many people experienced robbery when walking along the very quiet, dimly lit road between City College and the dorm (before there was the open road near the architecture building) – I personally liked how quiet it was but people got robbed.
Advice to owner:
-The space was great! Just be cautious that you’re dealing with CUNY students who comes from disorganized CUNY schools, meaning checks can be delayed for weeks if not months. Stop hounding teenagers for rent when those checks are out of their control. The thievery problem – it happens. Dorms managed by Resident Assistants and living with other people – both contribute to potential thievery problem anywhere.