W&M Freshman Dorms

[Anonymous]

I’m trying to get reviews of W&M dorms, including any intel on the new ones opening Fall 2025. Most of the Reddit and CC threads I’ve found have old reviews pre-construction and were unflattering to say the least. I’d love to hear from students or parents of students which dorms are best and worst, particularly Barrett, Lemon, Reeves. And any preview info on Pine, Cedar, or Poplar. TIA.

[Anonymous]

The new dorms (Pine, Cedar, Poplar) haven't been completed, yet, so we don't have many particulars. But they will be new and right next to the new dining hall. They are in a nice location near the rec center and Kaplan arena.

Barrett is an older dorm, but has been renovated over time. The best location right between old and new campus.

Lemon next to Barrett so also a great location. Only about 10 years old.

Reeves is nice, but on the east edge of campus. Right next to Colonial Williamsburg which many students love.

[Anonymous]

Correction to that...Cedar is next to Lemon and Barrett. So a great location, but not near the dining hall.

[Anonymous]

Go to the FB page for parents of W&M students. Lots of info there
Your student will learn a lot on their own on their own social media channels for students

[Anonymous]

Are you a parent or a student, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you a parent or a student, OP?

OMG shut up. Does it matter? Seriously.

[Anonymous]

I’m a parent. My kid doesn’t have a social media network and is just learning how to use Instagram. I’m on a couple FB parent groups but mostly lurk. Haven’t found much useful info on dorms yet.

[Anonymous]

I know a kid who was happy in Reves a few years ago. I personally would want a bigger dorm with more people to choose from, but sometimes the smaller dorms end up with really close relationships.

[Anonymous]

The W&M Family Group FB page (for parents not students) is a very well run page and has good information in the guides
My kid had one of the “worst” dorms recently and had a fantastic year.

[Anonymous]

Two of the worst freshman complexes: Randolph and GGV are closing at the end of this year. So really the only "bad" dorms left are Botetourt which only houses like 300-400 freshman. Odds are pretty good you'll get a nice dorm.

[Anonymous]

https://www.wm.edu/offices/architect/design-construction/currentprojects/west-1.php
https://www.wm.edu/offices/architect/design-construction/currentprojects/cedar-hall.php

[Anonymous]

Related-Does W&M have same housing shortage after first year? By what month do kids need to secure housing for the following year? We have heard some schools need to sign leases as soon as October? What is it like at W&M as would want to also make sure incoming kids also know when to be thinking about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Related-Does W&M have same housing shortage after first year? By what month do kids need to secure housing for the following year? We have heard some schools need to sign leases as soon as October? What is it like at W&M as would want to also make sure incoming kids also know when to be thinking about that.

Housing is required for 2 years so there's no stress your first year. After sophomore year most students move off-campus but there is housing for upperclassman. There was a shortage of that in previous years, but with the new dorms there will actually be more on campus housing then there is demand for next year (I was told 100 unfilled beds next year?)

[Anonymous]

OP— my upperclassman is going to be in Pine next year in the “Global Village” aka, they are housing all the modern language hoses together on Pine 4th floor. I believe floors 1-2 of Pine are freshman, 3 is upperclassmen and 4 is Global Village.

Here’s what she knows aboutPine— 4 dorms and a new Food Court and they all have tree names so students are calling the complex “the Forest”. That’s pretty much it.

No one has been in these dorms yet, so not other insights. The description does say single use bathrooms like Lemon/ Hardy and the new “Cedar” dorm. That’s also the set up in current language housing and she really likes it. Rather than the mass of stalls and showers in large bathrooms, it is a bunch of single use bathrooms, some with just toilets, and some that also have showers. So, a lot more privacy.

She was in Reves freshman year. Small dorm and it went fast (but before the construction boom, many freshman dorms didn’t have AC, which Reves did). She had a really high housing number and could have gotten a Lemon single, and snagged the last Reves room with her roommate. She liked the smaller atmosphere. Some kids would want a bigger, more. bustling dorm.

For the last couple years, most juniors and seniors have had to live off campus. During housing selection this year, with all the new dorms coming on line, there were spots for any upperclassman that wanted one. Traditionally, more kids have chosen to stay on campus than at other, larger schools. The last 2 years with construction, they’ve had to move off. I would imagine that with so many new dorms, they will get back to more upperclassmen living on campus— especially because off campus housing near campus has been expensive and hard to find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP— my upperclassman is going to be in Pine next year in the “Global Village” aka, they are housing all the modern language hoses together on Pine 4th floor. I believe floors 1-2 of Pine are freshman, 3 is upperclassmen and 4 is Global Village.

Here’s what she knows aboutPine— 4 dorms and a new Food Court and they all have tree names so students are calling the complex “the Forest”. That’s pretty much it.

No one has been in these dorms yet, so not other insights. The description does say single use bathrooms like Lemon/ Hardy and the new “Cedar” dorm. That’s also the set up in current language housing and she really likes it. Rather than the mass of stalls and showers in large bathrooms, it is a bunch of single use bathrooms, some with just toilets, and some that also have showers. So, a lot more privacy.

She was in Reves freshman year. Small dorm and it went fast (but before the construction boom, many freshman dorms didn’t have AC, which Reves did). She had a really high housing number and could have gotten a Lemon single, and snagged the last Reves room with her roommate. She liked the smaller atmosphere. Some kids would want a bigger, more. bustling dorm.

For the last couple years, most juniors and seniors have had to live off campus. During housing selection this year, with all the new dorms coming on line, there were spots for any upperclassman that wanted one. Traditionally, more kids have chosen to stay on campus than at other, larger schools. The last 2 years with construction, they’ve had to move off. I would imagine that with so many new dorms, they will get back to more upperclassmen living on campus— especially because off campus housing near campus has been expensive and hard to find.

They've also added a lot of off campus beds in the last year which has bumped up availability a ton. I think there are still a lot of people who prefer all of the benefits of living off campus