Freshman year at Cornell University — which dorms are open, what to look for, and how to pick well.
These 4 dorms are reserved exclusively for first-year students.
| Dorm | Overall ★ | Style | Bath | Reviews | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hu Shih Hall | ★5.0 | Pod | Semi-Private | 2 | 🍳 Kitchen 🛗 Elevator |
| Akwe:kon | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ |
| Mews Hall | — | Corridor | Semi-Private | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen 🛗 Elevator 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ |
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 |
37 dorms are open to first-years plus other class years. Sorted by student rating.
| Dorm | Overall ★ | Style | Bath | Reviews | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 Ridgewood Road | — | — | Communal | 0 | |
| Alpha Delta Phi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Alpha Epsilon Pi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Alpha Phi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Alpha Sigma Phi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Balch Hall | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | |
| Barbara McClintock Hall | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | |
| Beta Theta Pi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Cascadilla Hall | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen |
| Chi Phi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Clara Dickson Hall | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | |
| Court-Kay-Bauer Hall | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | |
| Delta Chi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Delta Phi (Llenroc) | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Delta Upsilon | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Ecology House | — | — | Communal | 0 | |
| Ganędagǫ Hall | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen |
| High Rise #5 | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | 🛗 Elevator |
| Jameson Hall | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | |
| Just About Music House (JAM) | — | — | Communal | 0 | |
| Kappa Alpha Theta | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Kappa Kappa Gamma | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Latino Living Center | — | — | Communal | 0 | |
| Low Rise #6 | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen 🛗 Elevator |
| Low Rise #7 | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen 🛗 Elevator |
| Mary Donlon Hall | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | |
| North Campus Townhouses | — | — | Private | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen |
| Phi Kappa Psi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Risley Residential College | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | 🍳 Kitchen 🍽️ Dining 🛗 Elevator 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ |
| Sheldon Court | — | Corridor | Communal | 0 | |
| Sigma Phi | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Telluride House (217 West Avenue) | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Toni Morrison Hall | — | Pod | Semi-Private | 0 | 🍽️ Dining |
| Ujamaa Residential College | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Wari House | — | — | Communal | 0 | |
| Watermargin Co-Op | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Zeta Beta Tau | — | — | — | 0 |
Cornell University freshmen are housed across the dorms listed below. Some schools centralize first-years on a specific quad or campus zone; others mix freshmen into all halls. The dorms section on this page reflects current inventory open to first-years — sort by review count to see where current students are reviewing the most.
Corridor-style halls (a long hallway with rooms opening off it, shared bathrooms) tend to drive more cross-room socializing — often the best fit for first-years who don't know anyone yet. Suite-style is quieter and more private but you may end up only knowing your suitemates.
It varies by building. Use the "❄️ Has AC" amenity filter linked at the bottom of this page to see only AC-equipped dorms at Cornell University.
Most colleges discourage singles for first-years (the social benefit of a roommate matters more in year one than in year four). Some schools allow medical singles or honors-program singles. Check your college's housing portal for current first-year single availability.
Browse Cornell University dorms filtered by amenity: