Oh this place wasn't so bad. I lived there mid-june through august 3rd for a summer internship…read more
The Good:
The booking process was super easy, albeit a bit sketchy. Using an online form, you choose your room type and simply pay for it online with a credit card. No check to see who you are, if you're a student, etc. Ah well. At a for-profit institution, they're just in it for the money. I guess they don't care who books their rooms as long as they pay.
The location was pretty good. Right across from a Duane Reade (though not a renovated one, if you're used to the others in the city). The gym is right across the street. Bars are close by, and you barely have to drive to the city to get out of it. You're right by the Williamsburg Bridge so when it comes to moving your things, it's easy to get a car there. Plus, there's a parking garage right across the street.
Everything is included in your payment to live here (read: you don't have to pay extra for laundry, cable, wifi, or AC. Keep that AC running as much as you'd like!) Compared to subletting a place for the summer and having to find a furnished place and pay extra for all utilities (and piece of mind with 24 hour security) it's price is pretty much on point.
The room are small, yes, but it's a college dorm. Except small rooms. Most are singles, which was important to me. Each room had a bed, two dressers under the bed (I moved mine and stacked them), a desk, a chair, an exposed closest, a microwave, and a mini fridge/freezer. Each single is joined by another by a bathroom (so you share your bathroom with one other person). I'm not sure how this works with the double rooms.
It was easy to move in and check out. Even when I had guests, the process of signing them in and out was easy. I don't know why others had a problem, unless they didn't know the policies. Even when I had to change the dates of one of my visitors very last minute, it was easy to change with security. You just have to be nice and apologetic.
The RAs are really nice! I didn't have much contact with them, but when I did, they were super friendly. The resident director also kept everyone up to date on building happenings via both email and the facebook page. It was great!
The Not-So-Good:
The single worst part about my stay was the wifi issues. I got over it with my computer once I bought an ethernet chord, but it was incredibly annoying to have to sign in every single time I wanted to use it on my phone. Not just every time I went into the building. Every time I picked it up to google something, even if I had been in the building all day. Honestly, it only started working properly the day I left. Naturally.
The only kitchen in the entire place is in the basement. I never used it because I could never find a time when it wasn't being used. I got really good at cooking delicious things with a microwave.
I had consistant problems with my refrigerator leaking water. Condensation would build up inside and it would leak everywhere. I submitted a request to get it fixed, but I'm not sure anything happened with that. I think it was a combination of using the AC, which increased the condensation in the room, which somehow effected the refrigerator. I wish I could have gotten confirmation of this, but no one ever responded to my request.
This may seem silly, but the toilets are SUPER loud. Just prepare yourself to wake up every night at 4am if your roommate always needs to pee then...
All in all, it was an okay stay. Nothing fabulous, nothing glamorous. I needed last minute housing, and this was honestly better than I probably could have gotten in a sublet.