As the first semester comes to a close, many people are already looking forward to next year. Students are already thinking about what classes to take, and where to live. At SJU, all sophomores are required to live in on-campus housing, but many students wonder which option is the best. All students have different priorities when looking for housing, so we have compiled some major notes of the sophomore housing options in hopes of helping first-year hawks find a new nest.
Lannon Hall
Photos By: Janine Gasarowski
Lannon Hall is located at 5320 City Avenue and is the closest sophomore housing option to campus. Many students may recognize it as the L-shaped building that’s only a minute walk from Hawk favorites like Starbucks, Larry’s Steaks, and Landmark Americana Tap & Grill. Lannon is able to house 254 residents and each room has a 4-person occupancy with 1.5 baths. Many people choose to live in Lannon if they plan to be on campus early in the morning or late at night. For example, many student athletes choose to live in Lannon due to its proximity to campus in regard to early morning practices. Additionally, many Hawks choose to live in Lannon because of the central air. Yes, this does bump up the price compared to other housing options, but this amenity may be important to some students. The cost is around $5,800 per semester. In all, many students find Lannon to be a convenient place to live and a place to call home.
What do students like about Lannon Hall?
“I am involved with a lot of extra curriculars on campus, so I wanted to be as close to campus as possible. I also like having the option to quickly go back to my dorm in between classes if I forget something.”
Lannon Hall at a glance:
Pros:
- Air conditioning
- Close to campus
Cons:
- Smaller living space
- Not very social on the weekends
Rashford Hall
Rashford Hall, located at 5200 City Avenue, is a great option for rising sophomores who are looking for a place to make their own. For the most part, Lannon and Rashford are identical. They have the same features, they are neighbors, and they’re the same cost. The only difference is that rashford holds 166 students. Both are close to Speedway, Dunkin’ Donuts, and the Bala Cynwyd SEPTA station.
Photos By: Janine Gasarowski
Rashford at a Glance:
Pros:
- Close to campus
- 1.5 bathrooms
- If you are an athlete that has to be here over winter break Rash stays open
- Newest apartments to be built on campus
- Big bedrooms
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive than ashwood and pennbrook
- Very dark needs a lot of extra lighting
- Not a lot of storage/ closet space
- Appliances are on the older side
Pennbrook:
Located at 2120-2134 North 63rd Street are the Pennbrook Apartments, where groups of all sizes can be accommodated. Pennbrook has configurations to house groups as small as two students to groups as large as seven students. Students who prefer to have their own living space should consider living in Pennbrook because there are opportunities for rooms with a one-person occupancy within the multiple-person apartment. Similar to Ashwood Apartments, this building has a 137-person capacity and many students rely on the shuttle system to get to and from main campus. Additionally, with the exception of the ground floor, Pennbrook does not have air-conditioning. However, this lowers the price to $5,100 per semester. The residents of Pennbrook Apartments claim that this is the “highest quality residence hall” and that rising sophomores should definitely tour this building.
Photos By: Janine Gasarowski
What do students have to say about Pennbrook?
“If you like having a lot of room, and don’t mind not having AC, I highly recommend it.”
“It is the highest quality building with a great kitchen.”
Pennbrook at a Glance
Pros
- High quality, recently renovated
- Very big
- Nice kitchen, has dishwasher
- Single bedrooms available
- Close to train station, food options on 63rd street
- Has options for three to seven roommates
- Has a lot of closet space
Cons
- No central air
- Far from campus
- Parking can be an issue
Ashwood
Ashwood Apartments are a bit further from where classes are located on 6050 Overbrook Avenue, but most students don’t mind because of the amount of space they’re given. Simply by looking at the floorplans, students will notice just how much room they are given compared to other residence halls. Because of the size of the rooms, there are only a 137-resident capacity. Also, many students like that each room is a little bit different. There are rooms with hardwood floors, a view of the Philadelphia skyline, unique bump-outs that make the room more spacious, or even an upgrade to a 5-person apartment. On the other hand, the walk to campus has been a hassle for many students, especially during the winter or at night. There is a shuttle system, many students claim that it is unreliable. Also, this service ends at 11pm on Sunday through Thursday, so this makes late-night study sessions at the library difficult. Another downside is that there is no air conditioning in this building, but this does result in a lower price of $4600 per semester. Students should also keep in mind that they are not permitted to bring in individual air-conditioning units, but window or floor fans are allowed. Most students do not have a problem with this though because air-conditioning is rarely used past the first few weeks of school. Overall, many students recommend living in Ashwood Apartments because it is such a vast improvement from freshman housing and it is much more spacious than the other apartment-style options.
What do students think about ashwood?
“My favorite feature of this building is that all of the rooms are a little different, it’s not like freshman housing where everything looks the same.”
“There is a lot more space. Instead of just having one common room for everything, there is multiple rooms.”
Ashwood at a glance:
Pros:
- Very spacious
- Multiple rooms instead of one room (living room, dining room, and kitchen)
- Option of an upgraded 5-person room
- Close to train station
Cons:
- One full bathroom, makes it difficult to get ready in the morning with 3 roommates
- 4 washers and dryers for the whole building
- Far from campus
Additional Options
The options listed above consists of the four main options available to sophomores below are the other less popular options available to sophomores.
Moore Hall
Pros:
- Spacious
- Big rooms
- Have your own bathroom
Cons:
- No kitchen/mandatory meal plan
- No campus life
- No extra furniture like couches
Merion Gardens
Pros
- Allows you to live in an actual apartment
- No bag checks
- Spacious closet space
Cons
- The farthest building from campus
- You are either freezing cold or sweating
Campus Houses on Lapsley
Pros:
- Can live with all of your friends
- Relatively close to campus
Cons
- No kitchen / mandatory meal plan
Although picking housing can be extremely stressful, each option is equally as great. No matter where you end up, you will have an amazing sophomore year!
“My advice would be to be open to living anywhere. You may not get your first choice, but that’s okay.”
