Great Dover Vs. International Hall

Hi all,

Great to post my first thread on this forum. I am an international student

(Korean-American) and am coming to LSE this month to read for a

MSc in International Relations.

I'm stuck in a bit of a complicated situation; to make it short,

I have to choose school accomodation between

Great Dover Street Residence and International Hall (single rooms).

I'm in South Korea right now so I can't visit either places

and have to make a decision soon.

I was wondering if there's anyone out there who can compare the two

places for me. Would greatly appreciate this.

The following aspects are what I'm most curious about

1. Ease to get to the LSE (how long does it take?)

2. Overall facilites

3. Catering (GDS doesn't offer this; how's the catering at IH?)

Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

Ismat

these should answer all your questions..

http://www.lse.ac.uk/accommodation/IH/main.htm - int'l hall
http://www.lse.ac.uk/accommodation/GD/main.htm - great dover

London School of Economics

London

Reply 2

mubbmubb

thanks for the help, Ismat.

However, I was seeking more "inside" information. Still appreciate it though!

Chris

Reply 3

Ismat

hey chris,

was on the lse union website and though you mind find this useful...slightly more 'inside' info that just plain statistics...

GREAT DOVER:

Walk to LSE – 40 minutes
Bus to LSE – 1, 172, 188, N21
Nearest Tube – Borough (Northern Line)

Description
If you are looking for a quieter year in a comfortable, ‘reasonably’ priced hall, GDS is the place to go. The Hall is predominately for third years and postgraduates, a special feature that provides the hall a more mature feel. No high spirited first years here! Especially if you are thinking of devoting some time for studying, GDS should be placed at the top of your list.

As the hall is still relatively new, everything looks modern. Rooms have been arranged into blocks of flats surrounding a (mainly) concrete courtyard, and they are all en suite! Who said Bankside was luxurious? GDS also boasts the swankiest hall bar around (think All Bar One). The Atlas serves fantastic pub food, an attractive alternative to selfcatering. Unfortunately, though, they regularly run out of ingredients – so you ought not neglect the regular shop at the mini supermarket on site.

GDS is also unique in another respect – it isn’t actually owned by the LSE, but by a housing association. A massive bonus to students is the friendly security staff, an unexpected feature to any LSE student with previous hall experience.

The big downer is the area, which is not exactly spectacular. However, you are just a short walk from the South Bank and the ‘oh-so-lovely’ Borough Market. Also, there are great bus connections to the LSE, and a night bus (N21) stopping right outside.

INTERNATIONAL:

Intercollegiate Halls
Intercollegiate halls are run by the University of London and have no direct contact with LSE itself - a good thing some of you may think. Approximately 25% of first year undergraduates (about 200 LSE students per year) are residents at these halls, with the remainder being made up by King’s, UCL and the other colleges of the University of London. Halls vary in the make up of students with some being predominantly postgraduate and some undergraduate. The variety of people makes for a very mixed and interesting social scene. The disadvantage is that you may be one of only 10 people in the hall who go to the LSE, which does limit the number of people you know at school.

Most intercollegiate halls are catered, though the standard of food varies between the individual establishments. Some have been nice enough to provide kitchens, again some better than others. The inclusion of food means that costs are fairly high, unless you choose to share a room. Along with the food are the perks of intercollegiate facilities. These range from squash courts and tennis courts to quiet study rooms. The luxurious features are generally included in the cost, but don’t expect to get the squash for free.

The male - female ratio is about equal, except in the single sex halls. Some halls have single sex floors, and some mixed with the people on your floor being complete potluck. Go to the intercollegiate halls if you want accommodation in excellent locations, reasonable facilities, fun people, and cheap drinks. These halls will probably give you a different perspective and a broader range of friends than living in LSE halls.