Imperial accomodation advice

[ThatLemonUser]

Hi everyone! I have an offer for Imperial College London and was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to choose accomodation?

I also have a few other questions I'd be grateful for some help with:
Does anyone know what "restricted view" accomodation looks like? Is it on the ground floor, or is there significantly less natural light etc? Does it make much of a difference, and is the £5 weekly discount worth it?

Also does anyone know what it's like to stay in Wilson or Beit Hall? I've heard a lot of bad things about Wilson and I've heard Beit is noisy.

Has anyone had experience applying/asking for accomodation support for ADHD, such as a quieter room? Or possibly a room that isn't directly facing other windows?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

Essentially you put four choices down, but the allocation is random so you could end up with a choice you didn't even put down. DS put down 3 South Kensington choices and 1 North Acton, and ended up in N Acton. So don't over think it.

He didn't put Wilson down as felt it was "in between" ....you still have to tube it to get to uni or a long walk but the accommodation is dated. He did put Beit and didn't get it but is quite envious of friends who live there and nip back between lectures!

He is in Kemp Porter in a single ensuite. Accommodation is really smart and fairly new. Halls are very sociable. He doesn't like the commute but at least they are virtually on top of yhe tube station so not far to walk. There isn't a lot in N Acton, it's not the best area but he has made a lot of friends there and they travel in and out together. He would have preferred South Kensington but it wasn't to be. Also Acton is about £100 per week cheaper than South Kensington for single ensuite.

I lived in Beit in my third year, ok nearly 50 years ago, but brilliant, roll out of bed and in the lecture theatre or a tutorial 10 minutes later. plus just a short stagger from the Union bar. Downside, mates wanting to sleep on your floor because they couldn't be arsed (or were too pissed) to go home, so you needed a sleeping bag you could lend out.

The Imperial websites says "RV indicates rooms which have restricted views. These rooms look into the basement wells and enjoy less natural light."

I found someone on Reddit saying they're on the lower ground floor.

To me personally that doesn't sound worth a £5 a week discount if that's all it is.

The North Acton halls are very sociable and literally a one minute walk to the tube. They’re all single en-suite. There is a huge price difference too between them and the Kensington halls although they’re admittedly closer. We looked at the basement restricted light rooms and imagined what it would be like on a damp and dark winters day. I guess if your dc is a person who is out a lot or sociable then they’re not going to spend a lot of time in their room and there are common areas to study or they can nip back to uni.

Another option might be a shared room - some of them looked quite spacious.

The Kensington halls attract a lot of the monied International students. North Acton seemed to have more of a mix of home and International students.

I visited a friend in Beit Hall, it was very nice and close to the uni.

My DS is currently in Beit and loves the proximity to the campus - it’s less than a 2 min walk to this lecturers. His room faces the quad so gets quite noisy when students are sitting outside the union bar most evenings but very nice location being in South Kensington. Beit also caters a free brunch on a Sunday and the kitchen is very spacious and shared between 7. A lot of the rooms are getting refurbed this year too in Beit so the new rooms seem to have small double beds instead of singles. Luckily DS was allocated a single room so worked out cheaper than Acton halls and no tube costs.

My son is in Kemp Porter in a shared room. His room is clean and very bright, not overlooked as he's in the main high block. It is very warm when the sun’s on the window though, if that would bother you. There’s also quite a lot of building noise due to local works, but he’s out in college most of the week.

Travel wise he gets off the tube and cycles across Hyde Park to avoid the Circle line, a lot of students do that, or walk.

DD’s boyfriend is at Imperial - 2nd year. He was in the Wilson annex last year. Wasn’t that impressed - I think one huge kitchen for the whole annex but you’d have to check. He thought the main Wilson houses were better. He has though made friends and found it very quick to cycle across the Park to Imperial.

Now living in Fulham with friends as he’s a keen rower and Imperial boat club is in Putney.

Sounds though as the allocation is a bit random.