Resident: Karen Gerlach
Year: 2010
2007 Lottery Number: 1633 (in a range from 1500-2999)
Location: Metcalf Second Floor
Pros: Large rooms, carpeting, good location, great view of Boston
Cons: Rumors of roaches, potential for noise
Difficulty of getting a double for sophomores: Moderate
Located on Professors Row, Metcalf has 27 doubles and 22 singles, and is known for its Bridge Program, which features weekly mandatory question-and-answer sessions with various Tufts faculty members. In order to live in Metcalf, students must fill out an application and get a letter of recommendation from a professor or advisor.
Last year, Gerlach wanted to room with her then-roommate, so the two opted to apply to Metcalf because they had low lottery numbers. Although her former roommate was not accepted into the dorm, Gerlach gets along well with her current roommate and has enjoyed living in Metcalf, which she said has more individuality than other Tufts dorms.
"Most of them feel so cookie-cutter," Gerlach said. "Metcalf's so old-school and cool." She said she particularly enjoys her large, L-shaped room, the carpet flooring and the amazing view of Boston she has from her window.
But Gerlach said she dislikes her room's proximity to the kitchen and stairway and Metcalf's cracked doorways, which she says allows noise into the rooms. Though Gerlach has never seen a roach herself, she said that many other Metcalf residents have. Despite the possible infestation, she plans to re-apply to live there next year. Gerlach knows the people who live near her, but she said that she would not classify Metcalf as a particularly social dorm.
"I've made friends being in this dorm, but it's not theoretically or traditionally a party dorm," she said.
