Is it the best? No. Is it the worst? No.

Brooks Hall, reserved for Barnard first-years, is the oldest dorm in the Barnard quad. It’s true that it’s nobody’s first choice, but fear not, it’s really not that bad (except for the first few hot weeks and the lack of renovations). 

Location: 116th St & Broadway. Barnard Quad. 

Nearby dorms: The rest of the Barnard first-year dorms (Sulz, Reid, and Hewitt). It’s also across the street from the 600s. 

Stores and restaurants: Everything on 116th-113th and Broadway. Morton Williams, Pret A Manger, Shake Shack, Sweetgreen, Starbucks, Blue Bottle, and so much more. 

Cost: $13,122 

Amenities: 

Bathrooms: One per floor, with two showers, two sinks, and two toilets each. (The 8th-floor bathroom has three sinks.) As shown on the floor plan, Brooks floors alternate between women-only and gender-neutral bathrooms. That being said, most floors have both women-only and gender-inclusive bathrooms, so if this concerns you, you can go to a neighboring dorm or upstairs/downstairs. All bathrooms are cleaned daily by Facilities. Pro tip: Brooks has the best showers, so people will come from across the quad (yes, even Sulz) to use these bathrooms.

AC/Heating: There is no AC, and radiator heating is turned on around October. You aren’t allowed a window AC unit, but each room comes with a box fan. The 8th floor gets especially hot, as the windows are smaller and the roof absorbs the most heat. Another pro tip: put your box fan in your window. 

Kitchen/Lounge: There aren’t kitchen spaces in Brooks, but you can use your floor’s lounge in Sulzberger, where people often gather to bake with friends or watch TV. The kitchen includes an oven, stove, sink, and microwave, while the lounge houses couches and a small TV. There is not a shared fridge, so most get a mini fridge for their room. In addition, in Brooks’ first-floor lobby, there is Lewis Parlor, a quiet study lounge. 

Laundry: Technically, there is one washing machine and two dryers between Brooks and Reid, but they are usually turned off and don’t work. Around the corner in Sulz are two washing machines and two dryers, with many more on the eighth floor. The machines do not require payment. 

Fire Escapes: None.

Gym: No gym, but the Barnard Fitness Center is just across the Quad in Barnard Hall. 

Bike Storage: No real bike storage, but there’s a Citi Bike rack just outside the building on 116th Street, as well as some bike space near the 117th gate. 

Intra-transportation: Two Brooks elevators, but you can also use the four Sulz elevators to access Brooks. 

Hardwood/Carpet: Linoleum tiles in rooms and carpeted hallways.

Room variety: Mostly corridor-style doubles and quads. There’s only one triple on the 8th floor. Most of the “quads” are technically three rooms, with two doubles connected by a shared room with desks. Floors 3 through 7 are consistent in layout and size of rooms, with three (three-room) quads, four doubles, and 1 RA single on each floor. The best Brooks room is the walk-through double, affectionately known as the “dingle”—two small rooms connected by a door, so basically just two singles. 

Resident Opinions:

“My quad room was basically the width of a hallway and only long enough to fit two beds, and there’s only one (large) built-in closet. Honestly fine if you like your roommate and they’re considerate with sharing space! Plus, having the extra shared room was really nice when I wanted to study or had to wake up and get ready before my roommate.”

“AC situation is not ideal, but it’s over by mid-September. Box fan in window is a must. I also got an oscitiating fan and had it facing our beds. The heating also tends to be too hot and I couldn’t figure out how to adjust it.”

“The showers are honestly great. Consistently hot and good pressure. However, since everyone comes to use the showers, sometimes they’re full. Also, because of the influx of people, they tend to get dirty fast despite daily cleaning.”

Brooks via Bwarchives