Florida Gulf Coast University’s on-campus housing is among the best in America, according to the website Niche. The educational data aggregator’s “2018 Best College Dorms in America” list ranks FGCU as the only public institution in the top 10. Rice University, High Point University and Washington University in St. Louis also made the list.
In reporting on the new rankings, University Magazine’s Melissa Dimon writes, “Top-ranked colleges offer outstanding campus housing that is safe and clean with modern amenities at reasonable prices.”
In addition to highlighting FGCU’s student services, University Magazine spotlights the campus’ focus on safety, including around-the-clock monitoring and well-lit pathways. Plus, the Eagle Express is available to shuttle students around the university and to off-campus destinations.
“Over the last 20 years, we have been able to create a housing community that meets the needs of today’s college students,” said Brian Fisher, Ed.D., director of FGCU’s Office of Housing & Residence Life. “Almost all of our 4,748 spaces on campus offer a private bedroom that includes a shared living space with other students. Our communities have state-of-the-art amenities that include a new campus boardwalk on a lake, dining facilities, resort-style pools and spaces – like our study rooms, game rooms and movie theaters – for students to interact. We also bring key campus resources like First Year Advising, faculty teaching in classrooms and tutoring programs into our residence halls to help students with their academic needs, too.”
With apartment- and suite-style options, FGCU’s residence halls are located in three distinct communities. North Lake Village and West Lake Village are designed for upper-level students. North Lake Village is situated alongside an 80-acre lake and features four-bedroom furnished apartments. West Lake Village is a unique off-campus apartment complex with three- and four-bedroom options.
South Village is primarily built to serve freshmen and is the hub of FGCU’s distinct First Year Residential Experience (FYRE). The FYRE program is designed to aid first-year students in a seamless transition from home to the university and provides a wide range of support systems aimed to assist them in achieving academic and personal success. By living, learning and working together, students develop relationships and skills that will enrich their university experience.
The Niche “2018 Best College Dorms in America” list was created using self-reported student surveys and data from the U.S. Department of Education. Niche looked at the agency’s information related to average housing cost, housing capacity and the student housing crime rate. The three data sets are reported to the U.S. Department of Education by FGCU.