Living at Sansom Place

Since lot of accepted students are asking about live at Sansom Place (the school apartment for graduate students), and since I happen to live at Sansom Place East, so I would like to write something I know about Sansom and hope it can provide some information for you.
What I like about Sansom is that it's quite convenient in many ways. Sansom Place East is at 3600 Chestnut Street and Sansom Place West is at 3650 Chestnut Street, both of the buildings are about 3 minutes' walk from GSE building, so it's really convenient to go to school everyday if you live at Sansom. And it's near the blue line (34th market, about 2 blocks away), which can take you to center city and Chinatown and many other major places in the city. There are WAWA and couple of restaurants downstairs and it's very near the food trucks, so it's easy to get various kinds of meals near Sansom. The rooms and beds in Sansom are small compared to rental houses and apartments, but it's quite convenient since the facilities are very complete and accessible.
I really enjoyed living at Sansom so far but i'm also willing to try off-campus housing since it will be quite different and I will have more freedom about the rooms.
Here are some basic facts about Sansom from the website:
Sansom Place East and Sansom Place West house graduate students (65%), undergraduates interested in a more independent lifestyle (30%), and special programs and University guests (5%). There are numerous opportunities to meet other residents through informal get-togethers, study breaks, and other activities. The diversity of residents, including many international students, creates an active and stimulating environment. These residences are convenient, private, and serve as an enhancement to your academic pursuits. For additional information about Sansom Place East and West, please see the Sansom Place Website. To see photos of sample rooms in Sansom Place East and West, please visit our Sansom Photo Gallery. Please note, these rooms are samples, and not all rooms in Sansom Place are exactly the same.

Style of Housing

Apartment-style housing
All units have private bath
Seasonally air-conditioned
Smoke-free
Pets not allowed
Primarily graduate student housing
Also houses approximately 300 undergraduates

Number of Residents (excluding staff)

592 Sansom East, 553 Sansom West

Room Types

Room types in Sansom Place East and West include single rooms, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Room diagrams can be found here. Standard furnishings are provided as listed below.

One-bedroom apartments

One Bedroom apartments accommodate one single student. A few are available to families without children, and these apartments have two twin, extra long beds. They include a kitchenette with breakfast bar, living area, and bathroom. A sofa is provided in addition to furnishings listed below.

Two-bedroom apartments

Two-bedroom apartments accommodate two single students. These units have a small kitchenette, dining area, and bathroom. A dining table and chairs are provided in addition to furnishings listed below. Note that there is no living room.

Single Rooms

Single rooms share a bathroom with one or two other rooms. These rooms do not have kitchenettes; however, residents may bring or rent small refrigerators. All appliances must comply with the specifications outlined in the Residential Handbook.

Sansom Facilities

All units in Sansom Place East and West are furnished and seasonally air-conditioned. Each occupant is provided with a twin, extra-long (36" x 80") bed, desk and chair, one chest of drawers, and wall-mounted bookshelves. Some lighting is provided, but residents may want to bring extra lamps. Walls are painted off-white. Residents are strongly discouraged from bringing their own furniture since the University-provided furnishings can not be stored or removed.
Public space is available for use by residents. In Sansom Place East there is an ATM for banking in the main lobby, a common area on the ground floor, and a lounge on floor 11. The common area provides study space, a social room, and a recreation room. In Sansom Place West, there are lounges on floors 3, 6, 11, 14 and in the basement, and a television in the main lobby and 14th floor.
Vending and change machines are located in the main lobby area of each building and on the ground floor of Sansom Place East. A laundry room is on the lower level of each building.

Number of each room type (excluding staff)

Type	Sansom East	Sansom West
Single	194	168
Single Apartment (1BR/LR/Kit)	128	53
Double (2BR/Kit)	116	82
Double (1BR/LR/Kit)	0	62 (Undergraduates Only)
Triple (3BR)	0	33

Room Furnishings

Furnishing Type	Available
Bed (twin extra-long 36x80x6)	Yes
Desk & Chair	Yes
Dresser	Yes
Sofa	Some units
Table & Chairs	Some units
Carpeting	Yes
Hardwood Floors	-
Tile Floors	-
Blinds	No
Curtains	Yes
Window screens	-

House Facilities

Room	Quantity
Common Kitchen	0
Laundry Room	2
Lounge	10
Piano Room	1