Drexel
Drexel runs on quarters, not semesters — which is why move-in lands almost a month later than most schools, in late September, right as fall term begins. The campus is dense and businesslike, woven into Philadelphia's University City between the Schuylkill River and Penn's campus, blocks from 30th Street Station. Co-op, Drexel's signature program, starts sending students out to real six-month jobs as early as sophomore year — for now, just get the dorm set up.
What to wear in Philadelphia, month by month
This region runs from a humid late summer to a hard winter in about ten weeks. The mistake out-of-region families make is packing the whole year in August.
| Move-in (late Sept) | 62–78°F | Still summer-warm, humid afternoons and the first genuinely cool nights — fall's on its way but hasn't arrived. |
| Oct–Nov | 40s–60s | Classic Mid-Atlantic fall — crisp days, cold mornings, the first frost by November. |
| Dec–Feb | 25–40°F | Real Philly winter — snow, ice, and a raw wind off the Schuylkill. Heaviest coat you own. |
| Mar–Apr | 40s–60s | Unsettled spring — rain, wind, and 20-degree swings inside a single week. |
| May–June | 65–85°F | Warm and increasingly humid as spring quarter runs into finals — summer arrives before the year is over. |
What Drexel lets you bring
- A bike and a serious U-lock — University City's grid is flat and bike-friendly, and several halls (Race Street Residences included) have indoor bike storage.
- A packable rain jacket — Philadelphia gets real rain in every season, not just winter.
- Twin XL bedding (confirm your specific hall)
- UL/ETL power strip with a built-in circuit breaker — not a bare extension cord
- Damage-free wall hangings like Command strips — no nails or screws
- Low-draw LED desk and task lamps
- A fan, a reusable water bottle, and UL-listed electronics
- Open-coil / open-flame cooking: toasters, toaster ovens, air fryers, hot plates, electric grills, sandwich makers
- Candles, incense, wax warmers, and anything with an open flame
- Halogen lamps
- Extension cords without a breaker; outlet splitters and multi-plug adapters
- Space heaters and personal A/C units (unless your school provides/approves them)
- Hoverboards, e-scooters, e-bikes, and other e-mobility devices
- Weapons of any kind — including decorative — and fireworks
- LED light strips
- Large or subwoofer stereo speakers
- A personal printer, if your hall offers Drexel's PaperCut print service instead
These come from Drexel's official housing pages and cover the essentials plus the genuinely local rules. Double-check the current official guidance before you buy — policies and renovations change every year.
Getting your room at Drexel
- 01Deposit, then March
Deposit unlocks the Housing Application
Submit your enrollment and $200 housing deposit through DrexelOne — the Housing Application for incoming first-years opens the following March, and it can take up to 24 hours after your deposit posts before the application appears.
- 02June
Self-Selection — pick your own hall and room
Admitted students get a scheduled time ticket to log into the portal and choose among Bentley, Kelly, Millennium, North, Race Street, and Towers during Self-Selection, typically held in June.
- 03First week of July
No selection? You're placed automatically
Skip Self-Selection and Housing and Residence Life assigns you a hall, room, and roommate directly — assignments and roommate contact info post to DrexelOne.
- 04Late September
Move-in weekend, Cruise Ship style
Because fall quarter starts so late, move-in isn't until the third weekend of September. Drexel runs a 'Cruise Ship' process — staff unload your car and carry everything up — but immunization records have to clear first or you won't get a room key.
Where you'll live at Drexel
First-year residence halls
Six halls make up Drexel's first-year housing pool — a mix of classic corridor dorms and suite-style buildings with private kitchens, all within a few blocks of Academic Plaza and Chestnut Street. Assignments come from Self-Selection in June or, if you skip it, straight from Housing and Residence Life in early July.
Opened in 1986 — the most old-school of the bunch, corridor-style doubles with communal bathrooms only, no private option anywhere in the building. A rite-of-passage first-year hall.
Opened in 1972 as Calhoun Hall, fully renovated in 2019. Corridor-style doubles, two communal bathrooms per floor plus a handful of private ones.
Reopened in fall 2023 after a full renovation and expansion, right on Academic Plaza — about as central as first-year housing gets.
A 17-story tower — Drexel's tallest building — with its name chosen by student vote when it opened in 2009. Every room is a double, but the layout gives each one a private bathroom, unusual for a first-year hall. Upper floors catch real skyline views.
Designed by architect Michael Graves, opened 1999 — suite-style rooms connected by a distinctive spiral staircase linking the building's east and west wings.
Opened 2007 — 2- and 4-bedroom suites with a kitchenette in each unit plus a shared kitchen per floor, air conditioning, and indoor bike storage. The closest first-year option to real apartment living.
The Drexel move-in checklist
The “Shop” links are Amazon affiliate links — a purchase may earn AllDorms a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Bedding6
Bath5
Laundry4
Storage & organization6
Desk & study4
Electronics6
Cleaning5
Kitchen — within the rules5
Health & meds4
Clothing — see the seasonal guide7
Move-in day go-bag5
Philadelphia logistics, sorted
How to address a package to a Drexel student
Room [Room #]
[Hall Street Address]
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Why move-in is so late
An urban campus, not a quad
Philadelphia & around
University City
The dense, walkable neighborhood Drexel shares with Penn — restaurants, coffee shops, and The Porch at 30th Street Station's rotating food trucks, all within a few blocks of the first-year halls.
30th Street Station
One of the busiest Amtrak stations in the country, a 10–15 minute walk from campus — Amtrak, NJ Transit, and SEPTA Regional Rail, including a direct line from the airport, all converge here.
Center City Philadelphia
Philadelphia's downtown core, a walk or short trolley ride east across the Schuylkill — Rittenhouse Square, City Hall, and Reading Terminal Market.
Independence Hall & Old City
The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the historic district — a couple of miles east, an easy SEPTA or rideshare trip for a family day between move-in errands.
Where to stay near Drexel
Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel
University City, on Chestnut StA full-service Sheraton directly across from campus on Chestnut Street — the closest real hotel to the first-year halls, and on Drexel's own recommended-hotel list.
The Study at University City
33rd Street, near PennA design-forward boutique hotel a short walk from campus toward Penn — smaller and pricier, and one of the first to book out for move-in and graduation weekends.
The Windsor Suites
Logan Square / Ben Franklin PkwyAn all-suite hotel on the Center City side of the Schuylkill, under ten minutes from campus by car — kitchenettes make it a solid pick for a longer family stay.
Drexel gear & gifts
Drexel — links & contacts
- Housing & Residence Life: housing@drexel.edu
- Phone: 215-895-6155