<p>Looking over the questionnaires for the roommate matching at my son's choices, they seem to ask if they smoke, night/day person, quiet/noise to study, etc. but NONE of them ask what I consider to be the MOST important question: Are you a big party person? My d's roomie was a great match for her, except for the fact she was a HUGE partier and liked to go out and get drunk 3-4 nights a week. While my d is not a hermit, this was way too much for her to handle. The night/day might show a little of that, but my d is definitely a late night person, just not an habitual partygoer. Has anyone found a roomie questionnaire that actually asks this question???????</p>
<p>Is there a place on the questionnaire for opened-ended response? My son went to a three-week camp on a collge campus, and he was asked to write a paragraph about what he wanted in a roommate. This was a great way for him to indicate that he likes his sleep and his idea of partyng was playng ultimate frisbee.</p>
<p>Mind you he's only 15 so questions about drinking would have been really inappropriate, but I doubt any college is going to even raise the idea that drinking and sex and drugs go on in dorm rooms and campus. I would err n the conservative side (no smoking/quite/etc) if you only got to answer yes or no on the questionnaire.</p>
<p>The Cornell questionnaire asks whether you anticipate using the room primarily for studying, primarily for socializing, or both. It also asks about how social you are. I think those questions approach but do not directly address the issue.</p>
<p>As long as the drinking and partying take place elsewhere, does it really matter that much?</p>
<p>No I haven't. But I'm not sure I'd consider it the most important question, either - as long as the partying goes on outside the suite, why should it be an issue? A few guys I know here are rooming together; one is a big partier, one is a totally academically-dedicated guy, and one is in the middle. They all get along very well.</p>
<p>At my d's school, they used to use a 6 or 7 page roommate questionnaire, and spent significant time and resources to match roommates on the basis of that questionnaire. They got a certain percentage of complaints, room change requests, etc. Then they did away with the questionnaire. Guess what? They got the same percentage of complaints, room change requests, etc.</p>
<p>Now they ask one question: Smoking or non? (Even though the dorms are all smoke-free, the smell of smoke that hangs around a smoker can be tough on a non-smoker). Other questions relate to affinity housing, but not to roommate selection.</p>
<p>What the "most important" question would be depends on the kid. They'll never be able to ask, or to match, on all the "important questions."</p>
<p>What are the odds you would get honest answers to such questions --especially if parents review the answers? I doubt many high school kids got drunk 3-4 times a week. Nor do I think that many high school kids would admit on any form that mom and dad might see that they plan to party hardy.</p>
<p>We must also take into account that what a student is like now, in high school living at home, may not be the person he/she becomes away at college. Freedom from certain rules may change some right away, some may take a while and some will stay the same. "Life is like a box of chocolates."</p>
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We must also take into account that what a student is like now, in high school living at home, may not be the person he/she becomes away at college.
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Very true. Especially with regards to drinking and partying.</p>
<p>New College of Florida's roommate matching form asks," ____ Drinker ____ Non drinker ____ Will not room w/drinker."</p>
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But I'm not sure I'd consider it the most important question, either - as long as the partying goes on outside the suite, why should it be an issue?
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<p>I was wondering this too.</p>
<p>It would actually be pretty weird for schools to ask questions about drinking a.k.a. partying, because, after all, it is illegal for people under 18 to be drinking. Even though it DEFINITELY goes on in large numbers at all college campuses, I don't think colleges want to admit that. For them to ask about that would be giving a "wink-wink" kind of approval to something that is regarded by all colleges as a problem, albeit a ubiquitous one.</p>
<p>we haven't gotten any housing questionnaires yet, so I don't know whether this is addressed at all----is there anywhere on the forms where they ask about snoring? my D is worried that all potential roommates are going to hate her, because no matter what we've tried (breathe-right strips, looking for medical problems, etc.,) she still snores. It's not terribly loud (like my husband) but it could bother some people</p>
<p>My roommate in college snored. Luckily we had bunk beds, all I needed to do was shake the bed a bit and the snoring stopped. Perhaps she should ask for a heavy sleeper. Some kids won't wake up if a train went through their rooms.</p>
<p>either a heavy sleeper, or maybe she needs a heavy partier who won't even notice, lol</p>
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As long as the drinking and partying take place elsewhere, does it really matter that much?
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<p>roommates who party elsewhere have a habit of coming in at all hours in not the most quiet fashion. they also are much more likely to throw up without regard to where they are doing so. unless they make a point of sobering up before returning to the room it also means the non-partying roommate has to deal with someone who may behave in any number of ways that are not the ways they behave when sober and are not particularly appealing ways to behave.</p>
<p>We are talking about the ipod generation here (not to mention noise reduction headsets). Nothing that a couple of ear buds and loud music couldn't drown out..</p>
<p>bizymom: I agree, but things like "when do you go to sleep" and stuff would accurately capture that kind of thing, I would think.</p>
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but things like "when do you go to sleep" and stuff would accurately capture that kind of thing, I would think.
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<p>not really -- i know kids who don't go to sleep before 2am -- but its because thats when they study.</p>
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the ipod generation here (not to mention noise reduction headsets). Nothing that a couple of ear buds and loud music couldn't drown out..
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<p>the ipod generation will probably have enough hearing problems later in life (or not even that later) as a result of the volume directly in their ears without encouraging that as the way to solve roommate problems.</p>
<p>iPods and noise-reducing headsets also don't work when the wearer has to hear an alarm or some other audible wake-up call.</p>
<p>When your roomie stumbles in all smashed at 2-4 am. it doesn't matter where the party is....oh, and then of course there's the vomiting....I like New College of Florida asking. A lot of the kids my d knows that are heavier partiers were also heavy drinkers in high school. Some kids already know the answer to this before they go to school. Drinking at 16 is not uncommon nowadays. PS...I have to add that now that they don't room together they are GREAT friends.....</p>