<p>I’m not sure about anyone else but when DD went to college last year a lot of time was spent discussing merit of each dorm and type of room. During the prefrosh CPW both DD and us took sepearate tour of the dorms. DD went thru all dorms as part of the dorm committe invitation and then gave us her list of preferences and we took tour of her top 6 preferences out of 12.</p>
<p>Then we went over the cost of rooms in each dorm ( as prices were different from dorm to dorm) and then for each type of room because prices were different. </p>
<p>I think for being a full paying family it made more sense to talk about the prices of the room involved than not.</p>
<p>Still we gave our feedback of the dorm/room to DD and let her pick her top choices that she filled on the housing forms.</p>
<p>I don’t know anyone in DD friend circle or their parent who were not aware of the dorm/room prices.</p>
<p>Still the point made was not in reference to the prices but the ability for one to get a single room if the prices are same as then there is no incentive in picking a triple or double room over single.</p>
<p>Wow. That sure is a lot of painstaking detail to go through for dorm housing. Given that level of detail, and assuming it was beneficial, it sounds like that kind of detail/planning can also be used for other life plans you have talked about with your dau-- ie budgeting and cooking.</p>
<p>^^^: As discussed in another thread; I’ve started the discussion about that also with DD. It was really a helpful thread.
I’ve moved to monthly fixed allowance from tapping of as and when required since April and it has been going pretty well. We had a hearty discussion over spring break and DD really showed lot of interest in managing her finance.</p>
<p>** Now staying on topic here.</p>
<p>Both DD and us understood the importance of good housing, both from comfort, social, and privacy point of view. So we certainly devoted a good amount of time to that. </p>
<p>DD college also put a big show regarding the state of each dorm (thru Visual films) and each dorm organised day long events to entertain freshmen.</p>
<p>So I think housing assignment was a big thing for everyone.</p>
<p>Other than cal tech, who does a housing trial period of sorts, I have not heard of other schools putting that much time/energy into touting the plusses and minuses of different dorms.</p>
<p>In many colleges, there are all sorts of housing arrangements, so I doubt having the single is going to stand out. It could make it a bit more difficult to mingle if it is an upperclass dorm, but, in my son’s small LAC, there are always some kids mixed in there. He got a single this year in a predominantly freshman dorm. It worked out fine.</p>
<p>jym626: MIT does the big presentation and the day long activities during the prefrosh CPW weekends.
It also send the DVD showed during the big presentation with interview, shots of each dorm along with the housing forms so that those who didn’t attend the CPW still can preview each dorm.</p>
<p>So I think it was a big thing, at least during CPW when we toured the dorms along with tons of other parent.</p>
<p>My D had a single because of health reasons - she had no problem making friends. In fact her room became the “hang out” room where people went to get away from annoying roommates. It did help alot.</p>
<p>If the school has a residential house system, the kids may all hang out in the lounge rather than in rooms anyway. S1 has a single this year, and says he’s only there to sleep. Everyone hangs out, does HW, etc. in the lounge, which is the social hub for the entire dorm (total ~ 90 students).</p>
<p>I’d suggest encouraging your S to role play a few ways he might handle the situation so he feels comfortable with whatever he decides to say (or not).</p>
<p>If having a private room is what he needs to stay sane and happy then it is a no brainer. He just needs to make a decision about if he wants folks to know why or not. In the end it is probably easier if they do know. But he needs to realize that once he tells one person he is telling the dorm. My S had a room mate and they were totally off in different directions. I think it was an non factor in his adjustment. Don’t allow him to make this any bigger than it ought to be making the fear of difficulty integrating become a limiting factor. If he is going to a school that feels like a good fit I expect he will be fine. Good Luck!</p>