<p>D and I recently made two SLAC visits where the women's shower stalls at both schools had filthy whitish curtains that don't cover all the way, leaving a side that can clearly be seen into, and the shower head was faced directly on the opposite wall of the curtain (backs facing the curtain). We noticed that both schools didn't show us the bathrooms students use, until the tour was nearly over, and we had to ask. We've also noticed that none of the videos of dorm tours from various schools, featured the bathrooms students have to use. And said schools require all students to live on campus for at least the first two years unless 21 or married.</p>
<p>The gritty grimy bathrooms, capability of naked pictures being taken, capability of towels/clothes hung over the shower rod being taken, and the "hide it" attitude of the schools has also reminded us that D is someone who showers in the morning, and that it would save a lot of time if she had her hair dryer, towel, toothbrush, and so on, stored and accessible in one place, as opposed to carrying all of that stuff forth and back to her room every morning. And then of course, there is also the lack of comfort and privacy that goes with showering and changing in a community bathroom.</p>
<p>So, if there is a school that offers ANY of the following:
1. Suite-style living (regardless if it's shared or not)
2. Bathroom in dorm room (same as above)
3. Permission to reside off campus
for not just seniors, but freshmen (and sophomores and juniors, too), please let us know! Thank you!</p>
<p>And please, no women's or religion-affiliated colleges.</p>
<p>I think that part of college is living with other people, getting along with other kids from different ethnic backgrounds, religions, geographical regions, etc. I don’t think that you are going to get a private bathroom & a single room for an entering freshman! It is all part of that growing experience for everybody. Freshmen don’t usually get a suite arrangement. Housing improves as you move up from being a freshman.</p>
<p>Rice University has some dorms with suite style rooms. In general, their bathroom facilities are nice, even the community ones. I had a community style bathroom, but the showers had a little changing room just before the actual shower similar to what you sometimes get at campgrounds. If this is really an issue, you can always live at home and go to a local school for the first two years.</p>
<p>Columbia College Chicago has four campus housing options, all of which are either suites or apartment style. They all have either shared or individual bathrooms :]</p>
<p>^^ Agree with Rice. Washington University in St Louis houses the majority of their freshmen in suite style rooms with a bathroom typically shared only with 3 other students.</p>
<p>there are colleges in the south that have “en suite” bathrooms for freshmen. My kids have always had en suite bathrooms…they’ve never had community bathrooms. Each shares a bathroom with only one other student. And, the bathroom is lockable when a student is using it. The sink area is outside of the toilet/shower area so one student can be using the shower while another is using the sink area.</p>
<p>My kids have also had private bedrooms for all their years in college.</p>
<p>So, would there be any schools in the OP’s geographical region where her D could find the desirable bathroom/housing situation? (Not Religious/Not All-Women’s Schools)</p>
<p>My daughter did a summer program at Skidmore and had a suite arrangement with a shared bathroom that consisted of a single room and a double room. That suite opened onto a common room for a group of similar suites. She had the single room and it was one of the nicest dorms I’ve experienced with any of my kids through the years. There isn’t a school I know that allow freshman to live off-campus with the exception of commuters or if there ends up being even a huger overcrowding than normal. Dorm living is part of freshman life at any college-housing usually gets better after that, more suite style choices and off-campus options.</p>
<p>East wheelock at Dartmouth. Also single room showers (though shared by the floor) in some other dorms.</p>
<p>Although really, even in community bathrooms its not that big a deal…people leave their stuff in the bathroom, and there’s a code for the girls bathrooms given only to the girls on the floor (though my floor never kept it shut…really wasn’t a need).</p>
<p>I’d say a really good way to figure out how things really are is to have her stay overnight with a current freshman at her top couple of schools…you get a much better feel than from a tour, and she can see if its a living situation she’s comfortable with.</p>
<p>C’mon Morgan, you’re going to college, not on vacation. Toughen up and pick a college that going to help you to get all you can out of your future.</p>
<p>So, OP, what does “SLAC” mean? I have looked at the Abbreviation thread & it isn’t there? Is this your own abbreviation that you made up? Does it mean “Selective Liberal Arts Colleges”? Or something else?</p>
<p>I agree that shower situation should not be the most important factor. However, other things being equal, it sounds like a plus for your D. Have you checked GW? The dorm room we toured had a shared bathroom between 2 double rooms.</p>
<p>Even in suite bathrooms, the conditions are highly dependent upon the personalities of the residents and each individual’s tolerance for grit and grime. At W & M, my daughters have been assigned to dorms with suite bathrooms that are shared by 4 girls. There are usually two stalls, two sinks, and one shower. The responsibility for cleaning is shared by the residents (who must provide the cleaning materials and toilet paper, as well). My youngest d is a neat freak and has been annoyed (or worse) by her suitemates’ laissez-faire attitude toward cleaning.</p>
<p>As SLUMOM says, it’s all part of the freshman year growing experience. MorgansMom, you mention the “capability of naked pictures being taken.” Certainly no parent likes to think about that - but is it really all that likely to happen because of the kind of bathroom you describe, which is used by a majority of college students? I think the reason colleges don’t feature bathrooms on tours, aside from respecting the privacy of current students, is that students will adjust to whatever bathroom arrangements are available if they like the school well enough otherwise to attend.</p>
<p>Chicago has some pretty chill dorms with private baths. One (Max Palevsky) has suites of two doubles, with two private half-baths to the suite. Another (Blackstone) has a split double design with an attached bath and kitchenette, while a third (Stony Island) is apartment style living. There are also a smattering of suites and bath-attached rooms in the other dorms, though most of these will be taken by upper-years.</p>
<p>Dear Mom,
USC has many options for student housing. None of these have shared bathrooms used by different sexes. Due to the climate a plus is that many of these options have outdoor spaces for informal dining or socializing in the many flower filled courtyards.</p>
<pre><code>At the USC website you can check out “USC Housing”. There are explanations of the options and floor plans of each dorm/apartment style living. Some of the options are:
</code></pre>
<p>Special Interest Communities
Five Residential College Communities Example: Arts and Humanities
Residential Faculty Communities</p>
<p>A unique option for freshmen is the Raddison. It features hotel style rooms with private baths, workout room and swimming pool. A USC advisor is in residence. </p>
<p>Meal plans include “dining dollars”. These can be used at campus restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen. All meals do not have to taken in a dorm. There are many dining choices in the new student center as well as other areas of the campus.</p>