My son has bathrooms (two on each floor) each with 5-6 sinks with mirrors which are largely open. Four separate toilets/shower rooms with doors that lock. Plenty of space. Right now they are separate by sex (floors have guys/girls living on opposite sides of the floor). But it seems to me they could make them co-ed without issue if they at some point decide to make each side of the floor co-ed. I can understand that some may not be comfortable with that. Its why there are different colleges with different living arrangements.
I think there is a difference between preference and true deal breakers for me. The deal breakers for me would only be financial and distance–but even then I was still open to discussion on any school. I have 3 kids in college at the same time, so we do need to keep in mind what works for our family unit.
*Financial: If wildly outside of our range based on NPC, etc we crossed it off our list early. However, one of my sons was down to 2 schools (mid sized privates) in the end that were very similar in almost all aspects…but his #1 would run about 10,000-15,000 more a year more than what we had budgeted.I didn’t say “no” flat out, but sat him down and told him he would be responsible for any loans that were needed to pay the extra 10k (a year) and showed him what that amount would look like in monthly payments when he graduated. He then made the decision to attend the other school. Again, these schools were equal in most other ways…I just think the tour guide on the preferred school was cuter:).
*Distance: we did not look at any schools that couldn’t be driven to in a day (up to 10 or so hours). However, I would consider bending on this if there was a super compelling reason (ie, if someone got accepted to Stanford, or Reed college was just totally their type of thing), I was just unwilling to travel super far if comparable schools were inside the radius.
I have to admit I am surprised by some of the reasons on this thread–and could refute some of the generalizations made about certain areas of the country, particular schools, etc–but this is a nice little thread so I am not going to go there. I think some of the items being posted might be preferences as opposed to deal breakers?
Any overtly religious schools. Any schools in Texas. Any schools with a high percentage of Greek life. Obviously schools with a high rate of sexual offenses and a record of inadequately dealing with such offenses. Interesting that some people are anti-Colorado because or pot legislation. I can’t stand any kind of smoking, but I couldn’t care less if my kids go to a college where it is legal. Pot is such a minor concern, IMO. I am far more concerned about colleges where kids are purportedly under a lot of pressure to drink. I actually rely on niche and Uni go to find out how significantly alcohol factors into campus life. Some alcohol is expected and normal, but too much pressure to drink is a no-go in my mind.
Parental dealbreaker: cost. If the COA to us over four years was too high, the school was out.
Child 1 dealbreakers: in-state schools and all female colleges.
There were plenty of options that met these conditions so all was good.
Call me stupid, but what’s the deal with no Texas schools?
^^ Concealed gun permits allowing hand guns on campus starting August 2016?
Let me clarify myself. When I say “Midwestern”, I am referring to Montana, Nebraska, the Dakotas. Anywhere else in the Midwest is fine.
I also wouldn’t pay for my kid to go to school in upstate NY, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont (unless it was UVT), Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Wyoming, or Idaho. Wouldn’t give a single cent to the likes of W&L, Bob Jones, or Liberty either. Or any single-sex college.
And let’s be real here: would ANYONE actually want their kid to go to a school that denied them when they applied??
@moooop did you even read my post?? I wouldn’t pay for my kids to go to school in New Jersey. Not up to my academic standards at all.
LBad96 have you ever visited the upstate NY town of Ithaca? It’s amazing. The weather… Not so amazing.
“And let’s be real here: would ANYONE actually want their kid to go to a school that denied them when they applied??”
Huh? How can a student go to a college that has rejected them?
That would be kinda hard to do lol…
@LBad96 I’m curious, what about New England and the western states is a deal breaker?
@mamaedefamilia they’re either too cold, none of their schools are up to my standards, or are boring and desolate. Hell, even all three.
@twogirls that’s the point. Too cold.
@menloparkmom if only you had read my list before…I meant I wouldn’t let my kid go to a school that denied ME. Never. Never. In a million years. Would you let your kid attend a school that turned YOU down?
@LBad96 - I would imagine down the road if you have a kid that would involve being married. Perhaps your spouse would want their child to go to their alma mater - which could be a school that rejected you. Or in a part of the country you are not liking. Even NJ.
@ClarinetDad16 I’d want my spouse to be of the same alma mater as me, and I’d probably plan on living in the Southeast as well, so that would not be an issue.
Well, I wasn’t turned down anywhere, but yes, why wouldn’t I let my kid go to a school that had turned me down? Obviously I thought well of it to apply.
Such strong opinions from someone who isn’t even in college yet…
Isn’t even in college yet? I could have sworn they were a sophomore 
Ok, I’ll change that to “Such strong opinions for someone who’s still barely into adulthood and isn’t yet out of college.”
Okay…I am a little slow on the uptake today…thanks for the posts @al2simon and @sseamom ! I guess because this thread was in the Parent’s Forum, I assumed everyone was posting “parent” deal breakers. I didn’t realize students were posting either their own personal deal breakers or what they think will be deal breakers when they are parents. Everything makes so much more sense now.
I’m a second semester freshman, so rising sophomore.
@Pizzagirl well, I feel that I wasted more than a few apps, as I realized later on that some of the schools that denied me weren’t even at all good fits to begin with.
You may well find that your deal breakers as a second semester freshman in college in terms of colleges your kids can attend, who you marry and other deal breakers change in one way or another. Life is what happens while you are making plans.