<p>Aside from honors dorms, many schools offer interest housing - languages, culture are typical, but you also find ones oriented to community service, etc. These are all worth thinking about. </p>
<p>As for expense, most kids view the variety of housing as a way to keep their own bills a few thousand lower and / or as a way to live more independently. BU, like some schools, has a number of apartments. These cost more than a room but you don’t need a meal plan so the overall cost is less or at least the cost of food and what you eat is your choice. One of my daughters loved having a 2 person apartment where she could cook, her roommate could bake, etc.</p>