<p>wis75 – I totally agree with your second paragraph. My daughter is in a large public university, as was I, and I think they have a lot to offer. One of the best parts of a large public school is that you can always find people who share your values.</p>
<p>As for religious schools, the OP asked how to avoid an alcohol culture, and I was making a suggestion. I admitted that there would be students who wouldn’t feel comfortable in a religious school, and I said that even some of those are less strict on alcohol. I certainly wouldn’t want one of my children going to a religiously-affiliated college ONLY to avoid alcohol.</p>
<p>As for roommate matching, there is no way I would want one of my children to take potluck on roommates, and it’s not just because of drinking. The students I know now (or knew way back when I was in college) who were miserably unhappy with their roommates were the ones who have ended up with a smoker, a drinker, or someone whose boy/girlfriend slept over. No, you don’t have to be friends. You don’t even have to get along that well. I’m not going to worry if my child and his/her roommate aren’t buddy-buddy and even have their disagreements. That’s life. However, everyone should have the right not to live with someone who is poisoning their lungs, vomiting on the floor, or having sex in the next bed.</p>
<p>Students searching for roommates can prescreen potential roommates on those issues. Yes, some students will change and some will lie. However, you might be surprised (I have been) at how many college seniors freely discuss, on very public Internet forums, their plans to drink and have boy/girlfriends sleep over in college. A rising college freshman who wants to avoid problem roommates might as well at least check those pages to screen some potential roommates right out of consideration!</p>