@mommdc — I will have to see what options are available.
I would then take RIT off your list, as freshman dorms for the most part have hall bathrooms. There are plenty of schools that offer suite style for more privacy, but RIT is not one of them. Also I know you are anxious about a lot of things (based on all the posts), but at this point I would probably take a step back, wait for all your affordable acceptances, and then visit the schools to see where would be the best for all of them. No sense worrying about so many things right now.
@sdl0625 — Yeah, RIT is pretty low on my list regardless, primarily because of academics but also infrastructure. I was offered a waved application fee, so I figured I’d give it a shot. If they gave me a full ride then I’d consider, but even their highest merit scholarship only covers part of base tuition, so the college is probably a no. Butler is a better school anyway, and the scholarship I got is similar.
for schools that location is convenient enough even before acceptance you can see about doing an overnight visit - though that may mean sleeping on a floor with a sleeping bag. It might help put you at ease if you start visiting and getting a real feel vs letting your imagination run wild.
That’s wonderful you have some affordable options already. You must be a great student. Best of luck to you as the rest of your decisions roll in.
If your parents are married with no unusual circumstances (own their own business or farmland, are divorced, etc.) then you can run each college’s Net Price Calculator to get a cost estimate.
The last page of the FAFSA will give you your FAFSA EFC. If it’s 03487 it means you’re FAFSA EFC is $3487 year. The FAFSA just calculates eligibility for a federal Pell Grant. A $0 EFC means you’re eligible for a $6k/year Pell Grant. A FAFSA EFC of $6000 or over means you’re not eligible for a Pell Grant. A student whose EFC is $3487 may get up to $2513/year in Pell money.
Your FAFSA EFC is unrelated to what colleges might expect you to pay. Run the Net Price Calculators so you know what to expect.
Honestly I’ve seen my roommates naked. It’s completely normal. If you want you can change in the bathroom or shower, but sometimes there just isn’t time and you might just get used to it. I’m 20 and I’ve seen my roommates in various states of undress. I have 18, 19 and 17 year old roommates right now. (We are females). I have seen them all in bras and bare chested and a few times full frontal nudity. It just happens.
It happens at my college as well:
All of the students who live in the traditional dorms walk back and forth from the bathroom just in towels, underwear, or shorts/shirts. I understand why some students may feel uneasy about it.
Hygiene wise, we have mini lockers in our bathrooms and some students just leave their personal hygiene products in them without locking it up. The toilets and showers are relatively clean, but sometimes, people don’t always care about cleanliness when it comes to bathroom usage.