The Pros and Cons of Coed Dorm Rooms

The Pros and Cons of Coed Dorm Rooms and The Schools That Offer Them

Sat, Dec 27, 2008 by Brenna - Pitt

College Life, College Prep, Guys & Girls

Coed dorms were first introduced during the hippie movement in the 1970’s and then further down the road someonde decided to push the envelope and introduced coed dorm ROOMS. Only about 2 dozen of the thousands of schools in the U.S. provide coed housing options (that is in the same room). Apparently, they are merely acknowledging the fact that members of the opposite sex may be best friends and want to live together. The schools have not embraced the coed housing movement so that couples may live together. In fact, most schools discourage it. Although this seems like an option most students would take advantage of, relatively few of them are. At the University of Pennsylvania only 120 of the 10,400 students chose to live with a member of the opposite sex. And at the University of Californaia Riverside only 50 of its 6,000 students signed themselves up for a year of arguing whether the toilet seat should be left up or down. Most of the students that do opt for this coed housing are not couples. So what would be the advantages of this then? Some advantages are…

You can find the most compatible roommate regardless of gender.
You get great insight on not only what it’s like to live with someone of the opposite sex, but also on the opposite sex in general.
It’s good practice for real-life experience, not to mention the many opportunities you will have to practice your patience.
You’re more likely to get introduced to your friend’s cute buddies and vice versa.

Of course there’s disadvantages too:

Dorms are not exactly known for providing a whole lot of privacy so you will most likely be getting dressed everyday in front of your opposite sex roommate. Either you or your roommate may not be comfortable with that.
This issue can cause controversy between parents and students either for religious or moral reasons.
If you do move in with your significant other, what happens when/if you break up halfway through the year? That would not be pretty….
Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus. No matter how much you think you will get along with the person and enjoy living with them, if there is not a romantic relationship to keep you together the differences may become too much to work through and you could end up losing a good friend.

Going by the very little number of people that are practicing this coed cohabitation I would say that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. But if you are still thinking you might what to live in a coed dorm room, the following are some of that schools that provide that option:

Anybody go to these schools? Or one of the other schools that provide coed housing? I would love to get some feedback on the issue from those who personally experienced it or know someone else who did!

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