Learn how to prepare for a college roommate

If you're going off to college or university, you may end up living with a roommate. Having a roommate can be a seminal part of the experience, but it can also be a source of stress and conflict. We'll give you some tips.

• If you're looking at the university's website, most will have residences that seem very palatable and well maintained. However, many universities have a few residences that are in good condition as well as several that aren't.
• Take a tour, and talk to students currently living there about the pros and cons of the living arrangements.
• Try to find out about the type of students who tend to choose each residence. (Party animals? Quiet students?)
• Ask yourself some important questions: Will you absolutely die of embarrassment if you don't have a private bathroom? Is a single-gender dorm important to you? If the dorm is co-ed, does that mean there will be boys on the same floor or just in the same building? Does the residence have a quiet-hour policy to encourage studying? The more carefully you think through these issues, the happier you'll be.

Many kids today have never shared a room until they hit university. The idea of living with someone else's mess, smells, and personality in a tiny room can be disconcerting. Here are some tips to make it easier:

• Try to meet in person if possible. If that's not possible before school starts, set up a phone call rather than an instant messaging conversation.
• Have a conversation about cleanliness. If you dust every afternoon and your roomie only changes his underwear every week, there will be problems. Find out now so you can switch before school starts.
• Only share the big stuff. Initially, you might think you should go in halfsies on everything in the room, from comforters to pillows and bookshelves. Don't bother. You may never see this person after the first year (or even the first month). Instead, just split the cost of the big items, such as the TV, the refrigerator, and the microwave, and keep the receipts. If you split up, it's easy enough for one of you to buy the other out.
• Decide up-front about sleepovers. If your potential roommate has a very involved partner who will be visiting every weekend (and staying in your room) now is the time to discuss it.

If after meeting or talking over the phone you really think that you and your roommate are oil and water, contact the university to find out about getting a transfer.

Okay, so you're getting along great with your roommate, but what about the rest of the dorm? If you want to make friends you'll have for life, consider leaving your dorm door open. Other students will be more willing to stop by if there's no barrier that suggests "Don't bother me."

Going off to college or university is incredibly exciting. But there are still important considerations to be made. Use this guide to inform your choices so that you can truly get the most out of your post-secondary experience.