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Sending your child off to college today is not like it was in my days (20+ years ago). Colleges are many, costs are high, and all fight for the best students. Because of our middle class affluence, our children expect certain creature comforts in dorms today, things we never could have dreamed of. Having been on the college circuit last year, with education being secondary to the space my child inhabited while a student at the school, I was privy to some of the best and worst dorms available today.

I realize that the upper tier schools with the big names, such as Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, Loyola, etc. have completely redone their dorms so that living accommodations mimic home, or at the very least, a nice hotel atmosphere. But for those of us who wish to keep costs at a minimum while still allowing for a decent education and excellent foray into the employment environment, we chose to look at those schools which we found to be "affordable" in as much as state and merit grants given were concerned.

1. The school which my son ultimately chose to attend Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. These dorms are all virtually new, with the oldest being 4 years of age. They have key card entry, are suites with 6 to a suite sharing 2 full baths and 2 very large walk in closets most with 2 singles and 2 doubles. They are carpeted and are in a wing like distribution (3 rooms and bath, closet connected by a living room). There is 24 hour security at a station in the lobby with working elevators to all 5 floors. There are laundry facilities and a kitchen on each floor. There are parking garages adjacent quad erected dormitories. They have quiet floors, honors floors, athletic student floors Should this not be your venue, the college also owns several new apartments like dorms and actual townhouses on campus for your living pleasure.

2. George Washington University in Washington DC. What could be better than living in DC? This particular establishment is within walking distance to the Kennedy Center, Congress, and the White House. They have two beautiful new gyms on campus one for athletes and one for non athletes, with state of the art equipment (TV's above every treadmill with a tuner for your pleasure), pools, weights and everything in between. Not to mention that the dorms are converted Washington apartment buildings where there are parquet floors, en suite bathrooms, walk in closets and full size refrigerators in each dorm room. They are old and musty but I am told they

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