Blind dates can go awry, but a roommate mismatch can spoil a semester. Nasty habits. Bitter grudges. Epic stand-offs over square inches. Luckily, most pairings don't get that ugly, whether campuses make them randomly or by running survey responses through a computer. These days many students even control their own fates: More and more colleges let…

For colleges eager to attract the best students, the quality of student housing is a key selling point. That shouldn't mean putting a Jacuzzi in every dorm, warns Susan Painter, a design psychologist. Painter, who holds a Ph.D. in behavioral psychology, uses her knowledge of human behavior to advise colleges on building design. Give students too…

New residence-hall policies have been put in place this year due to worries about crime, but protecting students' rights was another concern. The new policies are in response to students and parents who felt residence halls had become noisy, dangerous places. (MLW)

An annual survey found that college tuition climbed 6-10% this fall, depending on institution type. It also revealed average annual tuition/fee increases since 1987-88 and average costs for tuition/fees, books/supplies, room/board, and transportation for both commuter and resident students at two-year and four-year colleges, public and private.…