Little Privacy
Most dorm residents have at least one roommate. With such small rooms, this means you won't be able to keep much from each other. Your roommate will hear every snore, burp and phone. If he has a friend over, you're sharing your entire life with another person. A dorm room opens up right into the hallway, meaning anyone who passes by can see inside when your door is open. If you are a person who likes his privacy, dorm life may be a challenge.
Constant Distractions
Dorm life is often noisy and active. Neighbors, friends and visitors come and go throughout the day. The social aspect means you shouldn't feel lonely, but it also cuts into your studies. You won't have much luck studying if friends stop by every few minutes. Loud music coming from your dorm neighbor may be a distraction. All the activity surrounding you is also very tempting. You know you should study, but the game night across the hall sounds more exciting. Unless an apartment complex is full of college students, you are less likely to have as much traffic coming and going if you live in an apartment.
Less Control
Universities regulate dorms well for the safety of everyone who lives there. The university will assign you to a certain room and you may not have much choice in the location, especially for incoming freshmen. Colleges often have a long list of items that you can't bring to the dorms, including cooking appliances, air conditioners, electric heaters, halogen lights and candles. The resident assistant, or RA, lives in the dorm and enforces restrictions on items you bring to the dorms, noise level, activities and visitors, which are sometimes restricted. Apartments typically have fewer restrictions. You also get your own kitchen so you can cook, which isn't usually possible in the dorms.
Dorm Closings
Dorm buildings often close during school breaks, including winter and spring vacations. While you can leave your belongings in your dorm room during the break, you won't have access to the room. If you plan to take summer classes, you may have the same issue. The college may close the dorms or only use one or two dorm buildings during summer. If your dorm building isn't one that is open for the summer session, you have to pack