Once you've been accepted at college, you'd think you could relax because the hard work of writing essays, taking SATs and sending application forms is done. But you'd be wrong.

Now comes the business of navigating among a confusing array of housing and meal plan choices. At big universities, it can be overwhelming, but it's no picnic at smaller colleges either.

Housing options
Students are expected to choose among dozens of different housing complexes featuring dorm rooms or apartment-style suites, and determine whether to live solo or with roommates. The roommate selection process? Pretty much the luck of the draw, especially when you're a freshman.

Some colleges let students select from a number of different housing facilities; others offer no choice at all.

Here are some issues to think about if you can choose among housing facilities:

Housing factors to consider

• Location: Some dorms are likely to be closer to the center of campus or classroom buildings and dining facilities than others. If you like to sleep until the last possible minute before class starts, being close to your classes is a plus. • Amenities: Newer dorms are likely to boast amenities such as private baths for suites, air conditioning, wireless Internet access, carpeting, newer laundry and kitchen facilities, cable TV and fitness centers. • Food access: Some dorms may be physically connected to a dining hall or have coffee carts, snack bars, convenience-type stores and/or vending machines on-site. • Transportation: On larger campuses, look for a shuttle service that runs frequently throughout the day and night so you can get to class and your activities in bad weather.

Even if you have the chance to live off-campus or in a single, Harlan Cohen, author of "The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College," recommends living in a dorm with a roommate.

"In terms of the value of living in the residence halls, you can't quantify it just in terms of dollars," he says. "Just being in the middle of where things are going on during your first year gives you the chance to immerse yourself in a community and get to know people."

Double, triple or quadruple rooms are likely to be cheaper than singles, which is another advantage. The majority of dorms at most colleges are co-ed, either by room or by floor, which may freak out parents, but is pretty much the norm at colleges all over the country. Some colleges do offer at least one women-only dorm.

For some students, having privacy is worth the extra money for a single. "If given the choice, it's best to have your own space," says Katie Clark, a 2007 graduate of Tufts University. "I consider myself an extremely social and outgoing person, but to live in a dorm provides enough stimulation and interaction without trying to juggle sleeping schedules with someone you're likely to have little in common with besides an SAT score."