Think that new kitchen in Harnwell is nice?
Try an outdoor heated pool.
Luxury living is becoming the standard for many students as universities cater to demands for privacy and higher-quality spaces.
And some schools have gone way beyond what Penn provides to meet that demand.
On campuses with space to build, private developers are capitalizing on this trend. University officials across the country are trying to compete, building dorms above and beyond the standard rooms of previous generations.
Penn officials, recognizing this trend, are renovating the high-rise dorms. Changes include new kitchen appliances, infrastructure and, like all other Penn dorms, wireless Internet access.
But other universities trying to entice students to live on-campus are experimenting with even more ambitious strategies.
At Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, upperclassmen in one new facility have a luxury most students can only dream of - private bathrooms.
Each apartment also has its own washer-and-dryer unit and fully furnished rooms.
Case Western Housing Director Alma Sealine said the changes were in response to student requests for spaces that are similar to those encountered in life after graduation.
Other dorms at Case Western feature gas fireplaces in common areas and gaming rooms.
Some attribute the increasing demand for higher-quality dorms to incoming students that are accustomed to more spacious living areas at home.
James Baumann, spokesman for the Association for College and University Housing Officers International, said studies point to children growing up with more privacy than their parents.
Many students "grew up not having to share a bathroom or bedroom, so when they go off to college, they sometimes expect that to be the case," Baumann said.
Privacy is just one aspect of the change in housing philosophy.
Students looking for a way to distinguish between schools beyond the usual criteria - such as academics, social life and location - can check out the special housing amenities offered by many schools.
The University of Missouri in St. Louis lists an outdoor heated pool as one of the facilities in its new dorm complex, Oak Hall.
The University of Maryland partnered with private developers to build new apartment facilities last year near campus.
One of these buildings not only has a pool, but a deck on the roof, a fitness center and technology-laden common rooms.
UMD housing spokesman Scott Young said the new spaces are designed to provide more options to students who lived in standard campus dorms during their first two years.
Despite changes at other universities, Penn officials say programs and activities in on-campus housing will remain the focus of Penn's housing promotion.
Wireless Internet access in dorms and cable-TV access place Penn ahead of many institutions, amenity-wise, but there are no new plans to add more specialized facilities or services.
Sue Smith, a spokeswoman for Penn's college houses, said that when Penn works with donors and developers, the focus is on expanding new programs within the constraints of the existing buildings.
Smith also said she understands why some schools feel the pull to add student-friendly amenities.
"It makes me a little envious - wouldn't we like to have an in huge pool for every college house? - but it's just not our focus," Smith said.
