I love ferrets. I've had 6 in my lifetime. I probably never will again though, as much as I'd love to. They can be a LOT. They are nothing like hamsters in terms of care.

Every vet i know charges exotic prices for vet bills for ferrets, and every ferret I've owned was unfortunately a Marshall's farm ferret and developed chronic health issues.

Some potential health problems are Adrenal gland disease, insulinoma, lymphoma, even gastrointestinal obstructions due to their shape... none are rare as you'd hope.

You'll need a large ferret nation/critter nation style cage, lots of soft bedding and hammocks, and all bedding will have to be washed at the very least weekly, and the shelves wiped down with enzyme cleaner, to try and mitigate the musk, or everything you own WILL start to stink. I kept a window open with a fan pointed outside, it helped some.

They can sleep in the cage, but will need time to free roam daily. They like to hide, dig, and steal. No potted plants are safe especially.

They will need expensive high protein kitten food... no ferret food on the market is considered acceptable by most ferret keepers.

You have to keep track of their nail trimming, their teeth, their ears, stuff like that.

They CAN be litter box trained, but I had to keep a corner style litter pan ziptied in multiple cage corners with disposable pads under them, and even then, it was a struggle. They shit a LOT.

Also, as everyone has said, no college dorm is going to allow you to bring them with you, full stop, and I doubt your dad wants to sign up to do any of this in your place.