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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the Housing Lottery?

A. The Housing Lottery is the system by which on campus housing is distributed to the general population of upperclass students. Unless you choose to live in program housing or special interest housing or have made accommodations with Disability Support Services, you will need to choose housing through the Lottery process in order to live on campus.

Q. How many students are allowed in a group?

A. Groups for the Lottery can range from a single student up to twelve students. For more information on groups, please see the Grouping section of About the Lottery.

Q. Can I avoid the Lottery and stay in the room in which I live now?

A. Under certain circumstances, it may be possible for you to retain the housing in which you currently live for the next academic year. To read more about the rules and regulations that govern this, please see the Squatting section in Lottery Alternatives.

Q. What is the difference between a priority number and a Lottery number?

A. A priority number is a random number assigned to every student expected to return to campus the following Fall semester. These numbers are assigned based on the seniority of class numbers.

A Lottery number is assigned to each group after they apply to the Lottery. These numbers are based upon the average priority number of the group's members. Lottery numbers are called the night of the Lottery and determine the order in which the groups choose housing.

For more information, please see the Priority Numbers and Lottery Numbers section of About the Lottery.

Q. On what nights and where will the Lottery be held?

A. Please see the Residential Calendar for the dates and locations of each night of the Lottery.

Q. If I am unsatisfied with what my group selected in the Lottery, can I change rooms?

A. Any selection made during the Housing Lottery is binding for all members of the group. If a group selects housing during the Lottery, no member of that group is eligible to apply to the summer waitlist. In order to change rooms, you must submit a Room Change Request Form the following Fall semester.

Q. If I apply to the Lottery as a group of 1 and there are only doubles available when my Lottery number is called, what happens?

A. If your group's Lottery number is called when there is no housing that you are able to select because the number of people in the group can not be configured to fill the available rooms or suites to occupancy, then you may either "Pass" or "Drop Down." Passing means that you will not be choosing housing in the Lottery and will opt to go through the summer assignment process (see the Summer Assigment Process for more information). Dropping down means that a group will combine with another group at a higher (worse) Lottery number. The entire group will then select housing at the higher Lottery number (see Dropping Down section on the About the Lottery page).

Q. What are my odds at getting a single in Andrews if I am rising junior? Or some other similar "what are my odds question."

A. There is no concrete way to determine a group's chances of selecting any specific room or type of housing. Historically, certain housing, such as the Young Orchard Apartments, has gone early in the Lottery while other housing has gone much later. You are encouraged to review the results of previous Lotteries on the Residential Council website and draw your own conclusions or ask your question in the Residential Council Lottery Forum.

Q. Next fall I will have a semester level of 4. Am I still eligible to select sophomore-only housing?

A. Any student with an anticipated semester level less than 5 is eligible to select sophomore-only housing during the Lottery. For more information, please see the Sophomore-Only Housing section on the Available Housing page.

Q. Next fall I will have a semester level of 8. Is my individual priority number going to be better than the rest of the rising seniors?

A. Yes. Priority numbers are based on semester level seniority. The average rising senior will have an anticipated semester level of 7, so your priority number will be better. Please see the Priority Numbers and Lottery Numbers section on the About the Lottery page for more information.

Q. I am currently abroad, on leave, or otherwise unable to form a Lottery group, apply to the Lottery, and/or attend the Lottery, what do I do?

A. If you cannot attend the Lottery, you must select a proxy for the Lottery. This proxy is then able to form a group and select housing on your behalf. For more information, please see the Selection by Proxy section on the About the Lottery page.

Q. Are any of the residence halls open during Winter Recess?

A. Both the Graduate Center Towers and Miller Hall are open during Winter Recess. If you are expecting to need housing over the break, it is recommended that you choose housing in one of these residence halls. For more information on housing over Winter Recess, see the Policies and Procedures page.

Q. Who can I contact to find out more about the Housing Lottery?

A. If you have any questions that are not answered on the Residential Life website or Residential Council website, you may ask them in the Residential Council's Lottery Forum. You can also email the Residential Council Lottery Chair or email Residential Life.