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Selecting a Room

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General Questions

What is the Lottery?

For returning students your choice of room is based on an assigned lottery time slot*. All eligible students receive a random number based on class year: the rising Senior class will receive the best numbers, then Juniors, and so on. Some Halls or Rooms require special application or registration: Theme Houses, Gebbie & Keefe, Common Interest Housing, and select Living Learning Communities.

When will I get my lottery time slot?

Lottery time slots are set to go out about a week before general room selection begins.

When is lottery?

Lottery traditionally occurs in the spring semester around late April. The process takes place over multiple days and your lottery number is randomly assigned based on your class year. Rising seniors will have the best numbers, then rising juniors, followed by rising sophomores. Each number comes with a date and estimated time of your turn to select a room. The number is yours to use, it is not transferable.

In what order are the lottery time slots?

Priority goes by class year, rising seniors pick first, then juniors, then sophomores.

Selecting a Room

What are roommate groups and the rules?

Here are the big things to know about roommate groups…

  • In order to live with friends, you must be in a group together.
  • When picking a room, we recommend the roommate with the best time slot to pick the room during lottery.
  • All roommates must mutually accept each other in the housing portal.
  • If you are hoping for a single, do NOT form a roommate group.
  • You can make these groups in advance so do it before general room selection occurs to be ahead!
Where can I live?

You can pick from any space that is viewable when your lottery time becomes active, but you must be able to “fill” the room you want with the appropriate number of residents.

I don’t have a roommate. Can I pick one space in a double, triple or quad?

Unfortunately, no. In lottery students must “fill” whatever room they select. So, if you are hoping for a single, make sure you have a back up plan if they are all gone.

What are my chances of getting a single?

Single rooms are available through general lottery (they are not eligible to be renewed). Less than a third of the students on campus live in a single room and only about half of those are on upper-campus. Typically demand for singles exceeds supply particularly in the popular parts of campus. It is important to have realistic expectations and an alternate plan if your first choices are not available. Historically, Seniors have the best chance of a single and most juniors. For a sophomore, a single is unlikely.

Do I have to log in exactly when my time says?

No, your time tells you the first moment you can access the portal. Once your time passes you can access the portal as long as it is open throughout general room selection week. Lottery times are really only to give priority order, not to shut people out after their starting window.

Can I live with someone in another class year, or who is a different gender?

Yes, just make sure you are in a roommate group together!

Is there a special interest lottery?

No, Common Interest Communities (i.e. Wellness, Female-to-Nonbinary, Substance-Free) and select Living Learning Communities (Pine Hall and Beard) are now a part of general lottery. This allows for a much more streamlined lottery process. You must have filled out a CIC opt-in form in order to see these building during general lottery.

What if I get a weird lottery time, like 2:00am?

All lottery times will be during the day, no earlier than 9:00am, and no later than 3:45pm.

After I pick a room, can I change my mind?

No, in order to maintain a fair process students cannot change rooms until everyone has had a chance to pick first. After the process is complete, we are then able to work on requests to move rooms.

Other:

Can I renew my room?

No, room renewal/squatting is not allowed.

What if I am on a Leave of Absence?

Students on a Leave of Absence must contact Residential Life to be a part of Room Selection. Your email must be sent from your Wheaton email address. You will need to be eligible to return to Wheaton in the Fall Semester and you must be eligible for room lottery. Understand that by selecting a room you are entering into a contractual agreement with the College and that will carry a financial commitment. You should contact Student Financial Services if you have any specific questions in that regard.

What do I do if I have a hold on my account?

It depends on the nature of the “hold.” Most holds that restrict room selection are financial, in which case students should contact Student Financial Services.  Disciplinary holds should contact the Dean of Students Office. Academic holds should contact Academic Advising.

What if I have applied to go abroad in the Fall, but I’m not sure if I will be accepted?

If you have applied to go abroad, but have no been accepted, you are able to select a room during lottery. Once Global Education informs us that you have been accepted, you are automatically withdrawn from the room and it is open for any student – because of limited space you cannot reserve a space for your return. You will then be contacted at the end of the fall semester to select your room based on availability for the spring semester.