The annual Housing Lottery can be a daunting process for students applying to live on campus next year. It consists of multiple steps and deadlines that students are required to meet. Yet, Housing and Residence Life Specialist Jean Flory said the housing office is here to help.
“It’s important to not miss a step,” said Flory. “If you miss a step, you’re out [of the lottery].”
As of March 3, students who plan on living on campus next year will have submitted their $100 lottery entrance fee. After the payment is made, the housing office will release access to the online housing lottery application starting March 4.
From here, students can decide what lottery they would like to join. This year there are four lotteries with different qualifications for each. Lottery 1 is for the 6-person units in Burlingham and Gilbert. Students must be at least 19 years old by the first day of fall classes or have lived on campus for one year. Lottery 2 is for Vandervelden Court. Students must be 20 years old by the first day of fall classes or have lived on campus for one year. Lottery 3 includes Burlingham, Gilbert, and the Walter and McCormick Apartments. Students meet the 19-year-old age requirement and have lived on campus for one year. Lottery 4 is for all other housing options including Cascade, Clark, McCormick and Walter.
“We are hoping to be at capacity given information received from Mark Ankeny for fall [admission]” said Flory.
Currently capacity at Pacific is 1107 beds.
“We will potentially be using more of Clark Hall next year,” said Flory.
A student’s ranking, or when they are able to choose their room, in the lottery is determined by the number of credits he or she has.
“Students always seem to be confused about how selection time is chosen,” said Flory.
When students form roommate groups, their total number of credits is averaged to decide when they can choose their room.
“If multiple groups have the same credit average then it is based off of the student’s enrollment deposit
date,” said Flory.
The student enrollment deposit date is the date that the admission office recorded when they received your initial deposit to attend Pacific.
If students miss one of the lottery steps, they can still live on campus. Students will need to contact the housing office and will be placed on a housing assignment waitlist and be informed over the summer of their room assignment. Students who partake in the summer housing assignments are not guaranteed a room on campus. Students can also choose to participate in the summer housing assignments if they did not receive the room they wanted and would like to be placed on the wait list.
“Last year we were able to place almost 90 percent of the students on our waitlist,” said Flory.
The online application process is in its second year of operation. Flory said the biggest issues students had last year wasn’t with the switch to a digital system.
“I think the biggest struggle last year was when
[students] formed roommate groups,” said Flory.
When rooms and dormitories become full with reservations, roommate groups are forced to break up and pick a different room. Flory explained that students need to be prepared to have their roommate situation change.
The housing office has set aside specific office hours for students who may have questions about the housing lottery process. Office hours are Monday and Wednesday from 9-10 a.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 2-3 p.m. and Friday from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
“We highly encourage [students] to visit us,” said Flory. “We’re happy to answer any questions they have.”
For more information about the housing lottery visit pacificu.edu/about-us/offices/housing/housing-lottery.
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