Room Selection Process
Room Selection Process Introduction
The Room Selection Process (RSP) is designed to ensure that students secure housing in a structured, transparent, and equitable way. This process takes place in a series of four phases that guide returning students from requesting accommodations or exemptions, to providing housing preferences, to forming roommate groups, and finally selecting a room.
Whether you are a returning student familiar with the process or a new student joining the Albion College community for the first time, our goal is to make housing selection straightforward and accessible. The Office of Community Living is here to assist you every step of the way, answer questions, and help you feel confident in your housing arrangements for the upcoming year.
For New Students
New first-year students are assigned housing by the Office of Community Living.
- You will complete the Housing Information Form in the Housing Portal to provide your preferences and to request a roommate if desired.
- Form Availability:
- For Fall Semester: Opens in January
- For Spring Semester: Opens in October
- Roommate requests must be mutual, meaning both students must request each other.
- Students requesting housing accommodations must submit requests through Accessibility Services by the published deadline.
New transfer students are assigned housing by the Office of Community Living.
- You will complete the Housing Information Form in the Housing Portal to provide your preferences.
- Form Availability
- For Fall Semester: Opens in January
- For Spring Semester: Opens in October
- Transfer students may request to live with current Albion College students.
- Roommate requests must be mutual, meaning both students must request each other.
- Students requesting housing accommodations must submit requests through Accessibility Services by the published deadline.
First-Year Students (Direct from High School):
- Housing options for first-year students entering directly from high school primarily include double rooms in Wesley Hall.
First-Year Students (Not Direct from High School):
- First-year students who are not coming directly from high school are typically assigned housing in Seaton Hall, Mitchell Towers, or Whitehouse Hall. They are assigned housing based on the information they submit in their Housing Information Form.
Transfer Students
- Transfer students are assigned housing in Seaton Hall, Mitchell Towers, or Whitehouse Hall. Transfer students can indicate their housing preferences on the Housing Information Form to help guide assignments.
For questions or more information about housing options, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
For Returning Students
Housing Accommodations and Residency Exemption Requests
January through March
- Students requesting housing accommodations must submit requests through Accessibility Services by the published deadline.
- Students seeking a Residency Exemption (to live off-campus) must submit an exemption request through the Housing Portal for approval.
- Approvals are granted per academic year – this means students must update their housing accommodation or exemption request each year, even if they received approval in the past.
- Students should complete this step during Phase 1 to ensure their accommodation or exemption is in place before the housing selection process begins.
- Important: Failure to complete this step may impact housing placement options.
Housing Information Form
March
- All students must complete the Housing Information Form in the Housing Portal to participate in the following phases of the Room Selection Process.
Roommate Group Formation
March – April
- Students can form a roommate group in the Housing Portal once all members of the group have submitted their Housing Information Form.
- Groups may have 2-8 people, depending on space availability.
- We recommend having at least three backup plans in case your first housing choice is not available.
- Students without a roommate group can use the Housing Portal to connect with potential roommates (more details are shared before the phase begins).
- Students who do not form a roommate group will still be able to select a room but from a limited inventory of spaces after roommate groups have selected their housing. In these cases, they will be assigned a roommate randomly, based on the room selected.
Housing Selection
March – April
Housing Selection Time Slot Announcement & Browsing Period
- Students will be assigned a time slot to select their housing.
- Time slots are assigned based on lottery number. Lottery numbers are determined by units earned at the end of the Fall Semester.
- Students can browse available housing options before their assigned selection time.
Housing Selection
- Students will log into the Housing Portal during their assigned time slot to select their room.
- Only rising junior and senior students are eligible for our apartments.
- All roommates in the roommate group will be assigned to the selected room, regardless of their time slot.
- Once a room is selected, the assignment is confirmed for the academic year.
Apartment-style housing options are available to rising junior and senior standing students.
- 416 E. Erie Apartments
- Select as a group of 6 or 8
- 507 E. Erie Apartment
- Select as a group of 8
- Briton House Apartments
- Select as a group of 4
- Burns Street Apartments
- Select as a group of 2
- Mae Karro Residential Village
- Select as a group of 4 or 6
- Munger Place Apartments
- Select as a group of 4 or 2
Suite-style housing options are available to all students.
- Mitchell Towers
- Select as a group of 4
- Whitehouse Hall
- Select as a group of 4
Community-style housing options.
- Seaton Hall
- Available to all students
- Select as a group of 2
- Ingham Hall
- Available to female-identifying students
- Select as a group of 2
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I participate in the Room Selection Process if I am a new student to Albion College?
New first-year students and new transfer students do not participate in the Room Selection Process (RSP) as it is designed for returning students. Instead, the Office of Community Living assigns housing for all new students.
New students complete the Housing Information Form to share their living styles and request roommates. Roommate requests must be mutual, meaning both students must request each other.
If you are a new student and have questions about housing assignments or the roommate request process, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
Do I participate in the Room Selection Process if I have an approved housing accommodation or a residency exemption?
If you have an approved housing accommodation, the Office of Community Living will assign your housing directly. We carefully identify and assign housing that meets your specific needs, so you do not participate in the general Room Selection Process.
If you have an approved residency exemption (approval to live off-campus), you are exempt from participating in the Room Selection Process.
Please ensure your accommodations or exemption are approved and up to date each academic year during Phase 1 of the process. For questions or assistance, contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
Do I participate in the Room Selection Process if I am a fraternity member?
Housing assignments for fraternity members depend on whether their chapter has an assigned fraternity house:
- Members of fraternities with an assigned house do not participate in the Room Selection Process. Their housing assignments are submitted to the Office of Community Living by the chapter president, and members are assigned to live in their designed fraternity house.
- Members of fraternities without an assigned house do participate in the Room Selection Process and must complete all required steps to select housing.
If you have questions about fraternity housing assignments, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
Do I participate if I am currently studying in an off-campus program?
Yes, students who are currently studying in an off-campus program do participate in the Room Selection Process and complete all required steps to select housing for the upcoming academic year.
If you have any questions about your housing options or the process, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
What if I do not have a roommate to form a roommate group?
Students who do not form a roommate group will still be able to select a room but from a limited inventory of spaces. In these cases, they will be assigned a roommate randomly, based on the room selected.
Do I have to live with someone of the same sex?
No. Albion College offers flexible housing options that allow students to room with others regardless of sex or gender identity. We are committed to creating a welcoming community for everyone.
Do I participate in the Room Selection Process if I am planning to study in an off-campus program for the upcoming Fall Semester?
No, if you are planning to study in an off-campus program for the upcoming Fall Semester, you do not participate in the Room Selection Process. The Office of Community Living will assign your housing over winter break. We will reach out to you to gather any roommate requests or specific housing preferences you may have. Our goal is to identify the best available housing option to meet your requests.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
What is a Lottery Number?
A lottery number is a unique number assigned to each student that helps determine their priority in the Room Selection Process. Lottery numbers typically range from 11 to over 1200 and are based on the total number of academic units a student has completed by the end of the Fall Semester. The student with the most completed units receives the lowest lottery number, giving them the highest priority during housing selection.
If you have more questions about lottery numbers or the housing process, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
How do I find my Lottery Number?
Lottery numbers are posted on each student’s profile within the Housing Portal. Once your lottery number is available, you will receive an email notification from the Office of Community Living with instructions on how to access it.
If you have not received your lottery number or need assistance accessing the Housing Portal, please contact the Office of Community Living at [email protected].
Housing assignments are subject to change based on enrollment, space allotment, and the State of Michigan Executive Orders on Public Health. If your assignment does change you will be notified via email. Students may be asked to consolidate or move to new housing arrangements based on quarantine and isolation needs. In the event of temporary closures, restrictions, and/or adjustments to the academic schedule, Albion College shall not be obligated to issue refunds or credits, whether partial or full, for such interruptions or adjustments.