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Office of Residential Life

Housing Selection Information

 

Early Applications (top)

In an effort to reduce the stress involved when selecting rooms during the Housing Application and Selection Process, the Office of Residential Life continues the tradition of providing students with opportunities to apply for certain room types in advance. 

Please see the selection page for the timeline and deadlines for the early selection process 

The application types represented below are within the Residence Hall housing application.

Single Room Information

There are a number of designated singles in our residence halls, the majority are located in Dodds Hall. Dodds singles are made and set up for one person. See the Tuition and Fees page through the Business Office website. 

Except for a few singles on the first floor, Dodds singles are in a group, and share a common space with 3 other single rooms. Dodds rooms can be selected by individuals or groups up to 4 people.

Suites/Pfeiffer Triple/Quad Information

Students who wish to live with smaller, more intimate groupings of neighbors have the option of Harriett House and Pfeiffer Triples/Quads. Harriett House has suites with double rooms with 4, 6, or 8 residents sharing a common area. There are only two 8-person suites and three 6-person suites - all others are 4-person suites.

In order to accommodate students who wish to live in one of these communities, we offer spaces first to students who can fill the entire space. Any available spaces in suites during the housing selection are then offered in our general selection room process.

Theme Housing Information

Theme living is designed to increase the range of housing options available to all students. It allows students to experience the benefits and rewards of living in a smaller community, while ensuring equitable access to residential resources. Theme living is an option for interested groups whose mission is consistent with the goals and purposes of Illinois Wesleyan University and whose ability to enhance that mission will be increased by the opportunity to live together.  For more details, as well as current community options, go to the Theme Housing page.

 

Housing Selection Times and Distribution (top)

Once students complete the appropriate application, ORL staff place all students/applications into tiers based on course units earned. Once students have been placed in tiers they are randomized, and assigned a selection time.  For example, if there are 50 seniors in Tier 1, each student has an equal chance of receiving the 1st time to 50th time. Students housing selection times will be available in MyHousing, and an email will be sent to their IWU email when times are ready. Emails are sent on certain days (see timeline on the current students Housing Selection page).

The housing selection process are set up in this way to assure that seniors have first preference. Using an ordered process gives all students at a similar class/course-unit level the same chance at each type of housing available on campus. The following chart shows the class tier, and the corresponding course unit levels:

 

Class tier Course-Unit range
Senior Tier I 22.5 or more
Senior Tier II 19.00 - 22.49
Junior Tier I 13.5 - 18.99
Junior Tier II 10.00 - 13.49
Sophomore Tier I 6.00 - 9.99
Sophomore Tier II 2.00 - 5.99
Advanced Freshman 0.00 - 1.99
Late Registration  

 

AP Credits are usually not recorded in time, and therefore are not included in unit counts for first-year students. Specified time blocks and a selection order within each block are assigned randomly by computer under the supervision of the Office of Residential Life after all applications have been collected in late February. Your specified housing selection time is to you; times cannot be traded or given away. You will use the earliest specified time in your roommate group to select your room.

If you are selecting with a roommate or group of roommates, the earliest time in the group is used for the entire group. So, if Chris (3/30 at 7:25 PM) and Pat (3/28 at 4:10 PM) are trying for a room together, Pat's time would be the one they would use because it is the earliest and would give them the best possible chance of getting the room they want.

 

 The Timing of the Housing Selection Nights (top)

Students sign up for rooms at specified times in 1 or 2 minute time intervals. During the designated selection period, students will be allotted time to select from available, gender appropriate spaces. Please note that individual rooms and suites are assigned for a single gender, students of different genders are not able to room together in the same room/suite.

 

Advice for rising sophomores - Thinking Realistically (top)

It is not possible for everyone who wants a single room to have one. Everyone can not live in a single or a suite. Students with the highest number of course-units have the earliest specified times. This means that seniors and juniors will have the first opportunity at the most desirable rooms on campus. For this reason, we implore you to be realistic when you are planning for where you would like to live. You may not get the type of room you desire most, although you will be housed. Most sophomores will live with a roommate in a double room with a roommate. Most sophomores will not be housed in the most desirable residence halls on campus.

On the last night of the selection process, there may be a handful of rising sophomores (those with the latest specified times, or those without roommates) that will be unable to be placed into a room. This is expected--AND WE WILL HAVE HOUSING FOR YOU. We know that a number of students will sign up for a room and then later decide that they will not be using the room which they have been assigned (due to transfer, withdrawing, moving off-campus, etc.). If you do not receive a room assignment during the initial placement process this does not mean that residence hall spaces will be unavailable to you. Students who cannot be housed on the final night will be able placed on a waiting list. As rooms become available students will be placed with the roommate of their choice.

 

Finding a Roommate (top)

There are lots of good reasons why people don't have roommates. Students who are looking for a roommate, or do not have enough roommates to fill a multiple-occupancy room can can also check out our Find A Roommate Facebook Group! Students can place info there on what they are looking for to try to make a connection. ORL will also likely be hosting a roommate finding night if enough interest exists (based on the last question in the housing application about wanting help finding a roommate).

If you do not have a roommate at your specified time block, you will not be able to select a room. ORL will work to house the people without a roommate, so it is in your best interest to find a roommate!

 

 Medical and Mental Health Accommodations (top)

Before single rooms placements are made from early applications, students who have a medical or mental health need are considered.  Housing accommodations are granted to students who provide appropriate medical documentation supporting their need for said accommodation. Decisions are made through the Office of Residential Life in consultation, as necessary, with the Arnold Health Service, Counseling and Consultation Services, and the Office of Student Accessibility Services. The documentation criteria can be found on the Housing Accommodations page. Once the March 1st deadline passes, requests for housing accommodations will be granted when space is available.

 

 Before you log-in for the Housing Selection Night... (top)

  • All Housing Selection happens online in MyHousing. 
  • Make sure you know the best time of your roommate group and have a computer, tablet, or phone available at that time.
  • Make sure all roommates have been mutually matched in MyHousing before your time, or you will not be able to select a room together. MyHousing will say that your group is 'Fully Matched'. If it doesn't it will tell you who still needs to request whom.
  • Have an idea of what room you want and have a back-up plan (or two) if you don't get that room.
  • If you have questions or problems, call ORL at 309-556-3113. ORL staff will be available to assist if needed.

 

 Wait List Information (top)

There are often times when students are not able to sign up for the specific building they originally hoped for and choose another location. In all instances, students who would like to put their name on a wait list for a specific space utilizing the Waitlist form in MyHousing. Just click on the 'More Tasks' menu on the top of the page, and select 'Waiting Lists'.

  • Students can sign up for as many options as they desire.

  • As spaces become available, students will be contacted to either accept or decline a new placement.

Jermaine Ferguson - Director, Office of Residential Life

Department - Residence Halls-operations