Rising sophomores said they began researching off-campus housing options last week after finding only 703 spots remained for them on campus, after the upperclassman portion of the housing lottery.

Freshman Jessica Stolow said she was weighing whether she would move off campus, even though she and her friends submitted the $300 housing deposit.

If I had gotten a good (housing lottery) number, then I would definitely stay on campus, she said before Sunday’s lottery.

Going into the lottery, Stolow said she and two friends hoped for a room on campus because they enjoy the social perks residence halls offer. She said she also does not want to have to take the Metro or have a long walk to class.

Ideally, Stolow and her two friends would have preferred to live in a triple with a kitchen, but they realized their options were limited, she said.

I know that most college students don’t have the luxury of kitchens, but I feel as though since GW is giving the option, everyone should be entitled, she said.

Sophomore lottery numbers began at 2000. Of the three freshman students, the group’s best number was 2763.

In a last minute decision Sunday, Stolow said she decided to move into Aston Hall with another student who had a better lottery number than her two friends. Her original roommates were placed on the guaranteed waiting list for a room.

Stolow said she is happy to have a room on campus but disappointed to be separated from her original roommates.

Outside of Living and Learning programs, sophomores are set aside a few housing options, said Mark Levine, assistant dean of students. These include all rooms in Riverside Towers, except for the singles, and some rooms in the Dakota. Levine said the Aston and Strong, Madison and Crawford halls and residence halls at the Mount Vernon campus had rooms remaining after last weekend’s upper-class lottery.

Levine said that the Community Living and Learning Center took into consideration feedback from previous lotteries.

We wanted to establish options for sophomores to live together and share experiences, he said.

In addition, the rising sophomores are the largest class at GW and need more space for living, he said.

Stolow said she found the housing lottery overwhelming

I know that I’m just an outsider, looking in, but you would think that they would be more organized, she said.

Levine, said there is an opportunity for rising sophomores to move off campus without losing their $300 housing deposits. After room selection is completed, students are sent a license agreement they must sign and return. Students who deposited money for the housing lottery have the option of being placed on the guaranteed waiting list or getting their deposit back, he said.

I would recommend students to go through the process, Levine said.