Freshmen in Sunday’s residence hall lottery said limited housing options and University disorganization left them disstressed and unsure of their housing future.
Other students with top lottery numbers rejoiced about their new rooms in the Dakota, which were reserved mainly for rising sophomores.
Lottery numbers for rising sophomores started at 2,000 and went up to about 3,500. But all residence halls, with the exceptions of Strong Hall and Mount Vernon residence halls, closed at about 2,500.
(The housing lottery) is chaotic and highly disorganized, and that just adds to the stress, freshman Parita Patel said.
Students are assigned lottery numbers according to their earned academic credits. Students with rising senior standing pick rooms first. Students with rising sophomore standing pick rooms after rising juniors and seniors. This year’s lottery was divided into two days, with rising sophomores picking on the second day.
Mark Levine, assistant dean of the Community Living and Learning Center, said sophomores whose numbers were not called Sunday should not worry about getting housing. He said all rising sophomores who paid a $300 deposit can put their names on a guaranteed waiting list or request a refund.
Students on the guaranteed waiting list are placed in rooms, in order of their lottery numbers, as soon other students drop out of their rooms to move off campus. Those who wish to be on the guaranteed waiting list must fill out a form by Tuesday afternoon. All students on the waiting list will be placed by July 1, Levine said.
Levine said in past years, everyone on the list has been placed in housing on the Foggy Bottom campus.
But many students said they are still worried and upset about their housing for next year.
Freshman Suzanne Daly said she was extremely disappointed with the way the University handled the housing situation.
I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, Daly said. I am amused by the fact that the administration thinks they can appease the sophomore class by giving us one dorm, the Dakota.
Freshman Mary Kiwanuka said she was frustrated with how long the housing lottery lasted.
I’ve been here since 9:30 a.m., she said in the afternoon. I was sitting in hopes of getting a room, and now we’re planning on living in a cardboard box either in J street or the Hippodrome or the Quad.
Many sophomores with low lottery numbers said their hopes to live in the Dakota were dashed when it closed at No. 2,135.
The Schenley was another hall that was coveted by many rising sophomores. After the Schenley closed at about No. 2,310, only doubles remained.
But some rising sophomores were excited about their housing for next year.
Freshman Michelle Hodges, who lives at GW’s Mount Vernon campus, said she was lucky enough to get a room in the Dakota with three of her friends. One of the girls she decided to room with had No. 2,044.
This is redemption for living at Mount Vernon, she said.
Freshman Julia Lauve, who will be in the quad with Hodges, said she was excited about obtaining a quad in the Dakota.
It’s quad in the Dakota time, she said excitedly after signing up for her room.
Many other rising sophomores, like Lauve and Hodges, with high lottery numbers avoided the guaranteed waiting list by entering rooms with sophomores with lower numbers. Freshman Manish Bhatt said he was pulled in by a friend that had No. 2,005.
By the grace of God I was pulled up, Bhatt said.
But even with many students around them panicking, some freshmen managed to remain worry-free.
It’s no big deal, said Ben Goldstein, who was placed on the guaranteed waiting list.
