How Selection Works

The housing selection process includes an off-campus and an on-campus selection phases. For an up to date timeline of both phases of housing selection please see the Important Dates page.

The on-campus registration process will occur from Monday, February 27 through Friday, March 9. Students have the option of registering as individuals, in which case they will be assigned an individual housing selection time, or as a group, in which case the group will be given a housing selection time. Students are required to register for housing in order to be able to register for academic classes.

The week of April 23, ALL students will receive a randomized appointment time that will be based on semesters in residence. Students groups will have their semesters in residence averaged. Then, the weekend of April 27 - April 29, individuals and groups will select their housing. The selection process will provide each student, or group of students, the opportunity to select an assignment from all available housing inventory that they are eligible for (i.e., village housing, program houses, traditional housing, theme housing) at the time of their appointment.

Also, a students' housing selections will be immediately entered into the housing database, which will reduce the number of double-bookings and will allow students to verify their assignment at the time of selection.

Once the housing selection is complete, students will be sent an e-mail alerting them to their fall assignment along with a copy of the Housing and Dining Agreement. In the email, students will be asked to verify their housing assignments and state that they have read and understand their agreement.

Important Points to Note

  • Priority for housing selection is based on a student’s semesters in residence.
  • Semesters in residence is projected for the fall semester and is listed in a number from 1 through 10 on your housing registration form. The semesters in residence projection is based on the number of semesters you have completed at Oberlin, including being enrolled but not in residence (ENR), and any approved academic leaves of absence ad transfer credit for transfer students.
  • Students may enter the process as an individual or as a group.
  • Appointments for housing selection will be determined by the individual’s or the group’s averaged semesters in residence.
  • Individual and group appointment times will be randomized for priority selection after the close of the registration process.
  • Students select from the housing available at the time of their appointment.
  • Students who wish to live in program, special interest or theme housing must be pre-approved.
  • Students who wish to live off-campus must have six or more semesters of residence or qualify for an exemption.
  • Students who wish to live in village housing must have four or more semesters of residence.
  • Off-campus and village housing candidates must complete an orientation session in order to maintain eligibility.

This system of on-campus selection allows for the following:

  1. It allows students to select from the widest range of inventory available to them at the time of their appointment.
  2. It requires that the majority of students come to only a single appointment, instead of multiple appointments.
  3. It allows for the majority of students to leave their appointment with a specified assignment.

Statistics from Spring 2010 Housing Selection

  • Last available Union/Goldsmith house was selected on the first day of selection at a 1:55 pm appointment by students with an average of 4.5 semesters in residence
  • Last available Firelands single was selected on the first day of selection at a 2:00 pm appointment by a student with an average of 4.5 semesters in residence
  • Last available Firelands double was selected on the first day of selection at a 3:25 pm appointment by students with an average of 4 semesters in residence
  • Last available Quad was selected on the second day of selection at a 2:05 pm appointment by students with an average of 2 semesters in residence
  • Last available Single was selected on the first day of selection at a 9:05 pm appointment by students with an average of 2 semesters in residence.