Frequently Asked Room Selection Questions
Look below for answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Room Selection process!- What if I am not returning to housing next year?
- What if I do not turn in a housing application?
- What if I don't have a roommate?
- We got an apartment (suite, townhouse) but one person dropped out. What happens now?
- I am planning to study abroad in the fall. What should I do about my housing?
- How many singles, suites, townhouses, and apartments are available during room selection?
- How many rising sophomores typically make it into suites?
- If I get my contract and deposit in early, do I have a better shot of getting my first choice?
- I need to live on campus for a fifth year. What do I do?
- How many credits do I (or does my group) need for a ...?
- We are applying for a townhouse and would like to request a specific house. How can we do that?
- I studied abroad last semester, but the credits I earned do not show up on the Portal. How can I make sure that they are counted toward my group's total?
- I didn't turn in a contract or deposit by March 4. What happens now?
- I want to live with a student who is currently a commuter. Can I do that?
- I want to live with an incoming first-year or transfer student. Can I do that?
- I applied with a group for a suite/townhouse/apartment, but now I would like to apply with a different group. Can I do that?
What if I am not returning to housing next year? Current resident students who are not returning to housing for the 2013-2014 academic year should print out and return the Resident Exit Survey that is available by clicking the Forms link on the Residence Life website at www.smcm.edu/residencelife/forms. Surveys should be turned in to the Office of Residence Life by March 31, 2013.
What if I do not turn in a housing application? Any current student who has submitted a deposit and housing contract by February 28. and is not housed by April 1 will be assigned to any room that is available by April 15.
What if I don't have a roommate? We recommend that students use word-of-mouth and social networking sites (such as Facebook) to find a roommate, suitemates, or housemates. Also, the Office of Residence Life has an electronic bulletin board to assist students who need a roommate in finding each other. This bulletin board is accessible through the Room Selection link in the Portal.
We got an apartment (suite, townhouse) but one person dropped out. What happens now? If a vacancy occurs in a room, suite, apartment or townhouse after room selection, the residents will have approximately 10 days to find another eligible student to fill that vacancy, depending on timing and space needs. The person filling the vacancy must have at least the same number of credits as the person he/she is replacing. If the vacancy remains unfilled, students from the wait list or new admits will be assigned or the vacancies will be consolidated.
I am planning to study abroad in the fall. What should I do about my housing? Because room selection deadlines pass before study abroad acceptance occurs, we strongly recommend that you participate in the room selection process as if you were going to be on campus in the fall. After you receive your study abroad acceptance, you can submit a housing contract release request in writing to Joanne Goldwater (before May 1) and you will be released with no financial penalties. Please note: If you select housing with a group and then are released from the housing contract to study abroad, the Office of Residence Life does not guarantee that you will be able to return to your assigned housing. We strongly recommend that you find a student to fill in for you in the fall to ensure that you will be able to return to your space in the spring.
How many singles, suites, townhouses, and apartments are available during room selection? There are 10 male singles and 11 female singles in residence halls, eight six-person suites in Lewis Quad, 25 six-person suites in Waring Commons, ten ten-person suites in Lewis Quad, 35 four-person Crescents townhouses, 39 four-person Greens townhouses, and 10 four-person Waring Commons apartments.
How many rising sophomores typically make it into suites? This number depends a great deal on groupings from year to year, but typically about 20% of the rising-sophomore class will live in suites next year. This means that most rising sophomores (4out of 5) will be in residence halls again next year.
If I get my contract and deposit in early do I have a better shot of getting my first choice? No. As long as residential students meet all the deadlines (contract and deposit by February 28, applications by appropriate deadlines), then rooms & other housing are determined by a total number of credits within each major housing category.
I need to live on campus for a fifth year. What do I do? Students who have already lived on campus for eight semesters and wish to return for an additional semester(s) need to submit a request in writing to Joanne Goldwater. Please note that on-campus housing is only guaranteed for eight semesters.
How many credits do I (or does my group) need for a.....? Because credit totals, groupings, and unit popularity change each year, there is no accurate way to answer this question. Below are the total credit numbers for the last group awarded a unit (single, suite, townhouse, apartment) in each major housing category last year. Please use this information as a guideline when setting up your groups, but note that this does not guarantee anything! We wish we could tell you how the credit totals will play out this year, but until we see the actual groups and credit totals we have no way of calculating this number. Our best advice is that if you are interested and eligible for a certain kind of housing—it does not hurt to apply for it!
2013 Room Selection Cut-Off (Last Selected) Total Credit Information:
Unit/Kind of Housing Total Credits for last unit awarded
Female Single (residencehall) 3
Male Single (residence hall) 72
6-person suite in Lewis Quad 115
10-person suite in Lewis Quad 344
Townhouse 241
4-person WC apartment 238
We are applying for a townhouse and would like to request a specific one. How can we do that? Please email Kelly Smolinsky at kasmolinsky@smcm.edu to make this request; however, we cannot guarantee a specific placement.
I studied abroad last semester, but the credits I earned do not show up on the Portal. How can I make sure that they are counted toward my group's total? Students who studied abroad during the Fall 2013 semester in a St. Mary's program will have the credits they earned added to their total when assignments are made.Students who studied abroad in a non-St. Mary's program should make sure that the Registrar's office has received their transcripts from the program by February 28.
I didn't turn in a deposit or contract by February 28.. What happens now? Only students who submit their contract AND deposit by March 2 are guaranteed housing for the 2012-2013 academic year. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list in the event that space is available after new students are housed in June, please contact the Office of Residence Life at (240) 895 4207.
I want to apply to live with a student who is currently a commuter. Can I do that? No. Only current resident students are eligible to participate in the Room Selection process. Commuter students should contact the Office of Residence Life to request to be placed on the waiting list. We will contact you in June (after new students are housed) if space is available.
I want to live with an incoming first-year/transfer student. Can I do that? Please contact the Office of Residence Life to make an appointment to speak with Kelly Smolinsky. These requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.
I applied with a group for a suite/townhouse/apartment, but now I would like to apply with a different group. Can I do that? Students cannot be listed with more than one group for a specific type of housing (for example, a student cannot be listed on more than one townhouse application). You will need to contact the members of your first group and notify them that the application will be voided. Then you can submit a second application with another group.
Have a question that's not answered above? Contact us:
Office of Residence Life
Glendening Hall 150
(240) 895 4207
