Room Selection Info

After completing the Housing Application and Resident Agreement and paying the $100 Housing Deposit, students will be eligible for Room Selection.  The timeline for the 2024-25 academic year and the four ways to participate in the Room Selection Process is listed below.

Resident Agreement 2024-25

Room Selection Timeline:

• The order for room selection is based on 1) when the Housing Application is submitted, 2) academic standing, and 3) having the $100 Housing Deposit on file (most returning students already have this).  Students who have earned more credit hours and who complete the Housing Application more quickly are more likely to have their first choices.
• Res Life will assign spaces to students who submit Housing Applications but did not select their rooms during the designated times.

Community Styles

Click here to learn more about the different community styles

Four Room Selection Processes:

#1  General Double Occupancy Room – available on an ongoing basis

• Most students participate in this process.
• On the Friday before each Room Selection period, students will be emailed their designated times to select their spaces from the available options.
• Students will be able to preview available spaces at least 24 hours prior to each Room Selection Process.
• Students will be able to select their room beginning at their designated time, and have a couple days to choose.  Once you have submitted your room selection, you will not be able to change it.  You need to email ResidenceLife@shepherd.edu and requests will be reviewed after that room selection period ends.
• If you have a requested roommate, see here for more information.  It is important that you get linked with the requested person on the Good Living Portal so that you will be guaranteed to be placed together in an available space.
• When a housing style becomes full, students will be able to add their names to the wait list for consideration when a space becomes available in that location.
• General or Encore process status cannot be changed after January 19.

#2  Encore Double Occupancy Room – available for Returning Residents’ Applications received by January 19 only

• This option is available for residents who currently live in double occupancy rooms, including those who do not currently have an assigned roommate.
• Great opportunity for people who want to return to their same housing style and are not concerned about a specific placement.  For example,
  • If you live in WestWoods suites now and you want to return to that same general style and the specific building does not matter, select Room Encore.  On the “My Information” page, question #16 of the Housing Application, indicate that you want Encore housing.
  • If you live in WestWoods suites now, but you want to return only to a specific building or to a different housing style, DO NOT select “Encore” on your housing application.  Go into the general process so that you can select your own space from the available options.
• Residence Life will place you into a space if you request Encore. You will not select the space in the Room Selection process.
• This does not guarantee a specific room or building; it only guarantees a style of housing (Traditional, Potomac Place, West Woods, or Apartments).
• If you have a requested roommate, see here for more information.  It is important that you get linked with the requested person on the Good Living Portal so that you will be guaranteed to be placed together in an available space.
• General or Encore process status cannot be changed after January 19.

#3  Encore Single Occupancy Room – available for Returning Student Applications received by January 19 only:

• Beneficial opportunity available to residents who bought out a single in Fall 2023 or who have Accommodations for an ADA single occupancy room who wish to return to the same housing community style.
• On the “My Information” page, questions #15 and #16 of the Housing Application, indicate that you want to have a Single and that you want Encore housing.
• Residence Life will place you into a space if you request Encore. You will not select the space in the Room Selection process.  This does not guarantee a specific room or building; it only guarantees a style of housing (Traditional, Potomac Place, West Woods, or Apartments).
• If you have a suitemate request, they need to be linked to you on the Good Living Portal.  Your selection for a single does not guarantee a single for anyone else.
  • If your requested suitemate was also approved for a single, then you will be placed together IF you are mutually linked in the Good Living Portal.
  • If your requested suitemate was not approved for a single, then you should find an additional person for the suite or apartment.  Any unoccupied spaces will be filled by either Res Life staff or through the Room Selection process.  Spaces will not be held.
• Residents who are currently in bought-out singles and want to live in a different housing community should participate in the General Single process; receiving a single is not guaranteed in the General Single process.
• General or Encore process status cannot be changed after January 19.

#4  General Single Occupancy Room – available for Applications received by January 19 only:

• Participate in this process if you currently live in a bought-out single or ADA single occupancy room and want to return to a different community housing style.  For example, if you live in a single in Potomac Place and you want to live in single in WestWoods next year, participate in the General Single Occupancy Process.
• Residence Life will offer 100 single occupancy rooms across campus.  We will not be able to offer a single to each person who requests a single.
• General process singles will be awarded after Encore Singles have been placed and availability is not guaranteed.
• Decisions about who was selected for singles will be sent on February 5.  Students who meet the January 19 deadline, but are not awarded a single will be added to the first wait list by Residence Life.  These students will select a space in the double occupancy selection process. If additional spaces for singles becomes available, you will be contacted by email, usually during the summer.
• On the “My Information” page, question #15 of the Housing Application, indicate that you want to have a single occupancy room.
• General or Encore status cannot be changed after January 19.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SINGLE OCCUPANCY ROOMS

• The University will offer 100 singles for 2024-25.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer singles to everyone who requests them during room selection.  Sometimes, additional spaces become available in late summer as people’s plans change.
• Residence Life will make two wait lists:
  • List A: All students who requested a single by January 19, but we were not able to offer a single during the first round of room selection.  Residence Life will add these students to this wait list.
  • List B: All students who completed their Housing Applications January 20 and later.  These students must add themselves to the wait list.
• Single occupancy room fees are higher than the fees for double occupancy rooms.  See here for current costs that can be used for estimating purposes.  An average 3-4% housing increase is anticipated for 2024-25.
• Being selected for a single occupancy room enables a resident to live in a room without a roommate.  The specific location of the single room cannot be guaranteed.

How Are Single Occupancy Rooms Selected?

(100 singles available across all housing styles):

To be eligible for a single occupancy room in the first round, students need to have their $100 Housing Deposit on file, be registered for Spring 2024 classes, and be in good financial standing with the University by January 19.  The Good Living Portal will indicate if you are missing the Housing Deposit.

1. Students with Accommodations for Singles through Accessibility Services will have designated single occupancy rooms available throughout campus.
2. Singles Encore Process in which students who have bought-out singles in Fall 2023 and who mark that they want to stay in the same housing style and they submit the Housing Application by the January 19 deadline.
3. General Singles Process for students who are not currently in singles or people who are currently in bought-out singles but would like to live in a different housing style.
   1. All students with 75+ credit hours earned as of January 19 and requested a single, by the date the Housing Application was completed.
   2. All students with 45+ credit hours earned as of January 19 and requested a single, by the date the Housing Application was completed.
   3. All students with 15+ credit hours earned as of January 19 and requested a single, by the date the Housing Application was completed.
   4. All students with 0+ credit hours earned as of January 19 and requested a single, by the date the Housing Application was completed.
4. Students who submit their Housing Application January 20 – February 2 and who add themselves to the single occupancy wait list, based on academic standing.
5. Students who submit their Housing Application February 3 – March 1 and who add themselves to the single occupancy wait list, based on academic standing.
6. Students who submit their Housing Application March 2 – April 5 and who add themselves to the single occupancy wait list, based on academic standing.
7. Students who submit their Housing Application April 6 – May 3 and who add themselves to the single occupancy wait list, based on academic standing.
8. Students who submit their Housing Application after May 3 and who add themselves to the single occupancy wait list, based on academic standing.

For example, assume you had the following students who all submitted their requests for a single occupancy room by January 19:

• Sid, a senior, is currently in a double and wants to have a buy-out single room.  Submits housing application December 28.  This is the General Single selection process.
• Pat, a sophomore, is currently in a buy-out single and wants to return to a buy-out single in the same housing style. Submits housing application January 17. This is the Encore Single selection process.
• Lee, a junior, is currently in a single and wants a single in a different community.  Submits housing application December 6.  This is the General Single selection process.
• Sade, a senior, is currently in a single and wants a single in a different community.  Submits housing application January 17.  This is the General Single selection process.
• Cameron, a first year student, is currently in a double occupancy room and wants a buy-out single.  Submits housing application December 5.  This is the General Single selection process.

They would be selected for a single occupancy room in the following order:

1. Pat – Encore Single Selection are selected first.
2. Sid – General Single selection process: a senior with a December 28 application date.
3. Sade – General Single selection process: a senior with a January 17 application date.
4. Lee – General Single selection process: a junior with a December 6 application date
5. Cameron – General Single process: a first year student with a December 5 application date

Suitemate(s) Assignment for Single Occupancy Process

Suitemate(s) requests are not guaranteed, suitemates must also be approved for a single in the same community

Do I Qualify for the Encore Process?

Applying for the Encore Process does not guarantee placement in a specific room/floor/building.