Just got the panic call from my daughter who will be a junior next year at Rutgers NB campus about her housing status. She has been placed on a wait list for housing on campus. Is there anything I can do to help her get on campus housing?
After talking with a staff member at the Rutgers Housing office it appears the Wait List is still being compiled and will be completed sometime next week. Depending on my daughter’s seniority points and lottery number relative to her on campus housing selection cutoff numbers and place on the waiting list, we will have some idea of her chances of getting housing before the first day of class next semester. The housing shortage at Rutgers NB is really nasty. After looking at off campus housing options and remembering back to the number of violent crimes in the NB area I’m even more committed to finding a way to get my daughter into on campus housing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
The Rutgers housing office needs a lot of help. There is a serious shortage and there doesn’t seem to be anything being done about it. I also was put on the wait list (which is somewhat preposterous to me as an out-of-state freshman with an average lottery number) but I was proactive and found an apartment quickly. The New Brunswick area is not the nicest but if you remain very close to College Ave, or close to Cook/Douglass, then you should be fine. I know you want to be safe and get on-campus housing but the Housing Office is unpredictable so I would at least explore off-campus housing options. places4students is a great resource. Good luck.
So can anyone basically get waitlisted for housing at any time/year for any reason? that might be a deal breaker for us.
Cakeisgreat you asked the question “Can anyone get wait listed for housing at any time for any reason?” My understanding is that all on campus housing is decided by seniority points and a students lottery number. There are special circumstances that are also taken into consideration such as physical disability as an example. Once you are notified of your assigned on campus housing it is final. If you request on campus housing and do not have adequate seniority points and lottery number for the housing selected you are placed on a “wait list”.
Once on campus housing assignments have been completed by the Housing Office there will be new openings based on students deciding not to return to school, etc. The University Housing staff will be working to fill the vacant dorm rooms or apartment slots with students on the “wait list”.
Prestico23 I agree that the Rutgers Housing Office needs help. It has been my experience that most service departments at the University are significantly understaffed. A staff member at the Housing Office told me the “wait list” will be completed next week. I’m not confident that the Housing staff will have the data needed by next week to respond to the flood of email requests asking for “wait list” ranking relative to on campus housing selection. I know my daughter emailed the Housing Office immediately after getting placed on the “wait list” an has not received any response. I do know that on campus housing assignments will continue through the summer as things continue to change until classes start. The Places4Students website for off campus housing is a really great resource.
There is also a Resident Knight website that enables students to share information with other students about on campus housing that is available.
I have included links below for the Rutgers Housing Office, Places4Students and Resident Knights:
https://www.places4students.com/index.aspx
@foreveryoungkids wow thank you sooo much for all this great info! I’m going to check out the websites and keep this bookmarked. I wonder if most of the students end up finding something in the end to reasonable satisfaction without having to go to unsafe areas. I wonder if other large state schools have the same general problem.
In prior years, I’m pretty sure that everyone got off the housing wait list eventually. Some students had to wait until the semester started, but they still got on campus housing at some point. Of course that doesn’t guarantee anything for this year, but they do try to accommodate everyone.
Have your daughter look at any Rutgers fb groups that might apply to her (housing, year of graduation, etc) because sometimes people are looking for another person if someone drops out of their group. Also have her let her friends know that she is still looking for a spot.
My son got housing all 4 years but he had to scramble at times. For example bad lottery numbers in his group, they wanted to go off campus, he looked for another group. Good number senior year, looked for additional roommates, would only interview seniors to preserve his ability to get housing. It’s rough.
My other son is at a private school and they ran out of spots for housing this year and had to start a waitlist. So it is not just big public schools that have this problem.
I wish her luck and I’m sure she will be placed, just not as soon as you may like.
Rualum you are spot on with all the great information and advice! My daughter has reached out to friends on campus and already has several promising leads for on campus housing. As I stated in a previous post, according to the Housing Office staff, the “wait list” will not be completed until next week. She has all ready emailed the Housing Office requesting information on her “wait list” ranking and the cutoff requirements for the housing selections she requested so she has a better idea what on campus housing she has a better chance of getting as they start to place students that are on the “wait list”. I told my daughter to be flexible so she can hopefully get on campus housing before classes start in the Fall. Last year I saw several students in my daughter’s dorm change their on campus housing, which freed up slots for students on the “wait list”.
Cakeisgreat My daughter attended a very large university before transferring to Rutgers and faced the same challenges regarding on campus housing shortages. My other daughter, who attends a small private college out of state also has the same challenges every year, as my daughter attending Rutgers, due to a shortage of dorm rooms. From my personal experience having two daughters attending college at the same time, there seems to be on campus housing shortages at both private and public institutions. What is also concerning to me is how our colleges are coping with these shortages by entering into agreements with companies that will build and maintain new dorms at what appears to be a good deal in the near term but from historical data ends in inflated costs after the contract is renewed. I’m horrified at the continuing cost increases each year that I am paying, with no end in sight.
Does this issue apply to the dorms for incoming freshman also? Or is this just an for upper classman?
It might apply if the freshman does not get the housing deposit in by the deadline. If your deposit and housing application are in on time, you should be good.
What is the deadline ? I’m only wondering because I am on the waiting list so I can’t even do anything. Decisions if any will be by June the latest I was told … Although I was told they don’t let you know if it’s full or when it’s full they only let you know if you’re accepted off it so who really knows when the possibility of knowing there is no chance of being admitted is. Doesn’t seem fair but wish they would let us know if it’s at full capacity!
nplh are you a freshman or a continuing student? Your previous post is confusing.
For new students. Rutgers Residence Life FAQ:
- Are students guaranteed housing? No student is guaranteed housing, but Residence Life has never had an issue housing every student (first year, transfer, or continuing) that has requested housing.
Here: http://ruoncampus.rutgers.edu/faqs/new-students-faq
That page is really complete in terms of answering anything you could possibly want to know about housing. Phone numbers are included!
@rualum I am an incoming freshman that was placed on the waitlist so not even accepted yet
Ok, so you are on the waitlist for admission to Rutgers.
I couldn’t find the date for this year, but usually the housing application deadline for freshmen is around June 15th. If you are accepted and choose housing at that time, I think you will be fine (in other words, I don’t think you will be penalized for applying for housing once you’re off the waitlist). They assign freshmen housing sometime in August.
@rualum thank you for that information and the link. It was very helpful. I noticed in the information that Rutgers housing is first come first serve for freshmen, so I assume that means as soon as we know whether our child will go to Rutgers we should accept and put in the housing application immediately.
Freshmen can request a campus on their housing application. If they really prefer one campus over the other, it helps to get the application in as soon as possible (although campus choice is never guaranteed). Otherwise, as long as they get their application in by the deadline they should be ok.
Even if they miss the deadline, JULY, according to the FAQ, I’m sure the housing office will work with them, but they may not get housing until the semester is under way.
Hi, I know this is really late but i was wondering if your daughter is still on waitlist. Because I am not going to be able to live on campus and I am looking for someone who can fill my spot in a double on Douglass and I am a junior also.
@ksav96 Please note, this thread was started last year.
You may have more luck if you post on one of the Rutgers social media sites. Are you on a Rutgers new student FB group? I would post there.
Have you notified housing that you will not be able to live on campus? They may work with you. See what they say. On campus housing demand is always high at the start of the new school year.
@ksav96 - Have you spoken with housing? I don’t think it’s your responsibility to fill that slot. (As rualum said), housing has a waitlist and will be able to fill it easily. I called there with an issue this week and they said they had no openings (but they were able to help us in the end and my son is very, very happy).