<p>I'm going to be a sophomore at Penn State next year, and i'm hearing that getting on campus housing as an upperclassman is nearly impossible. I really want to live on campus again, so this is unnerving. I actually thought it would be easier to get on-campus housing as a sophomore, because of my class standing. I would really like to live in West Halls, because it will be really close to the classes I have to take next year for my major. Please tell me your experiences with trying to get on campus housing as an upperclassman. I need some clarity.</p>
<p>For anybody looking for this answer in the present, yes, you can get on campus housing as an upperclassman. I am going to be a junior this fall, and am transferring to PSU UP. This means I had to put my name on the waitlist, which is your last shot for on campus housing. I had to wait over two months on the waitlist, but eventually got a contract offer! It’s not impossible. You don’t have higher standing as a sophomore, junior or senior. In fact, only freshmen are guaranteed housing, so technically they have “standing” over us. 
The only thing you may have an advantage to do is if you have to put your name on the waitlist, the earlier you put your name on, the better your chances. Finally, you have to have patience. Sometimes you might not get an offer until summer.</p>
<p>In 2006, my daughter (a freshman) applied for on-campus housing for her sophomore year and did not get it. You are fortunate to have gotten off the waitlist. My daughter did not opt for the waitlist. By the time she found out she did not get on-campus housing (early February), a decent apartment for the next academic year was hard to find. Students up at PSU sign leases for August 12-month rentals in October or November of the prior year. By February, there was not much for her to choose from close to campus. There are some apartments farther out from campus, but you would need to take the bus or drive to campus.</p>
<p>Yeah, I was definitely worried because my options were either: supplemental, or an apartment within driving distance. There were only 1200 people on the waitlist this year, which, compared to 40,000 undergraduate students attending isn’t much. [ha!] Though I did hear somewhere that usually, most people eventually get an offer–it might just be a lot later than you would care to wait. I understand you would be kind of stuck if you waited until June only to not get an offer, and then had to scramble to find an apartment.</p>
<p>I’m a current sophomore at PSU. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible to get housing but it’s definitely difficult and you have to be lucky. In presentations they made it sound like a lot of people choose to move off campus right after freshman year, which can be the case but there’s also many people who are kinda “forced” to get an apartment. I also wanted to live on campus my sophomore year so I waited for a housing offer but didn’t get one so I had to move off campus, but the only (decent) option was about 2 miles away. When it gets to that point (early spring semester) theres not a whole lot left. Funny enough I was given a supplemental contract about 2 weeks after I signed my lease. Not a very pleasant experience but not much you can do. Oh well!</p>
<p>One of the benefits of living in an SLO is that you can stay in that housing as an upperclassman if you wish. Another campus option for upperclassmen is Eastview Terrace: It houses only upperclassmen, no freshmen, but it does cost more than a traditional double dorm room. It has all single rooms with their own bathroom. It might not be the best choice if you’re looking for a very social housing atmosphere as it tends to be quieter but it is beautiful and the location adjacent to downtown is very convenient.</p>