<p>Housing is only guaranteed freshman year. PSU tells you that most people who want on-campus housing will eventually get it after wait lists etc. But then some people have told me that their kids had to move off campus sophmore year. We would prefer our son live on campus for the first two years.</p>
<p>Can anyone share their experience with the PSU housing system/lottery. Should we be worried about off campus housing ? Thanks !</p>
<p>My son is a rising sophomore. He had no problem getting on campus housing for his second year. The most important thing is to apply as early as possilbe. He requested a single in West. He received the housing contract no problem but didn’t “win” the single lottery and was placed on a waiting list. He was initially assigned a double in West. Last week he was given his single (still in West) off the waiting list, so he was able to get exactly what he wanted. The most important thing is to apply on time - my son requested his contract the first day that PSU allowed him to do so.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply. When is the earliest they can request housing for the following year ? Seems like such a stressful process with the lottery, waiting lists and supplemental housing.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure that the date you apply doesn’t really matter. The way it was explained to me was that everyone goes into a giant pool, and it’s pretty much random. </p>
<p>Idk how valid that is though. I sent in my request (on-campus) the first possible day and got it. I do know people, however, that did the same thing and ended up very frustrated and without a contract.</p>
<p>I think crossing your fingers is the best bet.</p>
<p>dean- there was another thread here a while back by someone who did not get housing for sophomore year- when PSU says it is not guaranteed, I think that really does mean it is not guaranteed.</p>
<p>also see this recent thread about the need to apply for off campus housing early (Oct/Nov) for the following year. I guess that this means that a freshman thinking ahead will actually start apartment hunting in the fall. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/penn-state-university-park/1181338-off-campus-housing.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/penn-state-university-park/1181338-off-campus-housing.html</a></p>
<p>Some other schools to consider which do guarantee housing are Pitt (3 year housing guarantee ) and U Del (4 year guarantee).</p>
<p>We were told by housing that it doesn’t matter how quickly you apply (as long as it’s before the deadline, of course). From what they explained, once that period ends, everyone who applied during that period is in the same big pool. But I suppose it couldn’t hurt to apply quickly, just in case. </p>
<p>We’ve been able to get our sons on-campus housing every year (this will be our fourth year in a row). They are in an SLO, so that might help. However, it’s still no guarantee. Their SLO was one that traditionally assured students that once they were in, they’d have a room for each subsuquent year. However, this past year, their RAs told them that’s no longer the case and they shouldn’t assume they have a guaranteed room. </p>
<p>But from what I’ve heard, being in an SLO may increase your odds of snagging a room, so if there’s an SLO he’s interested in, he might want to look into that. </p>
<p>On a somewhat related side note: something we thought was really cool that was new this year (not sure if this is for all students, or just those in this SLO), once our sons received their housing contracts, they were able to go online and pick their rooms. Not the type of room, but the specific room itself (by room number). So, even before spring semester ended, they were able to go see exactly where their fall rooms would be, what was nearby, etc.</p>
<p>I think the process is very stressful. My son was at U Park campus freshman year, signed up to live on campus for sophomore at the beginning of the “lottery” process. It doesn’t matter if you sign up on the first day the lottery opens or the last day – you all have the same chance to get housing. He wound up on the “waiting list” for housing and landed in supplemental housing. It was a room that should have been a lounge, which housed 8 boys - 4 sets of bunkbeds. At that point, I was glad for the room because we didn’t know where he was going to live if he didn’t get the supplemental housing. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the responses. This is probably the biggest problem with Penn State in my mind. It’s too stressful. Who needs to worry about this Freshman year in October ? I don’t want our son to have to potentially scramble for realtors while he’s adjusting to school.</p>
<p>This is only a problem if you don’t make the decision until its too late. There are many advantages to living on campus, and those come a the price of things like supplemental housing (i.e. in time waiting, and a bit of uncertainty).</p>
<p>If however, you decide that this is the right school for him, plan on finding an apartment for next year (or atleast a realtor you trust) before move-in day. Then, leave the rest up to him. Part of college is learning to live on your own and make your own decisions.</p>
<p>I for one am glad I had the experience of living in an apartment and deal with a landlord before I graduated. Personally, I think that is an important life skill…</p>
<p>Anyway, being prepared for it can make it much easier.</p>
<p>Hi warrier1183 - thanks for the response. I have no problem with off-campus housing, but I would prefer he doesn’t have to worry about this freshman year in October. I have heard that it doesn’t matter how early you apply for on-campus housing…it’s just luck. Where you live is a big deal to your happiness at college. It’s too bad, we all really like the school otherwise.</p>
<p>Do you recommend any realtors or apartments if he needs to go this path ?</p>
<p>I have never really thought about housing as a big issue. My son was in West for two years, then he and a friend hoped to get into the apartments near the ice arena junior year. I don’t think he realized how in demand they were, but I was not surprised when he did not get a spot. Since then he has rented half a duplex and, this year, a four bedroom house with friends. He’s never started looking for a place until spring semester; this year he signed his lease in May, just before the end of the term. The places have been fine as student housing goes, with rents around $600. His landlord last year was [Trout</a> Housing - For Rent](<a href=“http://www.trouthousing.com/]Trout”>http://www.trouthousing.com/) and they were very responsive the couple of times there were problems.</p>
<p>I apologize if my post above caused any confusion. It is a lottery process-I guess what I meant by applying “as early as possible” was to get it taken care of, and make sure you apply within the time period. I guess I didn’t word myself very well. I’ve heard those whole apply late often don’t get their requests. As I posted previously, it worked out very well for my son this year. Hopefully there are lots of other positive stories as well. My son hadn’t heard of anyone that didn’t get a contract so hopefully they’re few and far between.</p>