<p>I am going to be a freshman at USC next fall and it seems to be the time of year where everyone is scrambling to find a roommate. I was planning on just getting a random roommate in my dorm of choice but I have since been advised against doing so by other people justifying that I'd get assigned with someone who failed to find a roommate. I know there's going to be risk either way. Which do you think is better, a random assigned roommate from the housing app or finding one from some kind of Facebook group?</p>
<p>My d who is a freshman at USC went random as did many of her friends and she ended up with a wonderful roommate and is rooming with her again next year. I seriously think that it can go either way. My older d who attends another college, met her freshman roommate on Facebook over the summer and even met her in person before school started, and it still ended up being a terrible match. I would say that either way, be very honest about what your expectations are. If you choose one up-front make sure that you discuss those issues that are important to you. If you go random, there will be a form online that asks some of your preferences with regards to study habits, bed times, cleaning habits etc.My USC d was very lucky as she could not have gotten a better roommate , especially going random, but of course it doesn’t always work out like that. Do what is best for you and don’t worry about what others say as there is no guarantee either way. My d had a few girls on her hall that ended up switching roommates(whom they had chosen) first semester. It usually works out in the end, even if it ends up being a learning experience.Good luck!</p>
<p>I did random my freshman year. I had friends who decided via Facebook and others who were friends in high school. In my case, the random pairing worked out super well. We were both really easy-going people and it worked out great for our first year. (We’re not really friends anymore and weren’t really when we lived together… but imo, it’s WAY more important to live with someone who respects your space and things and you as a person. Being friends with who you live with can sometimes make it more difficult.)</p>
<p>I’d say that a lot of the people I met who met their roommates through Facebook ended up regretting it. You really cannot tell your personalities via Facebook and I think a lot of people were almost too confident in their roommate decisions. They kind of had this romanticized idea in their head from over the summer and it’s hard to face the reality that living with someone does have challenges. That being said, it can go either way.</p>
<p>The people I know who chose to live together in high school actually are still living together now, but that’s not always the best decision.</p>
<p>Anyways, point is, it can absolutely go either way… And finding a roommate through Facebook does NOT always work well. In fact, for the people I know, it worked out worse than the people I know who did random. (Then again, that might just be personalities. People who do random might be more easy-going and people who choose through Facebook might want to have more control.)</p>
<p>/\ Wow Augirl…that is exactly what happened with my older d who used Facebook. She was so confident going in and then shocked when it worked out as horrible as it did…It was probably the worst fit possible! Lol…</p>
<p>I’ve heard dorm assignments are based on the date a student applied. If you request a roommate do they go by the date the first student applied or the date the second one sent in his application?</p>
<p>They go by the earlier application date BUT if you have a particular dorm or LLC in mind, and choose a roommate then make sure you’re both on the same page. My son had an early application date (Sept.) and had Preston LLC as his first choice but his roommate did not apply to Preston so housing placed the ‘has a chosen roommate’ as the higher priority (keep the roommates together) so he ended up in Columbia, his 2nd choice. </p>
<p>A note on roommates - when you fill out the questionnaire, be as honest as you can be. My son can be on the quiet or shy side but “wants” to be more social so he checked “Extrovert” so he could room with someone more outgoing, which I think would work in his case since he actually likes being social- just shy at first. But it backfired a bit b/c he ended up with a full-blown partier as a roommate (every night, always missing class, etc.). His roommate initially contacted him via the roommate matcher on USC Housing, then they connected more on FB and while the roommate did relay some of his demons (expelled from a high school, arrested for underage drinking, etc.), he “assured” my son that studying came first and partying second but turns out, it’s the other way around. Anyway, if you feel the least bit apprehensive about someone you meet as a potential roommate, then politely move on and take your chances elsewhere. A roommate can really affect your college experience, good or bad. Fortunately, my son has met several friends elsewhere on campus and loves it there despite the roommate situation. </p>
<p>Thanks for the good posts above. Son is to attend USC next Fall as freshman; he’s going through the housing drill. (he’s Arts and Sciences/Economics…we’re from MD, fwiw). We’ve reviewed the LLCs and made initial selections. On roommate topic, he’s wondering if many/most students haven’t loaded up information yet, so is wondering if he’s currently seeing a pretty small subset of incoming freshmen right now. Any thoughts, experts? And, hadn’t heard of a facebook option menioned above, is it other than regular USC housing on FB?
Nice discussion on pros and cons of thinking one has “found” their roommate online above. Thanks, Steve</p>
<p>@CurlSnout -I bet many haven’t committed yet. It’s possible they are waiting until after the admitted students days in April, which is easy to do for USC since their housing priority goes by the university application date, not housing application date. In fact, my daughter hasn’t committed the acceptance deposit yet but she went ahead and signed up for housing,- just wants to wait until after spring break to hear back from everything. Anyway, I’d check back mid April and you should see a lot more. I was actually surprised how many were there already though (for girls). </p>
<p>Regarding FB, I don’t know if there is another group other than the USC Housing page. I noticed quite a few posts there last year looking for roommates. Or I think they also formed a “USC Class of 2017” FB page and there were posts there looking for roommates too. My son and his roommate first met via the USC roommate matcher, then ‘friended’ each other on FB to learn more- see photos, etc. I remember his roommate commented on how “tall he looked” then when they met, they were nearly the same height. Same hair color too- they could nearly pass for brothers! </p>
<p>Good luck to your son… it’s a great school. They do a great job offering a lot to do on campus outside of classes too. My son and his friends love the on-campus movie theater! </p>
<p>@coleman4, Thank you. Good points! I’d figured that was likely many hadn’t committed, but your mentioning the April student days makes perfect sense. Ha, of course we thought from a verbal comment that is was application for housing that determined preference, so we’re already in. Son just went through folks one night this past week. </p>
<p>Thanks also on the Housing page, and the possible additional page last year. Funny about how it turned out for your son… And <em>thanks</em> for wishes. You’ll see it’s first post here for me… actually had only signed up to compare schools earlier, but this looks like a good info here on this forum, and appreciate your other posts. Thanks again! </p>
<p>The system was totally different when D was freshman, but then you could change your housing request/roommate request up to the May 1 deadline. If it’s still that way you can go ahead and register and if you meet someone at accepted students day or find someone, there is still time to get it in the system…check this out first before taking my word for it though. 
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<p>It’s still that way- or was that way last year. My son didn’t update his with roommate until med-April timeframe. </p>
<p>@scmom12 - Thank you, sounds like a good plan. Do know things have changed some from last year. That sounds like good advice, and way we are proceeding.<br>
@coleman4 - good to hear on the April update specifics from last year.
I have a bunch more reading to do on forum 
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<p>We have a roommate question … My D did the random roommate b/c she didn’t know anyone in the Honors dorm. Housing / roommate assignments were posted about 3 weeks ago and she promptly sent a message from where you check your housing / roommate assignments to her roommate and suite mate (the suite mate is a single). Anyway, she hasn’t heard a word back from either one, which seems odd to me. I’m wondering if they decided to go to another school and Housing was never notified or missed it? Or maybe they wanted to room together and hesitant to respond to my D b/c they’re trying to work that out? I only thought of that since neither one has responded. All sorts of crazy hypotheses are going through my head b/c most kids seem excited to learn and meet their roommates so I can’t understand why she hasn’t heard from either one. Is there a way we can find out if they are still attending USC? Or should we give it more time? </p>
<p>Some kids just don’t bother. If they are doing something else for the summer, checking room assignments might not cross their mind - especially if they haven’t come to orientation yet (and if the one person requested a single). If I remember correctly, they would get it on university email and they might not being checking it regularly. Give it a little more time.</p>
<p>I’m not sure how the system works now, but when I was a freshman, we could only message each other through some archaic system and we were not allowed to have any information about our roommates (names, emails, nothing.) Really stupid, imo, because you’re going to be living with these people and you’ll at least know their names… but anyways. Because the system was odd, a lot of people just didn’t know how to check it or didn’t even realize they could check it.</p>
<p>Probably, your daughter has a roommate who for whatever reason hasn’t checked. If it’s coming through USC email like @scmom12 suggested, then there’s a big possibility that your daughter’s roommate just doesn’t use that email account or check it often yet.</p>
<p>Have her look and see if the are members of the South Carolina class of 2018 Facebook page - if so, send a message through Facebook. I agree that they may not have checked</p>
<p>Or it there is an honors facebook group for this class.</p>
<p>My S’s suitemate emailed him and my S didn’t respond for over 3 weeks. He did not even know that the email account was set up and was also busy with graduation/beach/work etc. He did apologize when he responded. Just give it time…</p>
<p>Suite mate responded today. Apparently she’s a sophomore. I guess they don’t necessarily put freshman together (can be mixed in with upper class students?) Still no word from roommate but it’s still early, agree on more time. </p>
<p>More likely to just be the suitemate that is upper class student. They usually put freshmen with freshmen unless really pressed for space. The sophomore probably wanted to stay in honors but wanted a single room.</p>