Housing selection numbers are a source of controversy during the spring semester. Some students are convinced that others are given priority due to extra curricular activities and involvement in the university. Other students claim that lower housing numbers are given to the students that have the best grades.

Sandy Hopkins, Office Manager of the Housing and Residential/Commuter Life Office, explains that numbers are all computer generated. “All students are placed in a pool depending upon the number of credits they currently have and what they are taking this semester.” Rising Sophomores are those students that have between 24-56 credits, Rising Juniors have between 57-89 credits, and Rising Seniors (who choose to live on campus) have 90 or more credits.

“Early selection numbers are for those students who submitted their housing intent as “I will be living on the Biddeford Campus and will require break housing”.  If a student submits their intent this way, we verify if they are on a current athletic roster for winter and/or spring,” Hopkins continues, “We do not give early selection to fall athletes as we are not closed at any time they would need it.”

Hopkins explains that if the student is an athlete, or lives at least 8 hours away, they will receive an early selection, or break housing number.  Students that received the early selection numbers cannot bring in their friends who are non-athletes or do not live more than 8 hours away. “These students must decide if they want break housing, or to forgo their break number and receive a regular selection number.”

The detailed process continues on the computer, “Once students are verified by credits, a formula is entered into the computer which will generate randomly selected numbers depending upon the category (# of credits) a student falls within.”

Hopkins and the Housing Department work very hard to accommodate the needs of all students and to make this process as stress-free as possible for those involved. “There are times when a student drops a class or does not pass a class and they fall below the number of required credits for their category,” Hopkins explains, “We try to work with the students to see if we can help them, i.e., if a student has rising sophomore status, however, has lived on campus for 2 years, they can then be considered a rising junior.”

Hopkins makes it clear that the only defining attribute for a students housing selection number are their credits.

Tonight is the first night of 2016-2017 Housing Selection. As you wait in line while watching The Big Bang Theory keep in mind that although the numbers are totally random and computer generated, fate is on your side. And thanks to Sandy Hopkins and her team, there is no need to fret as every one of your room choices disappears off the PowerPoint because they won’t let you be homeless.