Q: What is Room Draw?
A: Room Draw is the process that returning Carleton students use to choose the room they will live in for the following academic year.

Q: When and where is Room Draw?
A: Room Draw normally occurs during second week of May for three days in Severance Great Hall. Rising Seniors draw rooms on the first day. Rising Juniors draw rooms on the second day. Rising Sophomores draw rooms on the third day. See the Room Draw Calendar for this year's dates.

Q: What do I need to know to draw a room?
A: Several things are important to know when drawing a room:

• what night you select your room,
• what your lottery number is and how to use it,
• who your roommate(s) will be and which of you has the best lottery number,
• which rooms are available for draw,
• which specific rooms (five or six possibilities) you are interested in selecting--check the current day's listing online before you go to Room Draw, and
• an alternate housing plan if the room you wanted is not available when you get to draw.

Q: What do I do if I'm going to be off-campus during Room Draw or unable to attend because of a conflict?
A: Designate a proxy to choose a room and/or roommate(s) on your behalf by completing the Housing Information Request form.

Q: How are Housing Lottery numbers assigned?
A: The Room Draw number is a four digit number with the first digit being the class year of the student (Senior=1, Junior=2 and Sophomore=3). Each student within a class year is then assigned a random three digit number (from 001 to 550). The lower your number is, the better since we allow students to choose rooms in numerical order within their class. Lottery numbers are assigned through a random computer generated program to ensure unbiased assignment of numbers. For more info, see the Room Draw Policy.

Q: How are housing lottery numbers assigned for return from off-campus (winter term and spring)?
A: Your lottery number is what you use whether you participate in Room Draw in May or use the number when you return from an Off-Campus Studies Program or a term off.

Q: How do I know if there will be a quint (or any style room) available when it's my turn to draw?
A: Available rooms will be posted to this website prior to Room Draw and will be updated during the Room Draw process. Lists of available rooms (sorted by male, female, and co-ed and style: quint, quad, triple, double, single) will be distributed at Room Draw. Overheads at Room Draw will be updated as rooms are chosen and an announcer will inform the audience.

Q: How do I find/get a roommate(s)?
A: We encourage you to speak with your RA or friends and people you know.

Q: Can I live with people who are of different class years?
A: Yes, you can live with people of different class years. The roommate with the best lottery number is the person who actually draws the room.

Q: Does everyone drawing into a room need to be present at Room Draw?
A: The person (or his/her proxy) whose number is being used to draw a room MUST ATTEND ROOM DRAW. If the person whose number is being used to draw a room cannot attend Room Draw, he/she must designate someone as a proxy and provide that person A Proxy Designation Form authorizing them to select a room on their behalf. We suggest that all those who plan to room together attend Room Draw and work together to select a location that they want. As an example, four women plan to live together in a quad. Ideally all four would attend Room Draw as a group. If the quad they hope to draw is no longer available, they will be able to decide as a group what the best options are for them.

If drawing into an apartment or suite, you must be prepared to tell us who will be assigned to each of the rooms within the suite/apartment to assure that students are listed in the directory with the correct phone number. Please check the floor plans to determine exact room assignments prior to drawing rooms.

Q: How many rooms are set aside for the incoming first year students?
A: 500+ spaces are set aside in Halls. Sevy and Evans and all the houses are reserved for upperclass students.

Q: Which floors will be sub-free/quiet/single-sex?
A: The Housing Selection Advisory Committee determines this on a yearly basis. To see how each floor will be designated, see the Floor Plans and the Room Draw Policy. All residence halls will be smoke-free.

Q: What's the difference in the number of male and female rooms available and why?
A: No more than 55% of the spaces available in individual living areas will be offered to either gender. This is based on the number of men and women that are enrolled at the college each academic year. Generally rooms designated for women will be available for men next year and vice versa.

Q: Where can I find floor plans?
A: Floor plans are posted on the Floor Plans Page.

Q: How are the Village Apartments assigned?
A: The apartment draw is completed during Room Draw. All apartments are drawn as a group. Rooms within the apartment must be same sex, but the apartment can be co-ed. All apartments are off board although a meal plan may be purchased from Dining Services. Three of the apartments are assigned to Resident Assistants.

If drawing into an apartment, you must be prepared to tell us who will be assigned to each of the rooms within the apartment to assure that students are listed in the directory with the correct phone number. Please check the floor plans to determine exact room assignments prior to drawing rooms.

Q: Which campus houses can you draw into and which do you apply to get into?
A: Institutional Houses, Shared Interest Houses and the Language House require applications. All other campus student houses can be drawn into at Room Draw.

Q: If I am not able to draw a room, what happens? What does getting placed mean?
A: Don’t worry if you aren’t able to select a room during Room Draw! You are guaranteed a room and will have one before you arrive on campus. Every year there are typically rising sophomores with high draw numbers who are unable to draw a room. We anticipate students leaving school over the summer or being accepted to off-campus programs, which will open up more spaces or rooms for us to assign. To assist in your housing assignment, you will want to complete the Housing Information Request Form. The Residential Life Office staff will then place you in an open space or room based on your request and what is available at that time. You will receive your housing assignment in early August.

Q: Why does Residential Life run out of rooms?
A: Each year, approximately 30-40 students change their plans and don't return to campus fall term. Students decide to take a leave, make last minute OCS plans, transfer, or withdraw. As these students notify the College of their plans, the rooms and spaces they vacate are used to housed any students who remain unhoused after Room Draw. Due to this normal attrition and Residential Life staff responsibility to have the residence halls near full occupancy, we recognize and plan for these openings.

Q: What if I change my mind about the room I drew at Room Draw?
A: After you have drawn a room, you are unable to change the room assignment. All students drawing a room after you deserve the opportunity to select the room you selected. We will not redo Room Draw to afford them that opportunity and, therefore, you must consider your room selection as final.

Make certain you are confident about the room selection you make at Room Draw. If there are several people drawing into a room, you will need a Proxy Designation form form anyone who who cannot attend Room Draw. If anyone from a group requests to be released from a room, the entire group may lose the space.

Q: How can I live in Northfield?
A: Each year, some students are approved to live off campus in non-college owned housing. This housing selection process, called Northfield Option, is based on seniority. It is open to rising seniors and juniors for the following academic year. If granted Northfield Option, students assume full responsibility for their housing arrangements.

Q: Where can I find an apartment off-campus?
A: Finding an apartment is a student’s responsibility if granted Northfield Option. We encourage you to speak with other students who currently live in Northfield apartments since most apartments are not advertised but are handed down from friend to friend each year. Other options include looking in the Northfield News (available in the Bookstore) and the NNB (Noon News Bulletin) for listings. There is a listing of landlords available on our website.

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