When my roommate and I decided to live on campus for another year after our freshman year at FSU, I had plenty of fears as to what room selection might look like. While I was happy that we would have an element of control over where we were living, the potential unavailability of our preferred dorms was a bit unnerving, to say the least.
I pictured entering the portal at the start of my selection window and watching rooms disappear before my eyes. I imagined logging in to find that none were available. I even convinced myself that my roommate and I might end up separated, scrambling for something last-minute.
The process can be intimidating, especially for first-time returners, so for those who need it, here’s what on-campus housing selection is, how I navigate it, and some things I’ve learned over the years that have made the process less stressful.
Disclaimer
Before I get into it, though, I’d like to make a disclaimer: this article reflects my personal understanding of and experience with FSU’s housing selection process and is not meant to replace reading official emails or instructions from University Housing or challenge any information they offer.
The most essential part of selection, in my experience, has been to make sure I read every email they send regarding the process, because they’re extremely important and usually time sensitive.
With that in mind, here’s what I’ve gathered from the process, and my personal strategies to make my selection as successful as possible.
What is housing selection?
Housing selection is the process by which those returning to live on campus select their rooms for the upcoming academic year. After completing your Housing Contract (and finalizing your roommate request, if applicable), you’ll be contacted with a selection window that designates when you’ll be able to shop for spots within the halls.
Selection windows are dependent on how many credit hours you’ll have completed on file at the end of the Fall semester you’re currently in. Students with more completed credits receive earlier selection windows, meaning there are typically more available spaces when their time slot opens.
For those who have potential roommates, the resident with the higher number of credits should have an earlier selection window and therefore a better pick. Once in, the resident will be able to pull their roommate into the room with them, so long as there is space in that room for two residents.
As soon as your window opens, it’s heavily recommended that you enter the housing portal as soon as possible to browse available spaces and select one. The selection windows are 15 minutes each and contain a limited number of residents to avoid overwhelming the site with searching residents, so the hunt is designed to be a relatively peaceful one.
In simpler terms, it shouldn’t look like Mad Max: University Housing edition.
What dorms are available?
After freshman year, residents are limited to specific halls reserved for returners, usually including but not limited to DeGraff, Ragans, Traditions, and Rogers — all of which are apartment-style dorms, except for DeGraff, which is suite-style.
These options aren’t set in stone, though, as they are subject to fluctuation depending on the academic year, occasionally including some spaces in Gilchrist, another suite-style dorm typically reserved for freshmen.
University Housing will stipulate which halls will be available for every cycle in their emails to returning residents, so you’ll be informed as to what will be on the market before you enter your window.
When your window does open, you’ll be able to easily navigate between your available options using filters. For example, if you wanted to see available spaces in a specific hall, you would be able to specify that using the filters. This is a helpful feature, especially if you’re trying to pick quickly.
Understanding your options
Housing makes it clear that most residents should anticipate a suite-style dorm with a shared bath in DeGraff to avoid any confusion or disappointed hopes come selection time. Apartment-style dorms often fill up quickly, so those with fewer credit hours are usually left with more limited options by the time their selection window opens.
For those with more credits, apartment-style halls might be an option. Ragans, Traditions, and Rogers all fall into this category, although they each possess features that make them unique.
Personally, I like to look at the blueprints and locations of every hall I could potentially live in to identify which halls and rooms I’m going for. I prefer spaces that get good sunlight, so I usually target rooms with southern-facing windows. The blueprints for every residence hall and room are available online for FSU students to view, making them a great resource for those trying to make the most of their selection.
What if there are no dorms left?
If you enter the portal on your selection window and find that there are no dorms left, don’t panic! There are spaces in DeGraff that Housing may not release until later in the selection process. They’re specifically meant for students on the lower end of the credit spectrum, so just keep checking back, and more dorms will likely show up.
I’ve also found that Housing is very responsive to phone calls, so if you’re ever in need of help, they’re a great resource for all questions and concerns related to the selection process.
My experience
My first time selecting on-campus housing, my roommate and I were in the 70-credit range, and there were no spaces left when I entered the portal at the beginning of my designated window. Not knowing any better, I totally panicked.
After a brief phone call, though, Housing told me that spaces in DeGraff would be getting dropped and to check the portal every day. I did as they said and eventually ended up scoring a room in DeGraff West with two windows!
My second time taking on room selection, my roommate was the one on the portal first, because she had the earlier window. She was in the 100-credit range, and her window was early enough to get us both into Traditions easily.
Keep in mind, credit ranges and availability can vary widely from year to year, so just because these windows worked for us doesn’t mean everyone’s experience will be the same.
Overall, while housing selection can feel stressful at first, knowing how the process works, using available resources, and planning ahead can make it a lot smoother. This information has certainly been a huge help to me, and I hope it’ll do the same for other students navigating selection for the first time.
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