I'm thinking of applying for residence next year due to convenience. It's tough to move everything since I'm out-of-province.

Simply put, do I have a chance of getting in? Also, how does the lottery work? Is the order based on academic ranking?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by _Luu_

I'm thinking of applying for residence next year due to convenience. It's tough to move everything since I'm out-of-province.

Simply put, do I have a chance of getting in? Also, how does the lottery work? Is the order based on academic ranking?

Thanks.

If you get a certain average you are guaranteed a spot in residence. Although I think that most upper years that apply get a spot.

Here's all the information:
http://housing.mcmaster.ca/Residence...pper_year.html

Originally Posted by jhan523

If you get a certain average you are guaranteed a spot in residence. Although I think that most upper years that apply get a spot.

Here's all the information:
http://housing.mcmaster.ca/Residence...pper_year.html

I believe it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 78% you are guaranteed a spot in residence first year. If you have 95% or over you are guaranteed a single room.

The lottery is not based on academic standing over the guaranteed average, its just a lottery.

20% of spots in residence are reserved for upper years and given the smaller amount of upper years that apply it would make sense that most if not all get a spot. So if you're an upper year there's a good chance you'll get in. I'm not sure about the average needed to be guaranteed though, its probably different from the 78% for first year.

Originally Posted by sew12

I believe it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 78% you are guaranteed a spot in residence first year. If you have 95% or over you are guaranteed a single room.

The lottery is not based on academic standing over the guaranteed average, its just a lottery.

20% of spots in residence are reserved for upper years and given the smaller amount of upper years that apply it would make sense that most if not all get a spot. So if you're an upper year there's a good chance you'll get in. I'm not sure about the average needed to be guaranteed though, its probably different from the 78% for first year.

In the link I supplied it says a 9.5 SA.

I've heard that the whole lottery idea is a lie, and that they assign upper years based on their gpa.

I'm pretty confident the lottery system only applies to incoming first years. I know of a lot of upper year students who returned to residence, and actually picked the specific room they would live in (room number and building).

for upper years, if you have a 5CGPA you are guaranteed a spot. If your CGPA is greater than 9.5 your first choice will be honoured

Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate that.

The thing is, I'm living off-campus now. Is it going to be much harder to get residence?

Originally Posted by _Luu_

Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate that.

The thing is, I'm living off-campus now. Is it going to be much harder?

Is what going to be much harder?

IMO having lived on residence for 2 years and now having commuted for a term I can say the only cons I think there are to living in residence are the higher cost and being forced into purchasing a meal plan meaning you have to eat mostly on campus. The only other one I see as an upper year student is you might find less opportunities to socialize and make friends since most people in your building will be younger and most upper years do the off-campus thing. Other than that its a very convenient option, oh how I miss being able to wake up late at like 8:15 and still being able to make my 8:30 class with time to spare.

well there are obviously pros and cons to living on or off campus but i think it depends hugely on who you live with (better to live with people who are studious..) and how far you are from the school.

like for me, living off campus this year was better overall just because i guess i get my own room and my house is actually closer to the school than was brandon (which was where i lived last year), no elevators!

but i do miss res mostly because there are strict rules regarding noise since my landlord leases out the basement separately and we were unluckily stuck with a bad housemate.... (loud speakers that are as tall as you, people over till 3am, drugs.. etc) and i do miss campus food just because its convenient.. yes you can control how much money you use off campus but since i'm lazy, going to the grocery store is a hassle for me

but if you're out of province.. mb living off campus would be better for you since most houses off campus are 12 month leases and you wouldn't have to move all of your stuff out during the summer if you decide to take summer school (you can sublet if you are going home..) and you can even maybe re-lease the next year, which means you don't have to get used to a new room/house etc...