Hi Muhammad
We are writing in order to update you on the residence application and assignment process. While Residence Admissions has begun to make room assignments for first year students, we do not yet have an assignment ready for you. Don’t Worry! You are guaranteed a residence space!

Spaces become available throughout the summer as Residence Admissions receives cancellations from students. Once a space becomes available, we will contact by email to let you know you have been allocated a residence space.

Why did I end up on the ‘unassigned’ list?

Our allocation process relies on a lottery system that determines the order in which we assign all students who met the application and deposit deadlines. Due to the over-whelming demand for residence spaces, we are often over-subscribed, and a small group of students end up on an “unassigned list” and must wait a little longer to receive their room assignment. Even so, you are guaranteed and you will be assigned as soon as a space becomes available.



I just got that following email from McMaster. Does this mean i wont get any of the choices i made on my residence form?

Basically it means you're going to get whatever they have available regardless of your residence choices.

Damn that sucks.

Eventhough Mac guaranteed me a spot in residence what if for some odd reason no one withdraws or cancells their residence?


Are there any sites which can help me find an off campus housing location?

Here's a site that McMaster's got to help students find off-campus housing a bit easier.

http://macoffcampus.mcmaster .ca/

Hope it helps!

haseeb, so sorry to hear that. but if mcmaster guaranteed you a spot, i wouldn't worry about it! Its true, people do drop out a lot of the times. But it is smart of you to check out the off campus site too and that way you can learn more anyways about off campus living and get a packup plan!

Hey Haseeb,
Eva is right, that really sucks but you will get a spot. In fact, I know for sure that they reserve some rooms without giving them to people in case there are students with special needs that have to be switched out of rooms. There WILL be spots for you, you're just going to have to wait man. Sorry bout it.

I have a feeling this has something to do with the doubles which are going to stay triples yet again.

Yeah, I've heard it floating around my department that they're going to be triples again too

The email they sent really doesn't make logical sense. How can you 'guarantee' someone a spot if you are relying on people to cancel or drop out? I don't see the logic there. If they have x amount of spaces, they know that they are all filled, then the unassigned list would be more like a waiting list with no guarantee, because as Muhammad said, if no one cancels then what are they going to do... convert a washroom into a bedroom for him in order to fufill their promise?

I hope they find you a room soon Muhammad and fulfill that guarantee

Thanks, i send them an email asking about that. They told me not to worry (but i am) but for now i guess i will just have faith in their judgement.

My cousin's in the same situation as you...and before the residence application was due, he even received an e-mail informing him that he will be guaranteed a single room. I'm not even sure if the single room guarantee is gonna matter anymore.

I'm sorry to hear that this is happening to you, but I really hope everything works out for all of you!

Originally Posted by Chad

The email they sent really doesn't make logical sense. How can you 'guarantee' someone a spot if you are relying on people to cancel or drop out? I don't see the logic there. If they have x amount of spaces, they know that they are all filled, then the unassigned list would be more like a waiting list with no guarantee, because as Muhammad said, if no one cancels then what are they going to do... convert a washroom into a bedroom for him in order to fufill their promise?

I hope they find you a room soon Muhammad and fulfill that guarantee

I was reading an article a year ago on how Universities hand out more guaranteed residence spots than they actually have available. Housing administraters at Universities hope that enough people either don't accept the offer of admission or residence spot. Sometimes, they end up having more people on the guaranteed list than they have bed spaces, so they have to adjust their rooms according (like turning doubles into triples, which is pretty much what Waterloo did last year).

Mac did the same as well. Originally Hedden was supposed to be doubles last year and got converted into triples. I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens this year too...

McMaster's guarantees don't matter too much to them. I got the email saying that because I had a 95% average I could either be guaranteed a single room, or if I don't want a single room I could have my first choice of room type, regardless of the building. And they didn't come through for me either.

Hope it all works out for you though. But you shouldn't be too worried. I've heard that tons of spots open up after move-in days when people don't show up in time.