Ohio University Housing and Residence Life has received 194 applications from students who want to live on campus for their third or fourth year.
Not all offers have been made yet because the application’s due date was extended to Dec. 15.
The original due date was Nov. 20.
The extension had been put in place because “Housing and Residence Life felt it was important to notify parents of the intent to return process as well,” Pete Trentacoste, executive director of Housing and Residence Life, said in an email.
Trentacoste said he hopes final offers will be made next week.
Trentacoste said during the 2015-16 academic year 230 students requested to stay on campus for their third or fourth year.
Initially, Housing and Residence Life believed it would only be able to accommodate 75 students but were eventually able to accommodate 194 students.
“This in part, was the result of placing students on a wait list and offering housing accommodations as spaces became available,” Trentacoste said in an email.
Though denials have not been given, those who do not receive an offer can choose to stay on the waiting list. Those on the waiting list could possibly receive offers after the completion of the first-year room selection process.
“As Ohio has experienced an increase in first year student yield and an increase in student retention (resulting in a larger sophomore population) over the past several years, it has created the need to carefully evaluate how many third and fourth year students we can accommodate,” Trentacoste said.
For some students seeking this accommodation, the reason for staying on campus is convenience.
“It’s a lot easier, and I don’t know if I want to do the whole grown up rent thing yet,” Rebekah Jasper, a sophomore studying pre-social work, said.
She said the whole process was relatively simple.
“It was pretty easy, pretty standard. I filled out the form, paid my $200, and I was done,” Jasper said.
For students who are approved to live in upperclassmen housing, they will be guaranteed space in Hoover House with its similarity to living in an apartment.
“Hoover offers a large number of air conditioned singles, smaller student to bathroom ratio but also offers a kitchen,” Trentacoste said in an e-mail. “Considering third and fourth year students are not required to carry a meal plan, having access to a kitchen will enable a student to prepare meals and not invest into the costs of both room and board.”
Megan Greatorex, a sophomore studying psychology, appreciates how cost-friendly living on campus is for her and also the ability to have Hoover House available for upperclassmen.
“Personally it’s too expensive to live off campus for me,” Greatorex said. “I really appreciate (that) the university goes to the extra measure to have a specific dorm and room in general.”
