Glossary of Housing Terms

Know what you're talking about, and know what we're talking about. Read through our glossary, and you'll be prepared to walk into your new home at Mason with an air of confidence.

Bedroom

Each suite has one, two, three, or four bedrooms. The bedrooms are where beds, dressers, and desks for the residents are. Bedrooms can be single, double, or triple occupancy. The bathroom (and living room and kitchen, where applicable) are considered common space.

  • Singles: A single is a bedroom for one student. Most singles are within suites for two or more students, so students seeking singles should join a group to increase their chances of being able to select a single bedroom. We also have some singles in traditional rooms. We do not anticipate many single bedrooms being available during individual selection.
  • Doubles: A double is a bedroom for two students. Almost all double bedrooms are within suites for four or six students, so students seeking doubles should join a group to increase their chances of being able to select a double bedroom. There are some in traditional rooms. We anticipate that some spaces in double bedrooms will also be available during individual selection, after group selection has occurred.
  • Triples: A triple is a bedroom for three students. There are only four triple bedrooms for upper-class students. There are suites with three bed spaces available – these are generally suites with either two double bedrooms or a double bedroom and two single bedrooms where one bed space is for the resident advisor or is being held for a participant in a special program.
  • Roommate: The student with whom you share a bedroom. If you live in a double, you have one roommate.

Bed Space

The count of people who can live in a bedroom or suite. For example, a single bedroom has one bed space, a double bedroom has two bed spaces, and a suite with two double bedrooms has four bed spaces.

Rates

The cost to live in a room for the academic year. They vary by room and suite type; review the rates and select a space that you can afford. Assignments will not be canceled due to inability to pay for the room selected. Be sure your group leader understands where you can afford to live. Rates for the following year are available in late spring. Current-year rates are a good estimate of how different room types compare.

  • Deposit: A $300 non-refundable housing deposit is due by the Housing deadline; if you miss it, you won't be able to select a space. This deposit confirms that you will live in Mason housing.

Group

Students are encouraged to enter the housing selection process with one or more other students to form a group. Groups should have six, four, three, or two students in them. Groups must have a group leader (which will be indicated on your application). The majority of available space is in suites for four people.

  • Group Leader: Each group of six, four, three or two students will identify one student to be the group leader, who will be responsible for logging into the selection software and selecting the suite for the group. The other members do not log in during selection. All students in the group will indicate their leader’s name and G number on their housing application. The leader does not have to have the most seniority. If the leader is unavailable at the assigned selection time, another member can be designated as leader.
  • Group Selection: Groups of four students can select from available suites with four empty bed spaces. Then, groups of six, -three, and two can select from appropriate-size suites. The group must fill the suite to be select it. Indicate your group size on your Housing application. Groups will select from their desired suite size (six, four, three, two) in order of the average seniority of the members.

Housing Selection

Eligible undergraduates can select their bed space for the following academic year. Depending on demand, there is no guarantee that all students will have the opportunity to select their spaces.

Individual Selection

Groups will select first. Remaining students (those who originally applied as individuals, and those who did not select during group selection) can then select a space or may pull-in as many suite mates as they choose. There will be no requirement to fill a suite to select it. We anticipate that most space available during individual selection will be in double bedrooms. Some single bedrooms may be available earlier in the process for students with higher seniority.

Seniority

The order of selection is determined by the seniority of members of a group. Mason credit hours earned as of the beginning of spring semester will determine seniority – more credit hours equals more seniority, which equals an earlier selection time. Selection time for groups will be determined by using the average seniority of all members.

  • Seniority Average: Each student’s seniority is determined by the number of Mason credits earned as of the beginning of spring semester. During the group selection process, each group’s seniority will be determined by averaging the credit hours of the members of the group. Groups whose average is higher will select before groups with a lower average. For example, members of a group of four may have 80, 75, 70, and 40 credits, for a total of 265 credits. Their average seniority is 265 divided by 4, or 66.25 credits. A group whose average is 65 would select after the group whose average is 66.25.
  • Mason Credits: Only credits earned at Mason will be used to determine seniority.
  • Priority: Priority implies that a group or individual will have an increased chance at selecting their desired suite/space. It does not guarantee the ability to select this desired suite/space.
  • Pull-in, Pull-in Password: Each student will have a pull-in password randomly assigned, which is needed to complete selection for anyone other than the person who is selecting. During group selection, leaders will be given the pull-in password for members of their group. During individual selection, students may share their pull-in password with another student if they give that student permission to select their space. Do not give your password to someone unless you're OK with them selecting your space. Opportunities for pull-in are often limited.

Suite

All upper-class bedrooms are part of suites or suites with kitchens. A suite refers to a living unit in which a small number of residents share a private bathroom. More than 70% of available upper-class beds are in four-person suites (or suites with kitchens). Suites have a combination of single and double bedrooms.

  • Suite Type: Various combinations of singles and doubles in suites. Some examples would be three-bedroom suites with two singles and a double, or two-bedroom suites with two doubles, or four-bedroom suites with four singles.
  • Suite with Kitchen: All upper-class bedrooms are part of suites or suites with kitchens. A suite with kitchen is similar to an apartment – it will have one or more single or double bedrooms, a bathroom (in some cases, two bathrooms), a kitchen, and a living room. More than 70 percent of available upper-class beds are in four-person suites or suites with kitchens.
  • Suite mate: The student(s) with whom you share a multiple-room suite. You do not share a bedroom with your suite mates. You do share a bathroom, and, in some cases, a kitchen and living room.