Q: How often are first-year students been placed in triples or quads?
A: First-year students are regularly assigned to triples and quads. The number of triple and quad rooms used for first-year students varies from year to year.
Q: Why does the number of first year students assigned to triples and quads vary?
A: Prior to admitting each new first-year class, Lafayette’s Office of Admissions makes every effort to predict the number of entering students, enabling various departments throughout campus to plan for necessary services, such as housing. Predicting exact acceptance numbers can be challenging. The first year class size, in combination with the overall enrollment of returning students, determines the number of triples and quads assigned.
Q: When additional students are placed in triples or quads, which rooms are used?
A: In several first-year buildings, there is variety in room size and configuration. The largest rooms become triples and quads. All such rooms assigned as triples or quads have appropriate space to comfortably accommodate a complete set of standard bedroom furniture for each assigned student.
Q: What is the standard room size?
A: Because Lafayette’s campus features such a diversity of architecture and variety of characteristics in housing offerings, there isn’t a standard room size. Even within individual residence halls, the student rooms are often sized differently.
Q: Are any students being housed in lounges or common areas?
A: No. All incoming students are assigned to bedrooms.
Q: How are first-year students assigned to triples or quads?
A: Room assignments are based on responses provided in the housing application and availability. Housing software uses building preferences to assign a best match hall and then uses the student’s living habits to assign a best match roommate. The program looks for spaces and does not differentiate room occupancy. The best matched available space may be in a triple, which is a better match than a double room in a hall that does not match the student’s requests. Students who request a triple by mutually matching with two roommates are automatically placed in those spaces.
Q: Is there a different room rate for a triple or quad room?
A: All Lafayette College room rates are established for each building and not based on particular occupancy or room type. Consistent with all rooms on campus, the triples and quads used for first year students are appropriately sized for all assigned occupants
Q: Will rooms be reassigned later?
A: After students are notified of their room assignments in early August, spaces in first-year double rooms may become available as the first-year class numbers are finalized later in the summer. The Office of Residence Life accepts requests for changes and will reassign students from triples or quads based on availability.
Q: Is the experience for students in triples or quads different than for students in doubles?
A: Staffing and services are prepared, and adjusted if needed, to help ensure that a student’s first-year experience is similar whether living in a double, triple, or quad. All incoming students are part of a first-year student residential community. Every student receives support and guidance from a Resident Advisor who is specifically prepared to assist with questions and issues associated with the transition to college and living in the residence halls. Recognizing the importance of this resource, a ratio of one RA to 20 first-year students is maintained.
At Lafayette, we believe there is great value in learning to share living space and developing relationships with roommates. Living in a triple or quad offers the opportunity to immediately establish connections with more than one classmate, the potential of a wider social circle, and the benefit of learning about and from multiple individuals.
Q: What happens if issues (relationships, etc.) arise as a result of having more than one roommate?
A: Lafayette features a network of highly qualified and skilled professionals and resident advisors to help all students with their transition to college life. The staff is familiar with issues that may arise between roommates and RAs are prepared to offer advice, counsel, and assist as needed.