Didn’t get guaranteed residence? Don’t despair!
First of all, you’re not alone. There are at least another 2000+ first-year students like you out there! Not everyone gets
in, and not everyone wants to live in residence! But if you really want it, be sure to apply before 4pm on June 1st to be
on the waiting list according to your admission average. Wait list numbers will be released a week following June 1st.
Students applying to the residence wait list after June 1st at 4pm, will be added to the wait list according to the date and
time of submission. For more information about the residence waiting list, please visit the website.
You’re likely wondering, though, what will happen to me if I don’t live in residence? Don’t worry – we’re here to help.
The Off-Campus Resource Centre (OCRC) works very closely with the Society of Off-Campus Students (SOCS). Together,
we want to make sure you have the best experience living off-campus, whether you’re living at home with your parents,
or in an off-campus rental property.
We organize an array of cool activities during Welcome Week, some exclusively for off-campus students, others which
involve every 1st year student, no matter where you’re living. We just need you to take that first step, by registering for
your MacPass and then coming onto the campus to meet us. We’ll be the ones in the bright orange jumpsuits (our
signature colour!). We promise to welcome you with open arms, and will help you to meet people and get to know the
campus – your new home-away-from-home!
But perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves....some of you will be worried about finding a place to live first, and finding
someone to live with. We can help with that, too. The OCRC runs a listing service for landlords, which runs all year long.
You can peruse the listings and if you find a place you’re interested in, contact the landlord listed in the ad and make an
appointment to see the place. You don’t need to start this process until July, since there is PLENTY off off-campus
housing available in the neighbourhoods around McMaster. You’ll probably be able to find an 8-month lease at that
time, too (running September – April).
NOTE: these homes have not been inspected, so please do your due diligence and make sure it is suitable for your needs.
There are lots of tools on this website to help educate you on what you need to know.
Maybe you’re hoping to find other first year students to live with, to help make the transition easier. Well, starting in
late May, we will be running a voluntary program on our website called “The Housemate Connector”. You can fill out a
registration profile (similar to what you fill in for residence) and then you will be given access to the rest of the profiles.
You can then take a look through and if you see someone you might be compatible with, you send them an email to
introduce yourself and see if you ‘make a connection’. If you think you could be good housemates together, then you
can go through the housing listings to find a place you both like, and follow the regular steps for looking for a place to
live together.
As for the rest of the school year, SOCS runs all sorts of events for its members (memberships cost just $20 each). This
membership will then give you access to their all-ages events such as Halloween Pub, Acoustic Night, Winter Formal, to
name a few. (Some events require you to purchase a ticket, but you will get it at a reduced price, compared to a nonmember). Becoming a SOCS member is like finding your campus family - friendships are created through this group, and
can last forever. Visit their website for more info – www.mac-socs.ca.
Hope to see you around campus soon!
Jennifer