How does housing work at Boston College?

I'm interested in attending Boston College and wondering about their housing process. How does it work for freshmen and is it hard to get good accommodation? Would love to hear from current students or anyone familiar with it!

At Boston College, housing for first-year students is guaranteed and assigned by the Residential Life Office. As a freshman, you'll likely be placed in traditional residence halls on the Newton Campus, Brookline Campus, or Upper Campus. The campuses have their unique advantages, with the Newton Campus offering a quieter setting with a small-community feel, while the Upper Campus is closer to a majority of the college's facilities. Just to note, only students enrolled in Messina College will be permitted to live on the Brookline Campus.

The housing assignment process doesn't require much effort from you. You will need to fill out a housing application which includes a questionnaire about your living habits (for example, are you a morning person or a night owl, neat or not so neat, etc.). This information is used to match roommates with similar lifestyles and preferences, which helps prevent conflicts.

Over the course of your time at BC, you'll have several housing options to choose from, including suite-style accommodations, apartments, and special living communities that can potentially align with your academic interests. After your freshman year, housing is determined by a lottery system.

One thing to note is that while Boston College guarantees housing for the first three years, it does not guarantee it for seniors. Some seniors choose to live off-campus in nearby neighborhoods, which can be a rewarding experience in itself. But, there is still quite a bit of on-campus housing available for seniors who wish to remain on campus. Students are not required to live on campus senior year, however, more than 90 percent of BC students choose to do so.

As with any school, the "quality" of housing can be somewhat subjective as it often depends on individual preferences. However, in general, BC's residence halls are well-maintained and offer a variety of amenities to accommodate student needs.