8/9/25

Your Ultimate Guide to Finding a Roommate at Princeton University

Hey there, future Tiger! If you’re gearing up to head to Princeton, one of the biggest things on your mind is probably where you'll live & who you'll live with. Honestly, the roommate situation can feel like a HUGE deal, & it kind of is! Your roommate is your first automatic friend (or challenge), your late-night study buddy, & the person who will see you at your pre-coffee worst.
Navigating the world of Princeton housing can be a little confusing because the process changes depending on what year you are. But don't worry, I've got you covered. We're going to break it all down, from the magic of freshman year assignments to the strategy of the upperclassman Room Draw & the wilds of off-campus living. This is the insider guide I wish I had.

The Freshman Year Experience: Putting Your Fate in Princeton's Hands

Here's the first thing you absolutely need to know: as a freshman at Princeton, you do not get to choose your roommate.
I know, I know. For some of you, that’s a relief. For others, it’s terrifying. But trust me, it’s a system that’s been in place for a long time, & for the most part, it works out pretty well. The university believes in creating a diverse & integrated community from day one, & this is part of their method.

How It Works: The Housing Survey

Sometime after you’ve accepted your spot (congrats!), you'll get access to your Matriculation Form, which includes a detailed housing survey. This isn't just about ticking a few boxes. It's your chance to give the housing office a real sense of who you are as a roommate. The questions are pretty specific & might include things like:
  • What time do you usually go to bed & wake up? (Are you a night owl or an early bird?)
  • How neat & tidy are you? (Be brutally honest here!)
  • What are your study habits? Do you need silence, or do you prefer some background noise?
  • How do you feel about guests or having people over?
  • Do you have any preferences regarding alcohol in the room?
  • Words your friends would use to describe you.
  • What you're looking for in an ideal roommate.
At the end, there’s usually a little box for any extra info you want to share. My advice? USE IT. But be concise. If you absolutely cannot sleep with even a little bit of light, mention it. If you’re a musician who needs to practice, say so. The more honest you are, the better the match will be. Don't try to game the system. I heard a story about two guys who both lied & said they were super neat, hoping to get a tidy roommate to clean up after them... they got each other. Classic.
Once you submit this, the housing wizards at Princeton get to work. They use this info to pair you up with one, two, or even three other first-years & assign you to one of the seven residential colleges.

So, Can I Still Find My Roommate Beforehand?

Even though you can't choose your roommate, you can still connect with your future classmates. This is where it gets interesting. Platforms like MeetYourClass are a game-changer for this. They have a specific roommate finder for Princeton that lets you create a profile, filter by interests & lifestyle habits, & chat with other incoming '29ers.
Why bother if you can't pick them? A few reasons:
  1. Community Building: It helps you find your people before you even set foot on campus. You can start building a friend group from day one.
  2. Potential "Soft" Influence: While there's no official way to request a roommate you've met online, you can build a rapport with someone who has similar habits. If you both describe your ideal roommate in a way that matches each other on your housing forms, who knows? It’s a long shot, but it doesn't hurt.
  3. Peace of Mind: When housing assignments finally come out, you might just see a familiar name from your online chats, which can make the whole transition feel way less intimidating.

Room Types: Singles, Doubles, Quads, & More

As a freshman, you'll most likely end up in a double or a quad. A quad at Princeton is often two separate double rooms that share a common living room, which is a PRETTY sweet setup. Some people get singles, but it's less common.
Here's a quick rundown based on student chatter:
  • Single: Rare for freshmen, but it happens. Great if you value your privacy, but some students advise against it for the first year because it can be a bit isolating. It's nice to have an automatic person to navigate the first few weeks with.
  • Double: The classic college experience. You'll share a room with one other person. It’s a fantastic way to bond, but you'll need to be good at setting boundaries & respecting each other's space & sleep schedules.
  • Quad: The best of both worlds! You get the social benefits of having three roommates but usually with more space & a common room to hang out in, so you’re not always on top of each other. This is often seen as the ideal freshman setup.
The bottom line for freshman year: be honest on your form, be open-minded, & get ready for a little bit of randomness. It's all part of the adventure.

Sophomore Year & Beyond: The Famous "Room Draw"

Okay, so you survived freshman year. You’ve made friends, you know your way around campus, & now you get more control over your living situation. Welcome to the world of Room Draw.
Room Draw is Princeton’s lottery system for upperclassman housing. It sounds complicated, but here’s the basic idea: you can form a group with your friends, & your group gets a lottery time to pick a room or set of rooms.

Forming a Draw Group

This is the most important step. You can go into the draw by yourself, but most people form groups to try & get a suite or a block of rooms together. Here's what you need to know:
  • Group Size Matters: You can form groups of up to 8 people, but the real sweet spot seems to be groups of 3, 4, or 5. These sizes often match up perfectly with the configurations of suites (e.g., a 4-person suite with a common room & two bedrooms).
  • Choosing Your Crew: This is HUGE. Your freshman year roommate might be awesome, but are they "I want to live with them for another year" awesome? Your draw group should be people you are genuinely compatible with. Think about cleanliness, guest policies, & sleep schedules. These conversations are crucial.
  • The Proxy: Your group will designate one person to be the "proxy" or group leader. This person is responsible for logging into the housing portal at your assigned time & officially selecting the room(s) for the whole group. Choose someone responsible!

The Lottery & Selection Process

The entire process is managed through the My Housing for Undergraduates portal. In March, draw times are posted. The selection is a fast-paced, slightly stressful, but exciting process. Your group logs in at your time, sees the list of available rooms that match your group size (or smaller), & you make your pick. A group of four, for example, could pick a 4-person suite, two 2-person doubles, or four singles if they are available.
It's a mix of strategy & luck. Some groups get amazing draw times & snag a gorgeous room in a historic gothic building. Others get later times & have to be more flexible. The key is to have a list of preferred dorms & room types ready to go before your time slot opens.

Going Off-Campus or Looking for Summer Housing

While most undergraduates live on campus all four years (it's a big part of the Princeton culture), some juniors, seniors, & most graduate students venture into off-campus housing. This is a whole different ball game.

The Official Resource: Princeton's Off-Campus Housing Site

Your first stop should be the Princeton University Off-Campus Housing website. This site is a goldmine. It has rental listings from vetted landlords & a dedicated Roommate Finder tool. You can create a profile, search for other Princeton students who are looking for roommates, & connect with them securely. It’s important to note that some students have mentioned you might need your Princeton ID to access the full roommate features, so it's best to get that sorted as soon as you can.

Unofficial Channels: Where the Real Hustle Happens

Beyond the official site, students use a bunch of other platforms to find roommates:
  • Reddit: The r/princeton subreddit is surprisingly active for housing searches. You'll see posts from grad students looking for a quiet housemate, undergrads trying to fill a spot in their off-campus house, or even people from nearby areas looking for a responsible roommate. It's a great place to get a feel for the local rental market.
  • Hoagie Mail & Listservs: This is a bit of an insider tip. For things like finding a summer sublet or a roommate for a short-term stay, the residential college listservs & the student-run "Hoagie Mail" newsletter are fantastic resources.
  • Third-Party Sites: Platforms like Roomsurf also have a presence at Princeton & can be another avenue to create a profile & see who’s out there.

The Off-Campus Challenge: Parking & Storage

Living off-campus comes with new logistical challenges you don't think about in the dorms. Two of the biggest are parking & storage.
Let's be real, finding a good parking spot in a town like Princeton can be a NIGHTMARE. If your off-campus rental only has one spot for a three-person house, what do you do? This is where thinking outside the box helps. Turns out, there are solutions like Prked, which is pretty cool. It's a platform that connects people who need parking with homeowners who have extra space in their driveways or garages. You can literally rent a private parking spot from a local resident by the month. It can be a lifesaver, especially if you want to avoid the headache & cost of street parking permits or commercial lots.
Then there's the storage issue. Moving from a dorm to an apartment, or from one apartment to another, often means you have stuff that just doesn't fit. Or maybe you're subletting your room for the summer & need to clear out your belongings. Instead of shelling out for a traditional storage unit, you could use a service like Prked for storage, too. People rent out their empty garages, attics, basements, & even closets for storage. It’s often cheaper, closer, & more convenient than a big commercial facility. It's a great hack for dealing with the in-between moments of college life.

A Word on Roommate Conflict

No matter how you find your roommate—whether they’re assigned by the university or hand-picked by you—disagreements can happen. It’s totally normal. One of you is messy, the other is neat. One loves to have friends over, the other needs quiet time.
The key is communication. Set expectations EARLY. Have a real conversation about cleaning, guests, sharing items, & personal space before it becomes a problem.
If you find you can’t resolve it on your own, Princeton has your back. The Residential College system is designed for this. Each college has Residential College Advisers (RCAs), who are upperclassmen, & professional staff members (like the Assistant Dean for Student Life) who are trained in mediation & can help you navigate tough conversations. Don't hesitate to reach out to them. That's what they're there for.

Tying It All Together

So, there you have it. The complete, no-nonsense guide to the roommate journey at Princeton.
  • Freshman Year: Embrace the randomness. Be honest on your housing form & use tools like MeetYourClass to build your network early.
  • Upperclassman Years: Master the Room Draw. Form a compatible group, be strategic, & have backup plans.
  • Off-Campus & Grad Students: Use the official Princeton Off-Campus Housing site as your starting point, but don't be afraid to check out Reddit & other community forums. And don't forget to plan for logistics like parking & storage with creative solutions.
Finding a roommate is a big step, but it’s also an incredible part of the college experience. It’s about learning to share a space, communicate, & build relationships.
Hope this was helpful! Good luck with your search, & welcome to Princeton. Let me know what you think or if you have any questions down below
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