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When Jessica Golden told her parents three years ago that she wanted to transfer from the University of Maryland to New York University, they cringed. If their daughter transferred, they needed to slash high tuition costs. So under her parents’ instruction, Golden requested low-cost housing on her transfer application.
Golden, a senior at NYU’s College of Arts and Science, is dependent on the school’s low-cost housing, which saves her thousands of dollars on tuition costs. But low-cost housing is incorporated into the general housing lottery, making it available to all students, regardless of their financial situation. Students must battle their way through the lottery each spring, praying that their ideal low-cost room has not been snatched up already by students hungry for their own ideal housing assignment.
Libby Carlson, a sophomore at NYU’s Steinhardt School, worried that she had a terrible time slot in the housing lottery last year. But when she and her roommate were able to snag a low-cost studio at Water Street residence hall, she breathed a sigh of relief.
“We were both conscious [of the cost],” said Carlson. “Why would we make our parents spend more money for the same NYU experience? I feel bad making them pay.”
Faustyna Hariasz, a CAS freshman who lives in a low-cost room in Hayden, also depends on the cheaper housing to afford tuition.
“Every bit of money that I can save, I’ll take the opportunity,” said Hariasz.
The NYU housing office controls the placement of freshman and transfer students, giving them the opportunity to request low-cost housing. Only continuing upperclassmen use the lottery to secure housing.
Hariasz and her three suitemates are hoping for a room in 13th Street or Lafayette Street dorms next year. But NYU’s current policy is making her nervous.
“It’s not fair,” said Hariasz. “There should be a special low-cost housing lottery.”
Even though she has certain residence halls in mind, Hariasz doubts that she will secure her preferred locations. Certain low-cost dorms like 13th Street, Coral Towers and Lafayette, said Hariasz, get filled up immediately because of their desirable location. Hariasz feels that this leaves students that require low-cost housing at an automatic disadvantage even if they can secure a cheaper room through the lottery.
NYU currently offers low-cost housing to upperclassmen in 13th Street, 26th Street, Broome Street, Coral Towers, Lafayette Street, University Court and Water Street residence halls. Broome Street is only available to students participating in the Residential College program, which offers students in high academic standing the opportunity to live in a learning-centered environment. 13th Street and Coral Towers boast locations near NYU buildings, while many students praise Water Street and parts of Lafayette Street dorms for their spacious rooms. However, the 26th Street and University Court residence halls are criticized for the buildings’ conditions and distant locations from campus.
“If [26th Street residence hall] collapsed right now, I would not be surprised,” said Sutton Stewart, a Steinhardt junior living in a low-cost room in 26th Street. “I mean, I’d be upset because all my stuff is in there, but I would not be surprised.”
When Stewart entered the lottery last year, the only low-cost rooms that were available were four floors of 26th Street, most of University Court and a few single spaces in Lafayette Street.
“It suffices,” said Golden, commenting on the living conditions at 26th Street. Since transferring to NYU as a sophomore, Golden has lived in 26th Street every year. Golden would prefer a nicer dorm, but as long as she gets the low-cost housing that she needs, she will be happy enough.
Lynn Higinbotham, Director of Financial Aid, said that NYU tries to assist students with low incomes, noting that on-campus housing and its costs are often a concern of students who contact the financial aid office.
“This office accommodates students’ requests as best we can and adjusts award packages as eligibility allows,” said Higinbotham.
“Typically one’s loans are increased to meet the added housing costs,” said Higinbotham.
According to the NYU Department of Housing, NYU can also provide a student with more affordable accommodations after the lottery process is finished. If a student does not get a low-cost room through the lottery, the housing office is able to rectify this through post lottery changes.
But not all low-income students are aware of this post-lottery policy.
“I had no idea that you could switch into a low-cost room right after the lottery,” said Hariasz. “That makes me feel a little better.”
But Hariasz feels that even with the post-lottery policy, students pursuing low-cost housing are still at a disadvantage.
“The reality is that most if not all the unused low-cost spaces will be in 26th Street,” said Hariasz. “So that means low-cost students automatically get placed in the worst dorm because of their inability to pay the full housing cost.”
NYU should offer low-income students more options, said Hariasz, such as providing a set number of low-cost rooms in every residence hall or creating a special low-cost lottery. This would give more students pursuing a low-cost residence hall the chance to select their preferred dorm rather than having to resign themselves to their last choice, said Hariasz.
But determining an appropriate income range for low-cost housing is not so simple, said Higinbotham. Aside from yearly income, the financial aid office uses assets, family size and many other considerations to determine a student’s financial need. Because so much is incorporated into determining a student’s need, a need-based lottery is difficult to implement, leaving students seeking low-cost housing to contend with the standard lottery this spring.
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