New Students

Welcome to Community Living at Albion College

Albion College is a four-year residential college, which means you live on campus (in College-owned housing) through graduation. While at Albion you will find many learning opportunities provided through the residence halls that will enhance and contribute to what you are learning in the classroom. For example, sharing common living spaces with other students challenges each resident to develop communication and assertiveness skills.

Once on campus, our Community Assistants live alongside you and can help you develop positive relationships, engagement and leadership opportunities, and the chance to shape your living experience. They can help you in times of crisis or conflict, and can refer you to a variety of offices on campus when you need support.

Move-In Day

The Fall 2024 move-in day for new students is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024.

Before move-in day, check out our what to bring/what not to bring packing list, explore the campus map, and be sure to connect with Financial Aid, Student Accounting, and the Registrar with any questions you may have.

In the weeks before orientation, Admissions and Community Living are offering several chances to connect with any questions you might have about your residential experience and how you can prepare for success while living at Albion. Watch for messages about the July Preview day, or the virtual Approaching Albion series to learn more!

All students will receive an email with a SignUp Genius link to select a check-in appointment time. This helps our team to know when to expect you, and to distribute student arrival evenly throughout move-in day, keeping move-in carts, elevators, and check-in smooth and accessible.

Note: some students may be assigned an earlier move-in day due to participation in a Fall varsity sport, marching band, or one of our bridge programs.

August 21, 2024 Move-In Day

• Head to campus and visit centralized check-in at the Kellogg Center at the time you’ve selected for your check-in appointment (between 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
• Proceed to your residence hall and connect with one of our Community Assistants or volunteers, who will help you find your new room
• Unload your car at one of the hall entrances as directed
• Check out a move-in cart and bring your things to your room
• Meet your roommate and introduce yourself to other students living nearby
• Take some time to settle in — put up your favorite poster, unpack your bookshelf, have your first residence hall microwave snack!
• Make it to the 4:30 p.m. Student Welcome and Support Sessions to kick off Albion-O, our new student orientation (full schedule here!)
• Dinner is available from 6:15 – 8 p.m.
• Don’t miss the Send Off Announcement at 7 p.m.
• First Floor Meetings with Community Assistants between 8 – 10 p.m.

The First-Year Cohort

We encourage incoming students to explore our communities. Through your time at Albion, there is opportunity to try different living styles, be a part of unique residential programs and leadership opportunities, or even join our team.

Each student is first a part of First-Year Cohort Housing in Wesley and Seaton Halls, before the opportunity to apply for more distinct options in future years. The first year still provides plenty of opportunities for unique living experiences, however, as these buildings host Substance-Free, Quiet Study, and Honors themed housing.

Incoming transfer students are generally assigned to a room in an Upper Class Residence Hall, and may be matched with another transfer student or a continuing student.

Room Assignments

Each year the Office of Community Living assigns hundreds of new students to rooms and roommates. This task is done by hand, matching roommates one student at a time.

We prioritize the information you provide on the Housing Request Form as follows: If you request a specific roommate and that person requests you, the request will be honored. We assume that the two of you have discussed general lifestyle topics as well as study and social habits. If you have not requested a specific roommate, the factors we consider include academics, general lifestyle questions (smoking, room cleanliness, bedtime habits, vibe, etc), athletic interest, etc. Your honesty in responding to these questions is very important. Don’t assume we will assign you with a teammate or a friend from home – if you are looking for this experience, please include as a request in the Housing Request Form.

The Housing Request Form can be found in your Briton Bound account after submitting your deposit. A link and instructions will take you to eRezLife, where you will log in with your Albion College username and password. Room assignments for first-year and incoming transfer students will be sent to your Albion College student email address after review and assignment by early July.

Each room at Albion College is a double (two-person) room that includes a bed, desk, desk chair, dresser, and closet/wardrobe space for each resident of the room. Each room has window treatments and internet access. All mattresses are 80″ long and 36″ wide (many retail stores consider these to be “extra long twin”). Lofts are prohibited in all residence halls.

Roommate Success

Give it a chance! To get to know each other, ask great questions.

What things are important to you? What pronouns does your roommate prefer? Do they have a nickname? Where are you from and what does it mean for you to be coming to Albion College? Coordinate with your roommate about items in the room you could share. For instance, which of you might bring a mini-fridge or microwave to share? Do you both love the same board games? Is a nice TV important? What kind of vibe will the room have? Will your friends have a place to sit and hang out with you? Talk about how you plan to use your room, when you plan to go to bed, or how you plan to study. It’s important to intentionally establish a relationship with your future roommate.

In the first week of life at Albion, students will complete a Roommate Agreement, a tool that helps students identify and express their habits, preferences, and goals for the semester. This document is facilitated by Community Assistants and can be referenced later in moments of disagreement to help guide conflict resolution.

Each student is encouraged not to make judgments about whether or not he/she will get along with his/her roommate until after the roommate pair has spent some time together. Roommates do not have to be best friends. Many roommate pairs do very well living in the same room with one another while maintaining best friend relationships with other people on campus. If roommates are experiencing problems, residents should contact their Community Assistant as soon as possible for assistance in resolving their problem. If the roommate conflict cannot be resolved after participating in a roommate mediation process facilitated by a member of the residence hall staff, the Area Coordinator will discuss the Room Change process with students involved. No room changes will be allowed until the third week of classes each semester.

Exemptions and Accommodations

On the Housing Request Form, be sure to record medical conditions and disabilities and to obtain a letter of accommodation from the Office of Accessibility Services (located in the Cutler Center) for special residential accommodations, if applicable. With any questions, please contact our team for assistance.

Support and Amenities

Of course, preparation for College includes deciding what to bring and what not to bring, and planning your transportation to get to campus. Keep an eye on the release of move-in day updates for your start term and explore other important information on our Support and Amenities webpage.