Housing headaches at MU

I have a thrilling update on my ongoing struggle with housing. So, the last time I griped in The Snapper about this I recalled the agonizing affair with a step-by-step description of the housing process for juniors and seniors.

1. Only about 200 spots for juniors and seniors at Millersville in the dorms.

2. Housing lottery determines who gets to live in a dorm out of those juniors and seniors.

3. Cheapest option available is the Brookwood Apartments, in which there are only about 60 spots open a year.

4. Email is sent informing students that applications can then be submitted, at a random time on a random date.

Here’s the latest: after paying the first month’s deposit of $300 on an apartment that I did not know if I will get, I found out that I was applicable for a dorm after all. I have four days to pay the nonrefundable housing deposit of $125 for a dorm.

I will not find out if I got a Brookwood apartment until an unknown date in March. If I do not pay the housing deposit for a dorm, then I have to bank on getting an apartment.

If I do not then I’m screwed and have to live in Reighard or Shenks which are ridiculously expensive. If I do pay the housing deposit for a dorm and get a Brookwood apartment, then I am out $125 for no reason because it is non-refundable. This is the biggest kick of them all: I tried to pay the housing deposit online and it said that I was not eligible to pay. Why Millersville? Why?

Update: I just found out that the housing deposit IS refundable, but only if the student is going through Brookwood or Healthy Lifestyle Apartments and informs the Housing Department before the semester ends.

The Housing Coordinator then approves the refund and informs the Bursar’s office, which then gives you your money back. However, the only way I found this out was by physically asking the Housing Coordinator why the check is non-refundable.