During the spring semester, every student will receive a Housing Selection Lottery Number (#). This number is unique within the pool of current residents and is assigned to each student by computer. Students will receive instructions regarding how to view their lottery number in early March. This information will be helpful in selecting a residence hall.
The first character of a lottery number determines its grade. For example, a lottery number starting with 0 is in the first quartile, while a number starting with c-f is in the last. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is the case. In addition, lottery numbers must be drawn within 15 of the total number to be eligible for winning.
Parents who are unsure whether their child’s lottery number will affect admission to their top choice schools should check the lottery numbers of other students. If a student’s lottery number is low, they may have a better chance of getting into a more desirable school. Likewise, a low lottery number might mean being overshadowed by a high lottery number for a top choice.
The lottery number is generated by a mathematical algorithm. It has a combination function, which is also called a multinomial coefficient. This number is calculated using a range of possible combinations. Its coverage is the percent of this range that is in play. This process was repeated until all days of the year were drawn.