I need a roommate, how does roommate matching work?

One exciting part of college life, is roommates.  Roommates can become your best friends for life.  We don't always have the option of hand-picking our roommates.  If you don't already have a roommate picked out, you, like most college students on every college campus, will find yourself needing roommate matching.  One question we all wonder is how does an apartment complex decide who moves in with me?  Have a bad roommate can ruin your whole year but having a good roommate can earn you a BFF for life.  College life has its own struggles without worrying about your roommate.  With these questions and more running through your mind, rest at ease that most apartment complexes do their very best to match roommates based on lifestyles.

How does the apartment complex know if my lifestyle will match a potential roommate?  Once you have decided on your apartment and singed your lease, the apartment complex will give you a survey to fill out.  The survey will ask you multiple questions about your likes, dislikes, your lifestyle, and more.  It will also leave an area for you to fill in items such as your unique quirks and your pet peeves.  Some of the questions will be about your study habits, what time you go to bed and get up, your level of cleanliness, among many other things.  Be honest when filling this out!  Don't answer it based on what you wish you were, but answer it according to who are you in reality.  The more honest you are, the better chance you will have to get a roommate that will be best for you and your lifestyle.    

What happens if I end up with a roommate and we just do not get along?  One thing to remember is that you are in college and college equates growing and learning.  Look at this opportunity as a growing experience.  Try to make the best of it.  Maybe try to include that person in things you enjoy.  Finding common ground can really build communication skills and open doors for compromise.  Talk with your roommate about solutions instead of fighting.  For instance, if you need to study with music blaring and your roommate needs it quite, maybe set up a schedule to where you each alternate studying between the library and the apartment.  Or, maybe you could enjoy your music by way of headphones so you still get the music atmosphere you need, while your roommate enjoys the quiet.  There is always a simple solution to each problem, as long as each of you are willing to communicate.  By compromising and communicating, you could make your apartment and college experience better than you ever imagined.   

Keep in mind, it is not forever.  Most leases are for a year or less, which will then give you an opportunity to find a new roommate or look at living in a one-bedroom apartment by yourself.  If there is no solution on the horizon, a transfer request can be made but might end up being more of a hassle in the long run. 

These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of RentJax.com or any of our advertising partners.