OHIO’s newest Bobcats selecting roommates, connecting with classmates via new software

Incoming first-year Ohio University students are selecting their future roommates now through May 7 and, for the first time, are using My College Roomie, a roommate-matching software platform that doubles as a private and protected social network.

Members of Ohio University’s incoming Class of 2022 are already building their Bobcat family thanks to a new software system designed to improve the first-year roommate matching experience while allowing first-year students to network before they arrive on the Athens Campus.

Ohio University’s Department of Housing and Residence Life launched its My College Roomie account on March 1, inviting all admitted first-year students to use My College Roomie, a roommate-matching software platform that doubles as a private and protected social network. Dubbed “the future of roommate matching,” My College Roomie uses algorithms that provide students suggested roommate matches based on compatibility while also offering social networking tools already familiar to students.

“Because we know that having a positive, enriching residential experience contributes to the success of students both inside and outside of the classroom, we are always looking for ways to improve the living-learning environment at Ohio University,” said Johnna Matulja, associate director of marketing and business operations for Housing and Residence Life. “The My College Roomie software is very robust, dynamic and catered to the roommate selection experience. It is also a tool that will enable students to connect and network with other incoming Bobcats so they are creating their community and their home away from home before they even arrive on campus.”

All newly admitted Bobcats should have received an email inviting them to participate in My College Roomie through which they can complete a student survey/questionnaire that asks them questions about themselves and what they are looking for in a roommate. Those questions include:

• When do you normally go to sleep and wake up, and what are your preferences regarding your roommates’ sleeping schedule?
• How do you best fall asleep (with options that range from lighting choices to noise preferences)?
• What is your expected studying/socializing balance?
• When do you plan on studying?
• Do you plan to have friends in your room, and how do you hang out with friends?
• What is your level of neatness, and to what degree do you care about the neatness of your room?
• How do you feel about sharing personal belongings?

According to Matulja, the survey questions were developed by both My College Roomie and OHIO’s Housing and Residence Life, based on its data and experience with roommate matching.

“The questions address some topics that we know can make or break a roommate experience,” Matulja said. “For example, we definitely wanted to ask the question regarding roommate belongings because we know that can be a big issue.”

Students also have the option of creating a profile on My College Roomie that would be visible to their fellow incoming Bobcats. The profile portion of the software allows students to provide a short bio, upload a photo of themselves as well as a video, and provide information ranging from their hometown and intended major to their social media accounts, clubs and memberships, and favorite card, board and video games. 

As they review their fellow Bobcats’ surveys and/or profiles, students are able to friend each other, message each other and ultimately decide whether they want to match up as roommates. The My College Roomie software uses an algorithm that reviews the students’ survey results to determine students’ roommate compatibility with one another, assigning each My College Roomie connection a roommate compatibility ranking – from 100 percent to zero. The system allows students to match up as roommates no matter what their compatibility ranking is.  

Matulja noted that students can fill out as much or as little of the survey as they want and that participation in the My College Roomie process is not mandatory.

“We have a large population, usually around 50 percent of our students, who choose not to search for other roommates and prefer to be assigned a roommate randomly based on room selection, and that’s a great option as well,” Matulja said, noting that room changes don’t correlate to whether students selected their roommate or not. “What we’ve found is that roommate success is really more about the personal responsibility students take for the roommate relationship once they arrive to campus. Also, roommate success can be assisted by items such as the roommate contract the students enter into and making sure that they’ve established the rules of their room ahead of time. We’re offering My College Roomie as a tool, not a requirement. You’re not missing out if you don’t go this route; you’re just experiencing OHIO in the way you need to experience it.”

According to Matulja, while My College Roomie launched for OHIO’s Class of 2022 on March 1, Housing and Residence Life plans to launch the software for the Class of 2023 on Oct. 1, so the system will be live when the first members of that class receive their admittance letters from the University.

“As soon as students are admitted to OHIO, they will be able to log onto our My College Roomie site and look to see who else is a Bobcat, start making connections and start looking for roommates,” Matulja said.

Admitted first-year students may access OHIO’s My College Roomie account via Housing and Residence Life’s website or directly at ohio.mycollegeroomie.com/.