Room bids: New residents to the co-op houses should expect to live in a shared bedroom. Rooms are assigned by a process called room bids. Spaces in Rochdale, Fenwick, Northside, Hillegass-Parker, and Convent are all single rooms. Official BSC policies regarding points and assignment of rooms can be found here:
https://policy.bsc.coop/index.php/VII:_Points_and_Assignment_of_Rooms
Generally what happens in the houses is that you will participate in room bids virtually before you move in. There will be a virtual room tour so you can see which rooms are available, and a chance to meet and greet with your fellow new housemates so you can choose a roommate to bid into a double room with. In some houses, you'll participate in room bids later, and in these cases, you'll get a temporary room when you arrive, and sometime during the first two weeks of the contract period, your managers will announce the time of the “room bid”. At the room bid, the manager will list/show all the available rooms and will let you know your position in the bidding process. When you get to bid varies depending on your house but is generally linked to your points and application number. New members have 0 points. You get a point for each academic semester you live in the co-op and a maximum of ¾ point for summer residence. Your application number is determined by your date of registration to the Berkeley Student Coop (when you paid the $25 registration fee). You can expect to receive an email from your House Manager before you move in which will have more information about your house's room bid process.
Some houses draw cards to determine priority, some use college credits. If you have specific questions about the room bid process at your house, contact your house manager.
Spend your first days meeting people, considering potential roommates, and learning about your new co-op. Choose your roommates wisely: ask people about their personal habits, bedtimes, etc, to determine compatibility.
Ask when there will be a tour of available rooms at your house. It is helpful to take notes. Talk to old members--they've been through the process and can be great resources. Rooms are assigned in a bidding process based on seniority; the longer you live in the co-ops, the more likely you are to get what you want.