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Frequently asked questions
about student life
Residence halls and roommates
Food service
Chapel
Residence halls and roommates
Q: How are roommates assigned?
A: Admission counselors do the initial pairings for freshmen. They look for compatibility based on how applicants answer the housing form questions, and they discuss as a staff what they know about their recruits. They don’t always get it right, but they do take it seriously, knowing that roommate compatibility is a huge factor in making the adjustment to college.
Q: Can I pay extra and have a room to myself?
A: Yes, but only if there is available space. With our record enrollments in recent years, extra rooms for students who want to live alone have been available only in the spring.
Q: Can I arrive and move into my dorm room early?
A: Yes, but only if you have special permission from the associate dean of students for residence life. Permission is granted if you have a sibling who has to arrive early, if you’re an international student, or if you’re arriving by air. Students who don’t meet the above criteria but still want to move in early will be assessed a $40 fee per night. This applies to moving your belongings in early, as well. Please do not ask for exceptions.
Q: When can I move in?
A: New students can move in at noon on the Friday before classes begin. Returning students can move in at 1:00 p.m. on the Sunday before classes.
Q: Can we build lofts in our dorm rooms?
A: Lofts or platforms can be built by residents in these halls: Colenbrander, Heemstra, Hospers or West. Loft construction must follow NWC guidelines, and plans must be approved by the associate dean of residence life before construction begins.
Q: Can I bring a window air conditioner for my room?
A: Students may not bring their own air conditioning unit; however, students with allergies and a note from their allergist (must be an M.D.) can request approval to rent a window air conditioner from Northwestern College. The fee—to cover rental, installation and energy costs—is $150 per year.
Q: Can freshmen or new students live in campus apartments?
A: Freshmen or new students with significant reasons for wanting an apartment assignment must contact the associate dean of students for residence life.
Q: Can anyone live off campus?
A: Students must apply and qualify for commuter status in order to live off campus. Commuter status is granted for students who are:
- Part-time
- Fifth-year seniors
- 23 years old or older
- Married
- Living with family locally
Q: When can men be in women’s dorms and women in men’s dorms?
A: Wednesday and Thursday, mixed-gender visiting is allowed between 5 and 11 p.m. Friday's hours are 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday’s hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday’s are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday and Tuesday are closed dorm nights.
Food service
Q: What is Northwestern College's cafeteria plan?
A: All students living in college residence halls are required to have a full meal plan (21 meals per week) because it enables healthy eating and encourages students to take advantage of the community building that happens during mealtime. Students can choose among three options:
- 21 meals per week in the cafeteria only.
- 18 meals per week in the cafeteria with $75 annual credit at The Hub, NWC's student center diner.
- 15 meals per week in the cafeteria with $150 annual credit at The Hub.
Q: Do students living in apartments with kitchens need to buy the full meal plan?
A: They may, but they don't have to. Students living in campus apartments or cottages—as well as students who are student-teaching or interning off-campus—may purchase a 10-meal option, which costs approximately $380/year less than the full meal plan.
Chapel
Q: What is chapel like?
A: Chapel meets from 10:05 to 10:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 11:05 to 11:55 a.m. on Tuesdays. It is a welcome break in the academic schedule of the day and the only time each week that most of the campus community is together in one place. Chapel guests include nationally known speakers like Tony and Bart Campolo and Brenda Salter-McNeil, as well as Northwestern faculty, staff and students. Concerts and dramas also may take the chapel stage.
Q: Is chapel mandatory?
A: Yes. Worship is a vital part of what keeps our community together. Also, we believe chapel is no less important to a student’s development than attending class, which is also expected. Many of our students ignore the requirement, going more often than is necessary!
Q: What is the chapel requirement and what happens if a student fails to meet it?
A: Students are expected to obtain 3 chapel credits each week; 5 credits or more are offered weekly. Attending regularly will enable students to earn the 45 “chapel credits” required each semester. Students who don’t meet the requirement are suspended for one semester. As noted above, many of our students go more often than they need to.
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