PLS-3D: The Student Experience

Overview

In this module, you'll learn how students experience housing cycles, how applications become residencies, and how the student journey unfolds through cycle phases. Understanding the student perspective helps you configure cycles with clarity and empathy.

What you'll learn:

• How applications tie to cycles

• How residencies are created within cycles

• The student journey from applicant to resident

• What students see in their portal at each phase

• How one student interacts with multiple cycles over time

Time: 15 minutes

What is a Cycle to a Student?

From a student's perspective, a housing cycle is their pathway to securing housing for a specific term. It's what they see when they log into the resident portal and begin the housing process.

What Students See

When a student logs into the Housing.Cloud resident portal during an active application phase, they see:

• Cycle name: "First-Year Housing 2025-26" (the public display name you configured)

• Action items: "Apply for Housing" button or card

• Status: Whether they've applied, been approved, or need to complete additional steps

• Deadlines: When application closes, when room selection opens, etc.

Example: Sarah logs in on March 15 and sees "First-Year Housing 2025-26" with an "Apply Now" button. She clicks it and completes the application form assigned to that cycle.

From Application to Residency

Understanding how a student moves from applicant to resident helps you see how cycles organize the housing journey.

The Lifecycle Stages

Stage 1: Profile Every student starts as a profile in the system—just basic information like name, student ID, email, class year.

Stage 2: Applicant When a student completes an application form during the application phase, they become an applicant for that cycle. An application record is created and tied to the cycle.

Application Statuses:

• Submitted - Application received, awaiting review

• Under Review - Admin is reviewing the application

• Approved - Student can participate in cycle activities

• Denied - Student cannot continue in this cycle

Stage 3: Approved Applicant Once approved, the student can participate in roommate selection and room selection phases. They're still an applicant, just an approved one.

Stage 4: Resident When a student is assigned a room (either through self-selection or admin assignment), a residency record is created. The student is now a resident for that cycle.

Residency Statuses:

• Assigned - Room assigned, not yet checked in

• Checked In - Student has physically moved in

• Current - Actively living in housing

• Checked Out - Student has moved out

• Cancelled - Assignment was cancelled

The Student Journey Through a Cycle

Here's what the complete housing journey looks like from a student's perspective, mapped to cycle phases:

Phase 1: Application (Application Phase Active)

What students see:

• Dashboard action item: "Apply for Housing"

• Cycle name and description

• Application deadline

What students do:

• Click "Apply for Housing"

• Complete application form questions

• Review answers and submit

• Receive confirmation message and email

What happens behind the scenes:

• Application record created and tied to the cycle

• Bio form responses stored and made available in roommate finder

• Status set to "Submitted"

• Tags applied based on form answers (if configured)

• Admin receives notification to review application

Phase 2: Roommate Selection (Roommate Phase Active)

What students see:

• Roommate Finder section appears

• Prompt to complete roommate questionnaire

• Browse other students' bios

What students do:

• Complete bio form (sleep schedule, study habits, hobbies)

• Browse other approved students' profiles

• Filter by preferences

• Send roommate requests

• Accept incoming requests

• Form a roommate group

What happens behind the scenes:

• Bio responses stored and made searchable

• Ruleset calculates compatibility scores

• Roommate group record created

• Group size validated against cycle settings

Phase 3: Room Selection (Room Selection Phase Active)

What students see:

• Room Selection section appears

• If lottery: Assigned selection time

• If all-at-once: "Browse Rooms" immediately available

• Available rooms filtered by tags and capacity

What students do:

• Browse rooms by building, floor, features

• View room photos, amenities, pricing

• Select a room (group leader selects for entire group)

• Receive assignment confirmation

What happens behind the scenes:

• Residency record created for the cycle

• Bed marked as occupied

• All roommate group members assigned to same room

• Financial transaction generated (if automated)

• Student status changes from "Applicant" to "Resident"

Phase 4: Meal Plan Selection (Meal Plan Phase Active)

What students see:

• Meal Plans section appears

• Available meal plan options with pricing

• Ability to select and confirm

What students do:

• Review meal plan options

• Select preferred plan

• Confirm selection

What happens behind the scenes:

• Meal plan assignment tied to residency

• Financial transaction generated for meal plan charge

• Default meal plan applied if student doesn't choose

Phase 5: Document Signing

What students see:

• Notification: "Housing contract ready to sign"

• Forms & Documents section with pending documents

• Contract content and terms

What students do:

• Review contract language

• Provide electronic signature

• Download signed copy

Phase 6: Move-In Scheduling (Move-In Phase Active)

What students see:

• Move-In section appears

• Available moving groups and time slots

• Capacity indicators

• Move-in instructions

What students do:

• Select preferred move-in date and time

• Receive QR code for check-in

• View move-in day instructions

Phase 7: Check-In and Residency Begins

What students do:

• Arrive at scheduled move-in time

• Show QR code or provide ID

• Staff checks them in

• Receive keys and room assignment confirmation

What happens behind the scenes:

• Residency status changes from "Assigned" to "Checked In"

• Check-in timestamp recorded

• Keys marked as distributed

• Room marked as occupied

How Applications Tie to Cycles

Every application is permanently linked to the cycle it was submitted for. This connection is crucial for tracking and reporting.

One Student, Multiple Applications

A student can have applications in multiple cycles:

Example: Sarah Martinez

• Fall 2024 Application (status: Approved, became a resident)

• Spring 2025 Application (status: Approved, became a resident)

• Fall 2025 Application (status: Submitted, pending review)

Each application is a separate record tied to its respective cycle. When you view Sarah's profile, you see all her applications across all cycles.

Application Data and Cycle Settings

The application form assigned to a cycle determines:

• What questions students answer

• What information is collected

• Which tags are applied based on responses

• Whether additional forms are required

Different cycles can use different application forms to collect different information.

How Residencies Belong to Cycles

A residency is a student's room assignment within a specific housing cycle. The cycle defines the residency's characteristics.

What the Cycle Provides to Residencies

Dates: The residency inherits start and end dates from the cycle If cycle runs August 15 - May 15, all residencies in that cycle have those dates

Billing: The cycle's financial settings determine when charges are generated Charge codes, transaction timing, proration rules

Move-In/Out: The cycle's moving groups control check-in/check-out options Available time slots, capacity, instructions

Meal Plans: The cycle's meal plan settings determine what students can choose Available plans, defaults, change limits

Documents: The cycle's required documents control what students must sign Housing contracts, waivers, agreements

One Room, Multiple Residencies Over Time

The same physical bed can have different residencies across different cycles:

East Hall, Room 201, Bed A:

• Fall 2024 cycle: Sarah Martinez (Aug 2024 - May 2025)

• Summer 2025 cycle: Alex Johnson (May 2025 - Aug 2025)

• Fall 2025 cycle: Sarah Martinez (Aug 2025 - May 2026)

Each is a separate residency record tied to its respective cycle.

The Complete Student Lifecycle

Here's how one student might interact with housing cycles throughout their college career:

Sarah Martinez: Four-Year Journey

Freshman Year (2024-25):

• Spring 2024: Applies to "Fall 2024 First-Year Housing" cycle

• Status: Applicant → Approved → Resident (East Hall 201A, Fall 2024 cycle)

• Fall 2024: Applies to "Spring 2025 First-Year Housing" cycle

• Status: Rollover option selected → Resident (East Hall 201A, Spring 2025 cycle)

Sophomore Year (2025-26):

• Spring 2025: Applies to "Fall 2025 Returning Student Housing" cycle

• Status: Applicant → Approved → Resident (West Hall 305B, Fall 2025 cycle)

• Fall 2025: Applies to "Spring 2026 Returning Student Housing" cycle

• Status: Rollover option selected → Resident (West Hall 305B, Spring 2026 cycle)

Junior Year (2026-27):

• Spring 2026: Applies to "Fall 2026 Returning Student Housing" cycle

• Status: Applicant → Approved → Resident (North Apartments 12C, Fall 2026 cycle)

Sarah's Profile Shows:

• 6 different applications across 6 cycles

• 6 residency records (one per cycle)

• Complete housing history throughout college career

What Students Experience During Each Phase

Let's walk through what a student sees and does during a typical housing cycle:

Phase 1: Application (March 1 - April 15)

Student portal shows:

• "Apply for Housing" action item

• Application deadline countdown

• Link to housing FAQs

Student actions:

• Click "Apply for Housing"

• Complete 15-20 application questions across multiple sections

• Complete roommate questionnaire (bio form) as part of submission

• Upload documents if required

• Review answers and submit

After submission: Portal shows "Application Submitted" with status updates

Phase 2: Roommate Selection (April 1 - May 1)

Student portal shows:

• Their bio already completed during application submission

• Roommate Finder section

• Pending roommate requests

Student actions:

• Browse other approved students' bios

• Filter by preferences (sleep schedule, study habits, etc.)

• Send roommate requests

• Accept or decline incoming requests

• Form roommate group

After grouping: Portal shows roommate group members and status

Phase 3: Room Selection (April 20 - May 10)

Student portal shows:

• "Select Your Room" action item

• Selection time (if lottery-based)

• Available rooms filtered by eligibility

Student actions:

• Browses available buildings and rooms

• Views room photos, floor plans, amenities

• Sees room pricing

• Selects preferred room

• If in group: Group leader selects for everyone

• Receives assignment confirmation

After selection: Portal shows room assignment details (building, room number, roommates)

Phase 4: Meal Plan Selection (April 1 - May 15)

Student portal shows:

• "Select Meal Plan" action item

• Available meal plan options with pricing

• Comparison of plans

Student actions:

• Reviews meal plan options

• Selects preferred plan

• Confirms selection

After selection: Portal shows selected meal plan and pricing

Phase 5: Document Signing

Student portal shows:

• "Sign Housing Contract" action item

• Number of pending documents

• Document preview

Student actions:

• Reviews contract terms

• Provides electronic signature

• Downloads signed copy

After signing: Action item marked complete, signed document available for download

Phase 6: Move-In Scheduling (July 15 - August 12)

Student portal shows:

• "Schedule Move-In" action item

• Available moving groups and time slots

• Capacity per slot

• Move-in instructions

Student actions:

• Selects preferred date and time

• Receives QR code

• Views what to bring and where to go

After scheduling: Portal shows move-in appointment details and QR code for check-in

Phase 7: Check-In Day (August 14)

Student experience:

• Arrives at scheduled time

• Shows QR code or student ID

• Staff checks them in

• Receives keys and room directions

• Moves into room

Portal updates: Residency status changes to "Checked In," keys shown as received

One Student, Multiple Cycles

Throughout their college career, a student interacts with many housing cycles. Understanding this longitudinal view helps you see the bigger picture.

Concurrent Cycle Participation

A student can be involved in multiple cycles simultaneously:

Example: October 2025

• Fall 2025 cycle: Sarah is a current resident (status: Checked In)

• Spring 2026 cycle: Sarah is an applicant (status: Submitted, awaiting review)

Her portal shows both cycles with different statuses and action items for each.

Historical Cycle Records

Past cycles remain in the system as historical records:

Example: Sarah's Profile in 2026

• Fall 2024 (past): Resident - East Hall 201A

• Spring 2025 (past): Resident - East Hall 201A

• Fall 2025 (current): Resident - West Hall 305B

• Spring 2026 (future): Applicant - Under Review

This complete history helps staff understand each student's housing background and preferences.

Key Takeaways

• To students, cycles are the pathway to housing for a specific term

• Applications tie to cycles and create applicant records

• Residencies belong to cycles and track room assignments

• Students move from profile → applicant → approved applicant → resident

• Phases control what students see and can do at each stage

• Action items drive the student experience based on cycle configuration

• One student, many cycles - Complete housing history over college career

• Concurrent participation is possible - Current resident in one cycle, applicant in another

PLS-3 Complete!

You've completed all four modules of PLS-3. You now have a comprehensive conceptual understanding of housing cycles:

• PLS-3A: What cycles are and why they matter

• PLS-3B: What components go into cycles

• PLS-3C: How phases control timing

• PLS-3D: How students experience cycles

What's Next: PLS-4

Now that you understand housing cycles conceptually, you're ready to start building the first component: tags and rulesets.

In PLS-4: Tags & Rulesets, you'll build:

• Tag categories to organize students and inventory

• Individual tags for class year, preferences, and eligibility

• Roommate matching rulesets that use your tags

These tags will become the foundation for controlling cycle access and automating roommate matching.

Additional Resources

• Product Learning Homework: Try It Yourself Exercises - Complete PLS-3 practice activities

• Product Learning Session Framework - Full PLS roadmap

• Housing Cycle FAQs and Best Practices - Common questions