All students will have a better chance of getting their first choice. Right now, students only have a 25 percent chance of having the computer randomly select their first choice out of the four listed. Under enhanced choice, that percentage is closer to 45 percent, because students get two chances to get into their first choice.

If a student's dream house is filled 25 percent before his or her number comes up, that student still has a chance to get into the house in the second round. The first choice will be recylced with the other three choices, and there is a 25 percent chance that the computer will select that house. Less popular houses will also benefit. If a blocking group wanted to live in Currier (which always goes random), for example, enhanced choice would allow the students to pick it as their first choice, almost guaranteeing acceptance.

House stereotypes will not return under this system because most students will still be assigned in the non-ordered choice method. The problem with ordered choice was that certain houses had almost all their spaces ranked first by a homogeneous group of people. Enhanced choice will not allow such homogeneous groups to fully make up a house. Most likely, no more than 43.75 percent of a house will be composed of students who designated that house as their first choice.

This system has another key benefit: It is acceptable to the administration. I have spoken to several house masters who agree that the system is feasible, and several others who believe it to be an excellent compromise between student interest in choice and student and administrative desire for diversity. Several deans also applaud the system, and indicate that it could quite possibly go into effect this year. The council's efforts to work with the administration have given this year's first-year students an opportunity to reap the benefits of enhanced choice.

Students should be allowed to live where they want. Enhanced choice gives them a greater opportunity to do so at virtually no cost to the increased diversity of the houses. The Undergraduate Council, in responding to student requests for greater choice in the housing lottery and balancing them against the need for diverse communities, can truly be said to be following the will of the students.

Jennifer W. Grove '94 is an editor of The Crimson. She is also co-chair of the Undergraduate Council's Residential Committee and a member of the Committee on House Life.