Ximena Rosenvasser – The Conversation

Only seven to nine per cent of Toronto university students live in residence. A new study suggests that scarcity carries an academic cost. TMU

August 12, 2026

Toronto students who live in residence get better grades, study finds

Kiana Basiri, Toronto Metropolitan University; Cynthia Holmes, Toronto Metropolitan University; Shelagh McCartney, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Ximena Rosenvasser, Toronto Metropolitan University

A study of more than 750,000 student records from four Toronto universities finds that living in residence is linked to better grades and higher satisfaction, especially for first-year students.

Before the 1960s and until 1990, university residences were constructed to support multiple chance encounters with students on the same floor or building through shared space. Dorm life in Washburn Hall, San Jose State College, early 1970s. (San José State University Special Collections & Archives)

August 10, 2023

Why old, shared dorms are better than new, private student residences

Shelagh McCartney, Toronto Metropolitan University and Ximena Rosenvasser, Toronto Metropolitan University

Student residences built in recent decades prioritize privacy, yet research shows a lack of student socialization spaces negatively affects students’ academic performance and well-being.

Contact Ximena for