Cal Poly Pomona students end up asking a version of this question every year — here’s a straight answer instead of a generic list.

Where students actually find roommates

The best roommate situations at Cal Poly Pomona almost always start from an existing connection — a dorm floor, a class, a club, or a friend of a friend — rather than a cold ad. If you don’t have that option yet, campus housing Facebook groups and class group chats tend to be more reliable than general roommate-matching sites, since you can at least see mutual connections.

Questions to ask before you commit

• What’s your sleep schedule and study habits like? Mismatches here cause more roommate conflict than almost anything else.
• How do you feel about guests, and how often do you expect to have people over?
• Are you okay splitting cleaning duties on a schedule, or do you expect to wing it?
• How do you want to handle a shared grocery/utility fund, if at all?

Splitting costs without drama

Put the split in writing before you move in — who pays what portion of rent, utilities, and any shared costs like a WiFi router or cleaning supplies. A simple shared spreadsheet or a splitting app removes most of the ambiguity that turns into resentment three months in.

Red flags to walk away from

A potential roommate who avoids specifics about their finances, pushes back hard on putting anything in writing, or has a track record of bailing on leases early is worth taking seriously as a warning sign — it’s much easier to pass on a bad roommate now than to break a lease with one later.

Once you’ve got your group sorted, search multi-bedroom listings near Cal Poly Pomona on RentNova to find places sized for exactly how many of you there are.