Four people, four desks, four beds, four dressers and no closet -- all in the same room.

For the 740 students still living in supplemental housing this semester, this scenario is reality.

Compared to last year, about 200 more students are living in supplemental housing, said Lynn DuBois, associate director of housing.

Mary Jane Sacco (junior-nursing) and Anuja Ghate (junior-psychology) share a study lounge in Hastings Hall with two other women.

Though the roommates get along, they said their living space leaves something to be desired.

The supplemental housing literature said the room would be just like living in a dormitory, however, Sacco has found this to be not true.

She had to purchase her own bookcase and borrow a clothing rack from the laundry room to have enough storage space. Her personal space is four square feet, she said.

The only activity the roommates do together in the room is sleep, Sacco said.

"We all hate to be in the room. I've only spent maybe an hour in the room with all of my roommates," she said.

The experience is so inconvenient for Sacco that she changed her plans for spring semester so she won't have to chance living in supplemental housing again.

"I was originally supposed to stay here at Penn State next semester, but I switched my rotation to be at Hershey [Medical Center] so I don't have to deal with this again," Sacco said.

Ghate is living in supplemental housing for the second time.

She opted to live in the dorms this year because she wanted to be closer to on-campus activities, but living in East Halls as a junior is not what Ghate had hoped for.

"I have a big problem living this far away from everything," she said. "Because it's so far away, I never come home."

Ghate said she sleeps at friends' places two or three times a week because she doesn't want to disturb her roommates when she comes back late at night.

"It's more difficult when you live with more people," Ghate said.

Students are selected to live in supplemental housing by a lottery system. All students are given a number at random which is then used to determine the order in which students living in supplemental will be granted a permanent housing contract.

Anyone who entered a contract request for this year was offered at least a supplemental contract, said Lynn DuBois, associate director of housing. In previous years some applicants have been denied any kind of dorm contract.

"We've already had a number of students asking to stay in supplemental housing," DuBois said. "We've been allowing that to happen as long as we feel there is still ample study space in a building."

DuBois said the housing problem will be alleviated somewhat with the opening of the new Eastview Terrace residence hall complex next year.

Eastview Terrace will offer 811 single rooms with private baths open only to juniors and seniors.

Beginning Oct. 13, students who will be juniors and seniors next school year and who currently live on campus can submit an online request for an Eastview Terrace contract.