At this point, I have received a very good scholarship from Ohio State, have visited, and am fairly sure that I would like to go there. Here’s the question though. Should I pay my acceptance fee NOW, or should I wait a little longer? There are two more schools that I am waiting to hear back from, but I won’t hear from them for months, and they aren’t likely options anyway. I’m worried that if I put off paying my fee, I’ll loose priority for orientation dates, scheduling, housing, etc. But, my parents have also pointed out that if I pay the acceptance fee now, then they have no incentive to award me anymore scholarship money. It would only be one or two thousand more at this point, but over four years, that’s still a significant amount, and I don’t want to lose my opportunity at that extra money. So should I pay my acceptance fee or not? Am I obligated to Ohio State if I do? Do you think I risk scholarship money if I do?
You still waiting to hear on other Ohio State scholarships? Have you read on Ohio States website what the deadlines are and what benefits you have of putting down deposit? Is it refundable? Separate housing deposit? Benefit of that? Is that refundable? I know my son wants to compare all offers so will wait on the remaining two but did put down partially refundable deposits for the big scholarship school where he was already admitted.
I doubt very much that you will get any more scholarship money be holding out. OSU is a big state school - these schools do not bargain with students the way some smaller, private schools might.
The acceptance deposit is nonrefundable. Paying the fee will not risk or enhance your chances of getting more. OSU does give housing application priority based on date of deposit. You’ll want to fill out your housing application as soon as it is available too. There is also a housing deposit and I don’t remember if it is refundable. A supplemental scholarship application is available on line if you haven’t filled it out. The deadline is Feb15th.
Large schools have no reason to woo you by offering more money. If you tell the people at Ohio State that you do not wish to attend, they have a lot of students who would be happy to take your place…
If you can afford the nonrefundable deposits, then go ahead and make them. If by some miracle you get a better offer somewhere else and change your mind, you would just lose the OSU deposits.