<p>a young friend of mine is having trouble deciding which of 2 colleges to accept. There's an instate school that the family can certainly afford, and where the student is certain to excel, versus a very prestigious, expensive private school that might be academically and socially overwhelming. The family has been unsettled due to several unrelated issues, which is making it very difficult to reach a decision by May 1st. Plus they were so late in submitting fin aid info to the private school that they do not expect to know the true cost differential by then. </p>
<p>The mom has told this student to simply accept both colleges and decide in August! The private school has a summer program for URMs that the student would attend before making a decision. This sounds unfair to the schools, at the least. If they go forward with this plan, could it cause either or both of the schools to rescind their acceptance?</p>
<p>Isn't a little late in the game for this kind of stuff? I mean one day to go and still debating "Is it socially overwhelming or isn't it?" "Is it academically overwhelming or not?" "Is it affordable or not?" Can this story really be true? Is your young friend in the habit of pulling your leg?</p>
<p>Sorry. I just have no patience with these scenarios. I'd prefer some situation I can sympathize with. Perhaps if both schools were accidentally declined ...</p>
<p>the instate public probably wouldn't care; just lose the deposit. </p>
<p>But, what about a visit to the private and a visit to their FinAid office for full disclosure. If the private is OOS, they frequently will grant a two-week extension to the May 1 deadline to allow a visit...the problem is that it might have been nice to request it earlier.</p>
<p>My daughter just sent in the acceptance card to Cornell. I cannot recall the exact wording but it certainly implied that if the student accepted two schools and they found out about it, the student risked being dropped by both. Read the acceptance cards carefully.</p>
<p>NewHope - unfortunately, it's true. There has been a lot of family drama throughout the student's college application process. The student has visited both schools, but has not been able to focus on the whole thing as much as one would like. The mom only came up with the "accept both" idea today. I heard it from her, so I know the student isn't pulling my leg.</p>
<p>cnb - I think that addresses the crux of the issue. I didn't pay much attention to the form my son submitted (he's sure of his choice), but I would expect some sort of wording like you describe.</p>
<p>Asking for a brief extension sounds like a reasonable idea, and would be a lot less risky than the mom's plan.</p>
<p>Tex: you shold run a search on the archived threads from last year. There was some discussion of this question, and I believe that crib's point was confirmed by a few posters, in a fe cases, at least.</p>
<p>Might have been under the Parents Forum or under College Admisssions</p>
<p>Tex, this is not all that uncommon. In fact, there have been published reports of some schools losing up to 5% of their expected freshman class over the summer due to double-acceptances. Of course, that doesn't make it RIGHT, especially if there is a wait list at either or both of the schools of kids who would LOVE to jump at an opening. Perhaps you might point that possibility out to them.</p>
<p>Texas - I accept your assertion that the situation is real. How sad for your friend. </p>
<p>OK, let's try to help. Forget for the moment that double commiting is possibly unethical. And forget for the moment the risk of having both acceptances pulled. And forget for the moment that this tactic might deny enrollment to someone on the wait list that REALLY wants to attend that very prestigious private college. Forget all this and consider the position family turmoil has put this student in. For the privilege of paying $$$ more, the student might commit to attending a college that she's not confident she'll be able to handle socially or academically. Forgive me for saying it, but that chaotic scenario has FAILURE writen all over it. </p>
<p>Even ignoring the $$$, doesn't it seem reasonable to choose the school where success is assured? Is the instate school that bad a choice? (And if the answer to this question is "yes" then riddle me this: Why was it on the list of applications?)</p>
<p>I don't think it's such a bad idea to let this student go to the summer program before deciding. Obviously, the college realizes there might be issues and they are trying to address those issues, to their credit, before the student starts school to avoid losing the student during the first semester. If they lose the student in August, there are likely kids they can take off their waitlist. Ethical or not, having the state school as a backup if this scenario occurs is not a terrible idea for the student.</p>
<p>Can the student accept one and defer admission for a year? She doesn't sound ready to go to college, period, if these are the issues coming up. Agree that this situation has "FAILURE" written all over it. </p>
<p>Ask for an extension. Beg for an extension. Explain the situation. IMO, IF EXPLAINED, the double-deposit situation is not unethical. Call up Private U and say, "We haven't gotten the fin. aid award; we can't commit without it. I know this is our fault b/c we took so long to get the forms filled out. Can we send in a deposit anyway, and, within a week of receiving the final award from you, we'll tell you whether or not the kid will attend? That way, you have the deposit, and you'll get a prompt answer from us within a reasonable time." Most reasonable people would go for that. When you just double-deposit without saying so, however, you're being deceitful. </p>
<p>What about going in-state, and then transferring?</p>
<p>With info received from Amherst, it said, "We expect that you will, of course, make no other deposit at any other college... When I sent off my D's deposit, there was a statement on the form that said that she has has not make a deposit at any other college, as well. While it did not give ramifications, the fact that they printed this on the form tells me that this has happened in the past.</p>
<p>The form we sent into Emory said the we could only accept one college and that they would pull the acceptance if they found out that more than one college had been accepted. Also, Emory has a very strong honor code. Colleges belong to groups that share information about early decision and who accepted what offers. In the case of Emory, we were sent a list of the colleges that they share information with.</p>
<p>Well I mean, I don't see how that's very different from an acceptance after a waitlist situation. You have two schools under your belt in that situation, also. While the extenuating circumstances are different, the result is the same.</p>
<p>In a waitlist situation, you don't have two colleges under your belt at the time that you accept the first one. I guess the problem would be if accepting two colleges became rampant. The number of people accepted off wait lists is small and all the dust settles early. If a large number of people started accepting two colleges, the colleges wouldn't have any idea of how many people were going to show up at the end of August.</p>
<p>Like the guy who drives down the shoulder in traffic and then tries to cut back in way up the line. If one person does it, he's a jerk and maybe he has extenuating circumstances (like being late). If everybody did it, then it would be total gridlock.</p>
<p>I don't think a school can pull off the waitlist in August. Most waitlists stipulate the student will be notified by June 30. If federal need-based scholarship is involved (pell grants or Stafford loans) The schools will probably out about the double admit. Toss a coin and be done with it!</p>
<p>A couple of my S's colleges stipulated that he could make a deposit to secure his place for registration [taken in order of dep's rec'd] and dorm preferences and still get a refund before May 1. </p>
<p>However, ALL of his schools indicated that after May 1, his deposit was considered a binding acceptance and that he could accept a financial aid award from only one school as of May 1 or after. </p>
<p>I'd be very wary of being committed on paper to more than one school after May 1, unless the schools were aware of the extenuating circumstances and agreed to hold the place pending the August decision. </p>
<p>As We'llgetthruit has pointed out, if there are Federal loans or grants involved in both aid offers, it could be construed as an attempt at fraud.</p>
<p>I think it's unfortunate that the young lady referenced in the OP is faced with such a tough decision under such stressful circumstances. Nevertheless, I believe that she (along with her parents) should commit to a single school and resolve to make the best of the outcome. </p>
<p>I agree with NewHope33, that the girl's current family "crisis mode" is a recipe for failure, especially if she finds herself in over her head academically at the expensive private school. It sounds like they need time to resolve their unrelated crisis (especially if it might stand in the way of her ability to remain concentrated on academics) before they commit to either school. A year's deferred enrollment might be their best option. </p>
<p>They need more information concerning financial aid at the private school than might be available prior to May 1. Someone suggested that they call the school and find out if that information might now be available by phone. If they explain their circumstances, the school might be forthcoming with help and a deadline extension. Who knows? I feel sorry for the family, and the student in particular. But I think it's just not right to "be engaged" to two suitors.</p>
<p>texas137, what did your friend end up doing? A neighbor just told me that last year her daughter sent in 2 acceptances, with checks and everything, because the kid was so torn, and then in July, called one school and told them she was not going there.</p>
<p>I was curious, so I took a look at all of my D's acceptance letters, and only 1 letter actually states that "by sending in this form and your check you are stating that you have not accepted at any other school."</p>
<p>There are some schools that do stipulate that you cannot accept other schools as well, and if that is discovered the school can rescind their acceptance. If you include such a school as a multi accept, you run the risk of losing your place there. Otherwise, you just lose the money. The other potential problem would be if your highschool has a policy against permitting multi accepts.</p>