I’ve been accepted to my state’s University in their College of Engineering through rolling admission.
I have applications pending regular decision to several Ivy League reach schools. I am a solid applicant but obviously there is no way to predict the outcome of these applications.
Is it OK to accept at the state school pending May 1 decisions? I am not sure if they will not complete my housing request till I send in the acceptance deposit.
If I was accepted at one of the Ivy League schools, I would withdraw my acceptance to the state school as long as the finances worked out.
Or do I just wait 5 months for all decisions to be out?
Thank you for your advice concerning the right thing to do!
It depends. Some colleges (unethically, it opinion) do tie housing to the initial deposit. So if you delay in the enrollment deposit, you can’t sign up for housing. Sometimes there is a separate housing deposit, too. I think you need to ask the following questions:
Do you have to commit to the college and make your enrollment deposit to sign up for housing?
Are any of the deposits refundable if you change your mind? (Sometimes the housing one is)
If the deposits are non-refundable, are you willing to give them up if you change your mind and don’t attend?
You can’t double deposit – but you can deposit at one school, and withdraw if you change your mind, losing the deposit. You need to do the withdrawal before sending In a new deposit elsewhere, though, so you are not double deposited. It isn’t a great solution, but colleges that play this housing game prior to May 1 are obnoxious.
Most of the public flagships my son was admitted to in the fall had separate procedures to reserve housing. Typically, it was something like a $200 deposit for the room, which, if you did not accept the admission decision, all but perhaps $50 or $75 was refunded upon notice that you were enrolling elsewhere. He hedged his bets by signing up for housing at the schools where housing is assigned on a first-deposited first assigned basis. Then we processed our refunds when he decided to attend another (public) school which had a random housing assignment.
This was particularly common with midwest publics – Iowa, Indiana etc. Just how its done, sign up to hold your place in line, then get the refund if you don’t attend.
Amen. If you can afford to lose the deposit (or will get it back) and you have to give one to secure housing, do it.
I HATE that some universities do this, IMO it’s their way of getting around the May 1 response deadline all reputable colleges agree to (obviously not ED schools).
Housing registration choices can be very limited if you wait til May 1 to pay your housing deposit. You are basically at the end of the line of all the other enrolled students. Where you live, especially your freshman year, is an important part of connecting with others and finding your tribe.
Check with your college to see what their policies are for refunds. And ask your parents if they are willing to lose a housing deposit if you make it into your reach Ivy school. (Maybe you could go in with your parents and share the housing deposit expense in case you end up losing it.)
I had a small school that accepted me in November (last year) and wanted me to commit within two weeks. I thought that was absolutely ridiculous. I had to email my admissions rep to tell him that I needed until May 1 to survey all of my options, when in reality I had never really seriously considered it at all.
Saying that, I did consider them the “bronze medalists” of my college search.
@powercropper I sent in the housing deposit to my school on May 1 and ended up getting the most luxurious dorm possible.
We got a housing deposit request for a school that has not even sent acceptances yet! They sent an email to DS saying you should send in money now- you could miss out if you wait to hear if you are admitted! smh
Friend’s daughter waited last minute to send in deposit and got a forced triple dorm room. She is in the Honors college. It seems to really depend on the college, so call and ask.