<p>Once your student is accepted at a college there will be pressure from the colleges and maybe from your student to make that housing deposit. Colleges will tell you that housing is assigned on a first come, first serve basis and that the better dorms and rooms will be given to the people that say they clearly want to attend by putting down a deposit. Some colleges will say that students that put down a deposit will even have an edge on picking out their freshman classes. </p>
<p>Putting down a deposit at two colleges is not the same as say, making a reservation at two restaurants or hotels, planning to decide later which one is more convenient. Colleges, especially small colleges, are guesstimating how much room they have left for marginal students dependent on how many students accept their offers. Depositing is your handshake agreement that yes, you will be attending that school in the fall.</p>
<p>Some colleges DO allow double depositing and will even say it's refundable (or at least a portion of it) until May 1st. Others will not and will tell you that if you do so, they will rescind any admissions offers. I'm a big planner and feel more comfortable when things are all settled, papers signed and plans made but when it comes to making that final decision of where my son's going to college, we plan on just one check being sent in. But, as usual on this forum, that's JMHO.</p>
<p>Do not have a deposit at more than one school after May first, and make sure to withdraw any unwanted acceptances of admissions as soon as you possible can. But, it is not unethical until May 1st. And colleges most certainly ask for deposits LONG before that date.</p>
<p>Last year S2’s second choice school DEMANDED a deposit BEFORE May 1st or he would lose his scholarship. We were still working out a package with his top choice. We told them that, but they DEMANDED the deposit. We deposited reluctantly. Two days later his top choice came through with a great package. He deposited at his top choice, and withdrew at the second school just before May 1. They kept the deposit and insisted that it was their right to demand the student deposit before May 1. It was a school son was excited about and was very interested in but that incident killed any interest he had in the place.</p>
<p>We really felt this pressure to send in a deposit early without all of the financial offers on the table. I remember the pressure all too well. The pressure was caused by promises of early priority registration, priority housing, and a very early meeting with an advisor.</p>
<p>I think some of the schools at the tippy top do have clearing house situations and communicate with each other vis-a-vis deposits. But, they aren’t really the issue, imho. State schools ask for deposits very early. But, again, it is not unethical to double deposit up until May 1st. </p>
<p>If a school unethically keeps your deposit, I would suggest getting in touch with your state representative. They will generally be very helpfull in facilitating its return, when dealing with a state school. FYI</p>
<p>I would add one thing. It was my experience that the public unis might ask for a housing deposit ASAP after the acceptance letter arrives. This is separate from the college tuition deposit and if you have a student that has applied and been accepted at a public school with a known housing shortage, and if you think there is a chance your student might end up at this school, it is perfectly OK to send in a housing deposit. Do check on how refunding happens with these housing deposits if your student does not attend.</p>
<p>Just want to emphasize momofthreeboy’s point:</p>
<p>Housing Deposit. Tuition Deposit. Two different things. Check the specific rules if you are considering sending a “to be safe” deposit to one school while waiting to hear from another. Some schools specifically encourage you to send a housing deposit even ifyou are not sure you will attend to put yourself in a good position for limited housing slots.</p>
<p>I understand that many people on a waiting list for one college will put down a non-refundable deposit on a second college on the day of the deadline for that second college. </p>
<p>In a perfect world, they would contact the second college, explain the situation, and ask for a 45day extension from the second college. </p>
<p>I’m curous to hear how people have handled that situation, which comes up often.</p>
<p>Kathiep - isn’t that article discussing TUITION deposit rather than a HOUSING deposit? I thought housing is OK and tuition is a no go. Of course, I am often wrong…</p>
<p>I know of one family who couldn’t decide. Their daughter got into two wonderful schools, but waitlisted at her top choice. What to do? They hemmed. They hawed. They probably called WL school too. Finally, May 1st came and still they had not decided. </p>
<p>They sent in two deposits, both top LACs in the northeast. It was tempting to notify both schools, but of course I didn’t get involved. Eventually, she attended one of those schools, but my view of their entitled behavior never left. I always wondered if another student didn’t get accepted off the WL from her eventually-rejected school as a result of her selfish “money-talks” attitude. </p>
<p>We already put the deposit down for D’s #1 choice that she got into via EA. Have we set her up for a lower merit scholarship than she might have otherwise been offered? (there’s no financial need, however she is a top in-state student).</p>
<p>At my kids´ private secondary school, they have to put a deposit down by April 1, and they have up until June 1 to withdraw (even with their deposit money back), but after June 1 they are responsible for the whole year´s tuition. I think colleges should start doing that, make students be responsible for at least a whole semester of tuition/room and board. The only out would be if a student were to get off a WL, and that could be very easily proven by showing an acceptance letter.</p>
<p>To answer charlieschm - all WL schools would tell you to make a deposit to one accepted school because there is no guarantee you could get off the WL. When and if that happens, then you could decide if you want to accept or not. If you should decide to accept the WL offer then you would withdraw from the school you have put a deposit to. Then that school would select a student off its WL to talk your spot. This is what we called “summer melt.”</p>
<p>when my D was accepted by her original first choice school ( I am sure it was rolling admissions- because I also remember attending a scholarship award “party” in December.), it was strongly suggested we put down a housing deposit which we did. ( this was a public school) She still had the others to hear from , but in march when she heard from her reach, we contacted the other schools & sent an acceptance of admission to her choice.</p>
<p>nj2011mom, S1 was accepted to big state u. early and sent in the deposit before Thanksgiving. He applied for and received two merit scholarships from the univ. At his school, there was a deadline for applying for the merit apps. As long as he met the deadline everyone was on a level playing field.</p>
<p>I just wish schools would work with families regarding financial aid packages before demanding an acceptance. When I found out I was losing my job last March, I requested a financial aid review with S’s first choice and they said they wouldn’t even talk with us until after the May 1 deadline, which meant we would have to accept their initial offer not knowing what other aid he could get. His second choice, however, couldn’t have been more helpful. All I had to do was fax them the letter I recieved notifying them of my layoff and they reduced his EFC and provided additional grant money. Guess where S is now?</p>
<p>I know of a college grad who put a deposit down on a school
–and then got off wait list so put down deposit on second school and cancelled first (I think losing deposit or patial)
…only to then get off wait list of third school and put down deposit and cancelled second school…</p>
<p>Summer melt is part of the shift / waitlist process so my guess is thats not a double deposit–right?</p>
<p>I know of a state school that asks for a housing deposit within weeks of application (long before admission confirmation)
The housing deposit is nominal, yet is non refundable and does not guarantee housing even if your student is accpeted!
Talk about a money maker!</p>