<p>If one puts down the 500 dollar deposit and fills out the housing form, are they contractually bound to any other payments/obligations? Say someone did this today and decided on April 23 that they would prefer XYZ University. Could they get out?</p>
<p>People are admitted off the waitlist and do not go to the school for which they submitted a deposit all the time. It is called summer melt. This typically occurs after May 1, however. I doubt one is under any legal obligation to attend if one changes one’s mind before May 1, but kiss the deposit goodbye. Still, it is not considered good form to do so.</p>
<p>You can even decide later, if for example, you got off a waitlist. But you might very well not get your deposit back.</p>
<p>EDIT, since we cross-posted. As long as you are willing to give up the deposit, I don’t see that it’s such poor form. But if you’re unsure, why not wait until May 1? An early deposit gives you some advantage in choosing housing, but truly, you’re likely to come to love any place you end up.</p>