Hello, I have been admitted to my number one choice of universities (NYU); however, my offer is contingent upon me spending my freshman year in London. I have been offered the option of placing myself on a wait-list to be in New York City as opposed to London. My dilemma is that in order to even be considered for a campus change, I must commit to NYU by submitting the deposit. My question is, is this wait-list different than the traditional wait-list for just receiving acceptance? I would like to send a deposit to NYU and one other school being that there is no way I could feel comfortable going to London my freshman year if NYU does not accept my request. I am fully aware that double depositing is unethical and unfair to both other students and the university itself, but wait-lists are a different story. Does my wait-list apply to this justification of retracting my commitment to one school?
There are certain rare cases where double-depositing can make sense. However, I don’t know if not wanting to spend your first year in London really can be considered one of them. How badly do you want NYU?
I’ve never wanted to be anywhere the way I’ve wanted to be at NYU, but it’s both insanely expensive and this program is very far away. I think that I would be comfortable taking the risk, meaning committing to NYU despite the potential of having to go to London, but my parents will not allow this- no exceptions. Therefore, the possibility of double depositing came to mind.
How fully do your parents support your attending NYU provided you can attend in NYC? Or do they truly prefer one of your other options?
Your situation is particularly challenging because your parents prohibit the London year. If they would approve of you attending the NYC campus, you should contact NYU and let them know that you are ready to commit, but you cannot do so if you must go to London.
I would consider the NYU to be like a waitlist, especially if you are clear that you will only go if you can start off on campus. You can always call NYU admissions to clarify things but IMO you do have to deposit with a school that your parents would allow you to attend if the NYU campus switch doesn’t pan out.
I did contact an NYU representative for the specific program I was admitted to leading me to the waitlist option that is solely for NYU global site changes. My parents are okay and fully supportive of me being in NYC (we have family there and I have been many times by myself comfortably), but NYU has made it clear that if they cannot grant my request to change to Manhattan I will be committed to London. I thought perhaps committing to 2 schools would remedy my situation; in a perfect world it would- I’d either get my wish and be in NYC or be at another school my parents are supportive of. I guess I’m just trying to navigate my moral compass because I feel like my reasons for double depositing are justified, but at the very same time, they are not.
You can check with your guidance counselor but with the information you just provided, I’m sorry to say that it sounds to me like you need to TD NYU and move on to another school. You have been accepted to a program at NYU that you simply can’t commit to. I wold go elsewhere, start on campus with your class and down the road you can see if there is a way you study for a semester or even a summer in NYC (if you/your parents prefer that to going abroad). Keep in mind that your life is just starting and if living in NYC for a time is a goal, there is plenty of time to do it.
First of all I would contact them now by email and explain that you want NYC, can they already consider you now. Waitlists often move in mid to late April. Unless there is a real reason to deposit to either school (priority course or dorm choice the sooner you deposit) I would wait until May 1 (or whatever your deadline) to deposit. I would have your guidance counselor call NYU to see what your chances of NYC are. I personally think this is a ridiculous situation, you did not apply to London, why would they offer you London or nothing.
Question, do they not even consider you for the wait list until you deposit? If you deposited tomorrow would that give you priority over other wait list candidates? Where on the wait list would you be? How many got off the London wait list last year? Obviously things that have to be researched or perhaps your GC knows or can find out.
Last year my niece was accepted Spring Admission for a school that while not her first choice, was a target (one category below NYU) and she preferred over the schools she had been accepted at. She was not interested in Spring Admission and refused the admission. On May 2 they called her and gave her 24 hours to decide if she wanted fall. She is there now.
As for double depositing, my niece’s friend had gotten into a peer school of NYU last year, On April 28 she got into a Tier 1 school that she wanted more than the school she was planning to accept. She was offered need based FA at every school she applied. For some reason the Tier 1 school did not have her package ready when she got off the Wait List and was not going to until after May 1. She called the NYU Peer school to ask for an extension until she could get FA from the Tier 1 school. They told her no, either she had to accept her offer on May 1 or forget it. They knew there was a good chance she would withdraw the acceptance to go to the Tier 1 school, they did not care. She did not want to wind up with nothing and accepted the offer of the NYU Peer. A week later she got her Tier 1 FA package (which ended up being better than the others) and accepted that school and withdrew her acceptance from the NYU Peer. No one seemed to have any hard feelings. In May if the school is a top school they will have no problems going to the wait list. Mid June or later is another story.
Yes, NYU requires me to commit by May 1 and then only after that date will they start to consider my request for a site change. I will definitely contact my GC as I completely overlooked that resource, so thank you. As for the double deposit, I would be completing an SIR for two schools at the same time and then ultimately going back on one (NYU or another school) which is unethical; however, I know waitlists are somewhat different. I’m really being selfish here and fearing that one or both schools will find out about the double deposit and rescind my acceptance to both and be left with no where to attend. When concerning a traditional waitlist, what exactly is the process like for a student who commits to one school and later finds out they got off the waitlist to their top choice? How do they notify the first school/ do they need to specifically explain that they were removed from the waitlist at a better school?
Yes there is a risk that if you deposit at two RD schools and they find out they will refuse you admission at both.
I think you still have time since you do not need to decide until May 1 (again assuming this does not penalize you in housing or class selection. Use your GC as a resource have him get a sense of the wait list chances.
Is it unaffordable for your parents or they do not like the idea of London? If it is the second one maybe give them a week or so to get used to the idea (or not!) However their answer may be the same then.
Choose another school. NYU doesn’t seem like it’s gonna work out, unfortunately. You have so much time to live in NYC, and you don’t have to do it in college.