<p>I’m going on a gap year, and I don’t know if after spending a year abroad, I will feel the same way about state university/prestigious (expensive) university. if I were to double-deposit, I would not be taking someone’s spot as long as I commit definitively by May 2010. If there’s not that ethical flaw, what risks would I be taking? How risky is it that my acceptance would be rescinded?</p>
<p>There would still remain the ethical flaw that you were contracting to do something (attend two different colleges) that you had no intention of doing. A person of character does not look for excuses to do something he or she knows is wrong.</p>
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Uhm, I don’t see how the whole “taking up a waitlisted spot” thing is an issue. Don’t most schools accept students from the waitlist throughout May and sometimes even in June? Someone explain to me how that statement is accurate (assuming that you’re nullifying your enrollment in or before May). </p>
<p>Also – is it any different to enroll in a school and cancel your enrollment before May 1st?</p>
<p>^Schools still accept students off the waiting list in the summer because some of enrolled students get off the waiting list from other schools and they decide to enroll there. So it’s a neverending cycle…</p>
<p>This strikes me as being entirely analogous to fractional reserve banking; the money that one deposits in a bank is then lent out to another person, thus being “promised” to two people. However, many people don’t find this system immoral and don’t question banks’ integrity when they lend money. That’s probably because the system, under normal conditions, works – depositors don’t all queue up to withdraw their money simultaneously, so there’s no problem. Similarly, there’s no reason to believe that a group of students will send in deposits to School A only to withdraw en masse at the last moment. And, really, given the dubious and downright unethical practices that many schools employ (not to mention their possession of nearly all the leverage), I don’t see why people should bemoan their plight.</p>
<p>I never thought this as something unethical. I just happened to browse over this article in “ask the dean” </p>
<p>Here was my situation - A certain school told me that transfer housing was very competitive. To reserve a spot, I had to pay my tuition deposit AND my housing deposit. At the time, I did not know my financial aid situation at the school, or the other school I applied at. Luckily, the other school allowed me to sign up for the housing waitlist free of charge. Had they forced me to do the same, I probably would have double deposited. You tell me who is unethical. The fascists who tell you that you need to submit a nonrefundable deposit to secure very limited housing, or the student who trys to cover his/her bases.</p>
<p>I see both sides of the coin, and I wholeheartedly agree that schools should NOT be charging “nonrefundable” deposits of any type. It is a double edged sword for sure.</p>
<p>Result may differ from college to college. My DD deferred from a pre eminent state U., having deposited, in order to do a gap year. The gap year deferment contract specifically allowed her to reapply elsewhere ifs she so desired during her gap year. On interview during gap year other colleges specifically inquired whether she had deferred somewhere and made clear that they would only consider her so long as her deferment agreement did not include an obligation to enroll in the deferring U.</p>
<p>My d has been accepted at 2 colleges. With one clearly her first choice and we deposited. Her second choice school athletic coach called her and said if she could send her a tape by the end of July, she would PROBABLY let her on the team. (My daughter could not go to tryouts due to recovering from a knee reconstruction surgery). Well, if she gets on the team she would go to her second choice school…but she won’t know till July. Should we place 2 deposits??</p>
<p>I don’t have time to read this whole long thread and it’s an older one but double depositing is not be done. Check your colleges language, but you cannot hold a spot at two different schools simultaneously. One kid/one college…</p>
<p>Any suggestions ??</p>
<p>Call the coach and see if he can talk to admissions and have it treated like a wait list spot. If the coach takes her in July, then you lose the deposit at school one and deposit at school two. It’s not likely to be a scenario acceptable to anyone, but it can’t hurt to ask. Also, if your D applied using the Common App she signed off on the restriction against double depositing.</p>
<p>I wonder how one would get caught.</p>
<p>The college world in the US is a very small one. Some of the craziest and unlikeliest coincidences have happened. It is a risk when you do something like this.</p>
<p>girlcanDisco^^ Not to mention student loans are administered by colleges. I could see a potential problem with being committed to two colleges with that process. It’s an old thread but the question comes up every year. Not a good idea to put two colleges in play. Make a decision go forth with one college. Lots of point in life where a person has to make a decision between A and B…making a decision is an essential life skill.</p>
<p>If there are no rules about double dipping, then I see no problem in doing it. But if you have used the Common App and signed that statement saying you won’t do that, have a school involved that specifically tells you it is against their policy, or have a high school involved that has policies against this sort of thing, you shouldn’t do it. If you are caught, there are penalties involved. You can always lie, cheat,steal, commit crimes. Anyone can. It is not right to do so. When you do such things, you take the risk of getting caught and having to take the penalty. If the risk is worth it to you, then go right on ahead. I don’t think UVA has such policies so if you get caught, your decision on which school to attend is made. Unless I am wrong about UVA, that is.</p>
<p>since another international parent from southeast asia just post this question in another thread,
I just thought that >>> oversea HS << may go ahead & send in MULTIPLE ( we’re talking about more than 2 final transcripts) if the parents ask them to do so.
Those HS staff will go along w/ what those parents ask them to do…they don’t want to loose their office job & won’t tell these to any colleges ( why would they?)…so they will go along.
…and imagine that…if , every year, there are some international students doing that
& therefore holding up spots…boy! that would be a real issue !</p>
<p>I think there is a difference between procrastinating the deadline to choose for no reason other than your not sure, which is very selfish. But different than depositing at 2 schools for reasons you really do not have control over. I think this is not a black and white situation. If my d could get the assurance that she was on the team before May 1, there wouldn’t be a question. But of course, the coach cannot do that until she can see the DVD. The DVD cannot be made for six more weeks as my d has just been released after having major surgery. So a double bind. I went back and looked at the common application and I did not see anything that said what Carolyn posted above. I did find a link on the common app to the NACCA that said it. Perhaps her coach here can call the coach at the school and get more of an assurance.</p>
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<p>UVa uses the Common App. When you apply you agree to the terms of committing to only one institution.</p>
<p>As far as the financial aid packages go. Would you buy a car without knowing first how much it is going to cost you?? To make a decision by May 1 without having the financial aid information is teaching your children to be financially irresponsible. I would never buy a car, house, or school which can be upwards of 200,000 without knowing what my debt is going to be???</p>
<p>Fortunately that is not an issue for us. But if it was, there would be no question about the double depositing.</p>