<p>I found out today that I have been accepted to the University of Alabama. As a current National Merit Semi-Finalist (and likely Finalist), I am eligible for the “Top Scholars Program”, which offers the full value of tuition and housing for four years.</p>
<p>The MyBama website has a link for me to submit a “Freshman Enrollment Deposit”, which is described a “tuition prepayment deposit”.</p>
<p>Since I am being offered a full-ride, do I need to submit the $200 deposit? If so, will it be refunded?</p>
<p>Yes, you do need to submit a deposit…that lets Bama know that you want to go there. </p>
<p>Submit your housing deposit as well so you have a good choice of honors housing to choose from.</p>
<p>BTW…your NMF scholarship will cover the cost of honors housing (private room in a 4 bedroom suite…you don’t pay extra for that)</p>
<p>Technically, your deposits are “refunded” to you, but not really because the deposits get applied to the cost of your meal plan…so you pay less for that.</p>
<p>North Carolina and undecided (probably Political Science/Journalism/English).</p>
<p>What is the timeline for making these deposits? Bama isn’t my first choice school, but I won’t hear back from other schools in terms of admissions and financial aid until April.</p>
<p>Will I lose out on anything (Honors housing, etc.) by waiting until I’ve heard until April to submit the deposits?</p>
<p>Some incoming honors freshmen who delayed their deposits last year experienced a bit of heartache when it came time for room selection. My advice is to deposit now, in part because: “A freshman who decides not to attend UA will receive a full refund of his/her prepayment as long as that student cancels his/her housing application in writing to Housing and Residential Communities by June 1, 2011. Students who cancel their housing between June 2 and July 1 will receive a refund of $125.00. To cancel, e-mail <a href=“mailto:chewitt@sa.ua.edu”>chewitt@sa.ua.edu</a>.” </p>
<p>Last year those who were NMF and waited to deposit found that while an honors room was reserved for them, it wasn’t in the building or area that they wanted (or with the suitemates that they wanted).</p>
<p>I would call housing and find out if they are setting aside honors housing for NMFs again this year. While they did do that last year, I don’t know if that is what they always do.</p>
<p>Your housing deposit is refundable if you don’t go to Bama.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, you are the best! We, also, have not yet sent in DS’s deposits, but I guess we’d better do that pronto!</p>
<p>Like the OP, we had been waiting to hear back from other schools (UNC Chapel Hill on Jan. 21, Appalachian State on Jan. 25). Plus, we had asked Belmont Abbey College to refund our $400 deposit, and they haven’t had a chance to do that yet. (Don’t even get me started on our Belmont Abbey Horror Story!! I sent them a very polite, gracious email last week, but the gist could be boiled down to: “Kiss Our Grits!” LOL!)</p>
<p>Right now, Western Carolina Univ. and Univ. of Alabama have proved more promising than other schools where DS has been accepted. WCU awarded him $6K in merit aid automatically – no pesky interview nonsense! ($6K covers about half of WCU’s very modest COA.) I think DS would thrive at WCU – but it has no classics department whatsoever. (DS may minor in classics; has been studying Latin and Greek forever.) Lack of classics is definitely NOT a deal-breaker…DS could always do summer school. But Univ of Alabama has it <em>all</em> – huge history faculty (his major) plus lots of classics offerings. </p>
<p>Hmmm, I think I just talked myself into making those UA deposits ASAP…</p>
<p>Ever been to Cullowee? If your DS is an outdoorsman, I’d agree that he would thrive at WCU. The idea of fishing mountain streams between classes or skiing in the winter would be wonderful distraction.</p>
<p>loring – we’ve been to Pisgah Inn (near Cullowhee??) but not to Cullowhee itself. DS LOVES the mountains and Appalachian culture. He’s also an avid hiker. That’s why he applied to WCU, UNC Asheville, and AppState.</p>
<p>Because he was home-schooled, he would probably thrive at a smaller school where he could get lots of attention / guidance from faculty. I understand that WCU is great for this.</p>
<p>U of A is huge…but of course the Honors College is like a school within a school, right? </p>
<p>Is ‘Freshman enrollment deposit’ different from ‘Housing deposit’ ? When I try to submit the enrollment deposit, I get a message that this deposit is nonrefundable. If they are different, can I submit the housing deposit without submitting the enrollment deposit?</p>
<p>I thought the enrollment deposit was refundable as long as you request the refund in writing before May 1? (Or am I getting this mixed up with another school, LOL?)</p>
<p>It’s really hard to find the link where you submit the enrollment deposit. You have to go to Academic Something-or-Other under MyBama…am trying to remember the exact name of the link. The enrollment deposit stuff is buried, in other words. I’ve discovered that this is true for a lot of college sites: They have lousy usability. Their web developers need a copy of Don’t Make Me Think, the classic intro to web usability. (Maybe they figure, well, they’re colleges, and it’s their business to make us think, LOL. But do they really want to make it hard for us to pay them money? Oy!)</p>
<p>FRESHMAN ENROLLMENT DEPOSIT
Upon admission to UA, all entering freshmen are required to submit a $200 nonrefundable Freshman Enrollment Deposit (Fall tuition prepayment). Here are a few things to remember about the enrollment deposit and how it fits into the Admissions process: The Freshman Enrollment Deposit must be paid before applying for housing or registering for orientation. The deadline for payment of the Freshman Enrollment Deposit is May 1, 2011.
Further instructions will be sent via myBama email to students who are admitted to UA.</p>
<p>The Freshman Deposit is needed so that Bama has an idea of who is coming or not. </p>
<p>The housing deposit is refundable. </p>
<p>Warning…those who waited last year to do their deposits were quite upset to learn that their housing choices were affected by waiting so long.</p>
<p>People have to keep in mind that when you wait it’s like waiting to book a hotel in a popular vacation destination spot…the longer you wait, the less likely you’re going to get the hotel of your choice. </p>
<p>The housing selection process is “first deposit, first pick”.</p>
That’s why he applied to WCU, UNC Asheville, and AppState.</p>
The Freshman Enrollment Deposit must be paid before applying for housing or registering for orientation.