<p>And what happens when more schools do the same as Alabama?</p>
<p>IMO requiring housing deposits was pushing the May 1st decision date to which schools had agreed. Alabama adding on the enrollment deposit requirement just increases the the arm twisting about enrollment decisions via housing shortages to another level. </p>
<p>I don’t think this is that big a deal however like most of these things those most affected will be the students from the poorest families. For middle class families and above burning a deposit or two will just be a cost of optimizing their child’s school selection … however for families that can’t afford to burn $250/$500/$750 this policy limits the choices the schools agreement to the May 1st date was supposed to ensure.</p>
<p>My daughter didn’t enroll at U of South Carolina in the end…it was her second choice. She had no dorm preference so we did not send in a housing deposit either.</p>
<p>I think it’s unethical of schools to use economic blackmail to get money out of students before they’ve had a chance to compare all their offers. (U of Chicago is guilty of this too, btw, if you wanted a good room you had to tell them before May 30 - I gave them a piece of my mind at accepted students weekend a few years ago, but since they just goggled at me - I doubt they’ve changed their practice.) Anyway, given that I think the schools are wrong to do this, I wouldn’t hesitate to give them the enrollment deposit and to be double deposited until my kid had a chance to figure out where to go.</p>
<p>This last year my DS deposited early at Alabama because he wanted to be sure of honors housing. Then when he got into Auburn and they too wanted a enrollment deposit before you could put down a housing deposit. I said NO. It’s one thing when the deposits are low but quite another when you start talking about hundreds of dollars. In the end he ended up at Georgia Tech and we lost the enrollment deposit at UA. If a kid is not sure which school he wants to commit to you can easily end up with a lot of dollars out there in housing/enrollment deposits.</p>
<p>My DD will be attending UA in the fall. I don’t see this as “pushing the decision date” up from May 1 or “economic blackmail”. You still have until May 1 to make a decision, but then you don’t get “first dibs” on the housing choices. Campus Housing will ensure rooms are available to all incoming freshman - but it may not be the type of room you want, the location you prefer and definitely will not be with the roommates of your choice. </p>
<p>UA is known for its numerous “suite style” dorms - that are like living in an Embassy Suites. Many kids and parents prefer this style - but they are much more expensive than traditional dorms. Some sorority girls prefer a traditional style dorm because its near sorority row and some families with limited funds want the cheapest option available. To secure your option the school wants a $200 non-refundable enrollment deposit and a $250 housing deposit. If you do not attend UA, $225 is refunded and you are “out” $225. </p>
<p>Given the size of the generous scholarships that UA is providing, and thus its popularity as a safety, I don’t see a problem asking for a small deposit for housing priority - if having a choice matters to you.</p>
<p>I will re-iterate. For <em>me</em> it isn’t the cost of the deposit. It’s the labeling it as an “enrollment” deposit and telling me it is “binding,” (which was what I was told on the phone) which is separated from a “housing” deposit. Just charge more for a housing deposit if the school needs the cash to cover the inconvenience of not knowing until May 1st, but please don’t drag me into this murky quagmire of whether or not it’s “ethical” to make an enrollment deposit somewhere when there will be yet-to-be-made decisions coming from Common App schools. Other schools allow a housing deposit without an enrollment deposit.</p>
<p>There’s is no reason housing offices can’t wait until all the decisions are in before giving out housing. This system ensures that those with the disposable income to put down money ahead of time jump to the head of the line. But if you’ve got the money I wouldn’t worry about other schools getting upset.</p>
<p>Not murky at all. It’s binding until you find something better and withdraw.</p>
<p>One California public even has this practice for Early Decision applicants. (In info sessions, Cal Poly SLO says to apply ED but you can back out anytime AFTER decisions are made.)</p>
<p>^I might agree with putting down ONE enrollment deposit and then withdrawing it as you suggest, but what if more than one school pushes for this? </p>
<p>I’m still not sure I would even do one enrollment deposit if I didn’t know for sure. I just would not want to do <em>anything</em> that would violate the requirements of the Common App. Maybe I am ridiculously paranoid. Or goofy. Or something else.</p>
<p>Also, in my last comment…I did NOT mean to come across as not having sympathy for those who cannot afford to make multiple deposits. I am! It just further illustrates the problems associated with enrollment deposits being required to make housing deposits. Issues arise for many reasons with such a system.</p>
<p>I don’t like the practice of asking for ANY deposits ahead of time other than ED students. It can put those who are working on a very tight budget at severe disadvantage, even in the best case scenarios where the housing deposit it returned in full. Scraping up the money can be a problem for some kids, and it isn’t fair that they may not get a room, end up in outer Siberia and cannot be put on a priority list for the least expensive rooms. I think it’s a rotten thing for colleges to ask for these deposits and it is unethical in some cases too, and puts a student in a position where the best option is for them to behave unethically. </p>
<p>My one son applied to a number of schools that required housing deposits for first come first serve dibbs on housing options. That school also wanted an enrollment commitment and on top of that specifically stated that if it got wind that you sent out other such commitments, it would drop you. What the heck? I think that is unethical on their part to ask for any of these things before May 1. Another school wanted the money but did not care if you weren’t ready to commit, but you did lose your enrollment money. The whole think stunk, in my opinion.</p>
<p>beadymom-- From what I remember, UT-Austing requires only a housing deposit (as soon as you are accepted) for the contract-- I did not also pay an enrollment deposit to UT, but paid my contract fee in early December. I believe that’s the case, anyways. You can make your housing contract before you even accept UT’s offer of admission.</p>
<p>D’s school required Enrollment deposit before allowing a housing deposit. Enrollment deposit was refundable but housing was not. We actually did put enrollment deposits down at 2 schools but neither were particularly selective. I didn’t realize it “wasn’t done”…Of course this was before the May 1 date and we notified school 1 so we could get our deposit back.</p>
<p>I just looked at TAMU & UT Austin online and want to apologize. I thought I heard them say in the info session that you had to pay the enrollment deposit for one if not both of those schools. In looking at the info online, UT allows you to apply for housing as soon as your application is complete and TAMU allows you to apply as soon as you are admitted. </p>
<p>Thank you, purpleacorn, for pointing that out.</p>
<p>I like the way Clemson does their housing. You are put in the housing queu based on when you apply to the university. This kind of forces you to apply early but doesn’t cost more.</p>
<p>We had this issue with Penn State who does not accept a housing deposit without an enrollment deposit. We put down the deposit early to ensure he had a choice when it came to housing even though he hadn’t received all his acceptances or fin aid awards. When he decided Penn State was no longer an option, he emailed them telling them he wasn’t enrolling and cancelled his housing contract. The next day, I paid the deposit at the school he will be attending next month. The deposit at Penn State was nonrefundable.</p>
<p>I think many students do deposit at UA without knowing for sure they will attend. It a widely used safety here and with rolling admissions I suspect many deposit there before they hear from UGA, etc. The solution of cancelling an acceptance at one before depositing at the other is a good one, but I am guessing that many do double deposit in this case.</p>