<p>We have paid enrollment deposits for 2 universities for our S. One gives him full tuition and other one need based aid for almost the full tuition in a top college.....We are concerned that they may not give the same amount next year even though they said that the aid will remain the same as long as our financial situation does not change. We are confused between the two. So we have paid enrollment deposit for the two. How long can we hold the seat like this? Please advise. Thanks.</p>
<p>We can’t tell you this. We don’t know your financial ability to pay any difference if the award were to change, the benefits specific to your son at each school, etc. No one can tell another family what something is ‘worth’ as it’s subjective to many factors. As for how long can you hold two deposits? Most schools, including those that use the common app, include a statement stating you will only commit (i.e. deposit) to one school, so the answer to that is you’re probably already doing something you’re not supposed to. How long you do that is up to you ethically.</p>
<p>I was under the impression that it was against some college “rule”…and that if either college found out (not sure how they would) one or both would be within their rights to pull the plug.</p>
<p>We didn’t know that… We will decide today. Thanks.</p>
<p>I believe that somewhere on the common application, it states that only one enrollment deposit should hold be made. </p>
<p>By depositing someo,ace where YOUR student is not planning to matriculate, you are withholding both an admissions spot, and potentially some aid for a student on their wait list. Sorry…but I think you really should make your decison NOW.</p>
<p>As mentioned by others, you need to be very careful because this is in violation with the agreement you signed. The top school (probably an Ivy based on your previous posts) could potentially withdraw their acceptance. If aid from the top school is need based (pretty certain it is), then you are better off with it because the amount will not change if your family’s financial situation doesn’t change.</p>
<p>If you signed anything in the application or if your schools have any rules against this, your student could be doing something unethical. </p>
<p>How long were you planning to hold onto to both seats? He can only go to one school. Unless your son got an award that is guaranteed for future years with zero stipulations, it is possible for any award to change or go away. Merit awards often have a gpa requirement and if your student doesn’t make those marks, he loses the award. Mine did. For financial aid, your student is getting the award for NEED. If that changes, the award will change. You win the lottery or get a huge raise, you don’t really expect the aid package to stay the same do you?</p>
<p>Usually, schools are pretty good about renewing aid to levels similar to previous years’. The price generally goes up, and the amount a student is supposed to take personal responsibility for tends to go up too. Even Harvard has a required student contribution, and it does increase each year. Where it gets tricky is at schools that do not guarantee to meet full need, when something happens in the future, like sibling starting college or a drastic drop in circumstances, whether the aid will correspondingly increase. A lot of times it will not,at such school, but getting any kind of commitment from them on this in writing is futile as they, themselves cannot predict what the circumstance in the future will be.</p>
<p>I agree with Thumper. You’ve had lots of time to gather information you need. You’re just delaying a decision that your student is going to have to make. Plus, you’re hurting someone on the wait list by depriving him/her of the space that your student is holding.</p>