<p>Ok. The housing contract came with a Feb 1 deadline, which is probably BEFORE some other universities will send notification. So I guess one sacrifices student housing if one waits to hear from other colleges. Is that right?</p>
<p>Did you read the papers they sent you? It is well before you may get decisions from other colleges, but you can get your deposit back, and you will. If you *may *want to go here and definitely want to live in the dorms, send in your deposit and contract. The confirmation deadline to attend here isn’t even until May 1st, and they know that.</p>
<p>Again, if you don’t want to attend, you will get your money back if you sent it in just in case. No big deal.</p>
<p>It seems that in the past there was less time given to decide if you wanted Res Halls. Two months is plenty of time to read all of the fine print on public and private dorms, any other choices in Madison. The only catch is that IF you attend UW you are committed to the dorms if you sign the contract for Res Halls, otherwise they refund your money if you request it directly from Res Halls (separate from any deposit to UW). Any contracts from private housing sources may be binding regardless if you plan to be in Madison next year or not. You also get to change your Res Halls dorm preferences next spring, no worry about your rankings now. Some schools give assignment preferences based on the order contracts are received (U of Minn does I believe), but since UW does the lottery there is no pressure to rush the decision before your deadline.</p>
<p>Wis75: Yes, that’s is what I thought before I read the contract, that one gets one’s money back if one backs out of attending and notifies them by May 3. But it also says one is released from the contract ONLY IF (not IF, i.e., necessary, not a sufficient condition) one no longer plans to attend the University. And the wording of the contract seems to say that eligibility to enter into the contract presupposes enrollment (i.e., paying the enrollment fee). So I am exploring the implications of enrolling as a necessary condition of signing the contract. </p>
<p>A decision tree would be nice to have, but I think once I understand the fine print I’ll be able to make one. I am sure there are informal explanations and common practices, but they may not track with the actual contract, nor do they deal with other related/connected issues such as the issue of needing to enroll and the effect on timing an application to learning-environment dorms.</p>
<p>[Applications</a>, Contracts and Room Assignments](<a href=“http://www.housing.wisc.edu/assignments/contracts_checklist.php]Applications”>http://www.housing.wisc.edu/assignments/contracts_checklist.php)</p>
<p>“And the wording of the contract seems to say that eligibility to enter into the contract presupposes enrollment (i.e., paying the enrollment fee).”</p>
<p>Where have you seen that, because I haven’t?</p>
<p>They don’t hold you to the contract if you don’t enroll, so long as you meet the final notification date in May. Period.</p>
<p>“And the wording of the contract seems to say that eligibility to enter into the contract presupposes enrollment (i.e., paying the enrollment fee).”</p>
<p>"Where have you seen that, because I haven’t? "</p>
<p>In section 1 on eligibility it mentions only enrolled students, not admitted.</p>
<p>I called and they said what barrons said: anyone can send them $50 and a contract (I guess even if they are not admitted or enrolled), and by May 1 all they have to say is they want to exit the contract. Period. Of course the contract doesn’t say anything about the wider eligibility…it must be implied in lawyers’ minds.</p>
<p>Don’t complicate things by looking for bizarre loopholes others may think of. Know that YOU have been offered a contract, binding if you attend UW, deposit refunded if you let Res Halls know you won’t attend by May 3rd. Keep it simple. It is straightforward, many thousands of students have no problems with any fine print or understanding the contract rules.</p>
<p>Thousands may have gone before but all individuals/families go through it a first time. I encourage my kids to get clarification on financial/other matters they don’t understand. It’s a good practice in life. </p>
<p>Diogenes, the contract says:</p>
<ol>
<li>ELIGIBILITYYou must be an enrolled student at the
University of WisconsinMadison or otherwise determined
eligible by the Director of Housing.</li>
</ol>
<p>Seems to me if you have been admitted and they send you a contract, the Director of Housing has otherwise determined your eligibility.</p>
<p>Read the fine print and trust this known organization to not be hiding bizarre loopholes. </p>
<p>For apartment and other private housing also read the fine print and compare it to Res Halls, ask questions about omissions and differences if they are unclear. In the future it will be important to realize that you won’t like everything about any contract but by comparing several different companies’ leases you will learn what is standard for an area - ie what you have to accept regardless of where you rent. Once you are on campus you will also be able to use word of mouth evaluations of property management companies- such as who is good with maintenance and full return of security deposits. </p>
<p>Remember to read the checkoff list from Res Halls- it’s online and very clear about the obligation you do incur.</p>