Has anyone else mentioned that you cannot double deposit? It’s unethical and also not allowed. She doesn’t get to “hold” spaces at multiple colleges.
You are rushing for no reason. Give her some time to figure it out. And do not double deposit. If one college finds out you’ve done so, they will rescind her acceptance. It’s time for her to make adult decisions, and it’s time for you to let her.
^^ I agree, it seems way too early to make decision now. We are not even in 2020 yet.
As far as double deposit, I don’t see any problem with that. Would love to hear others’s perspective.
My take on it is very popular…take it however you like…
Money expert Dave Ramsey tells students: Skip the ‘dream’ college and go to school where you can afford
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/07/dave-ramsey-tells-students-go-to-school-where-you-can-afford.html
@Lindagaf is that true even for large public schools that want kids to give housing deposits asap? I know people who have given that deposit if the school was truly an option and they are still waiting on other decisions. If they waited, they were afraid their D wouldn’t get housing (or good housing?not sure).
@Nhatrang I don’t believe you can send an enrollment deposit to more than one school.
What I was proposing to ease OP’s mind on the school with tight housing was just a housing deposit IF it is separate from the enrollment deposit. At my daughter’s school there was no enrollment deposit, just a housing deposit and it was refundable. If that was offered at that one school, they could put that down and decide on enrollment later.
We sent housing deposits to two different schools. We only had to accept admission to one of the two to put down the housing deposit. The other school didn’t even make you wait to see if you were accepted yet, you could get in line for housing as soon as it opened. I don’t see anything unethical about that.
oops…I meant to say “unpopular”.
https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/ethics
Scroll to the end on the ethics of double depositing.
My son is torn between 4 schools and the net price is almost exactly the same between all of them. If he would have gotten into his “dream” school, it would have been damn near free!
You cannot double deposit. @Nhatrang @cshell2 . Anyone here can google umpteen articles about why it’s not allowed. If you did it, you perhaps didn’t realize why it’s wrong. Read the link above. It’s clear. And yes, you risk being rescinded if the college finds out. There is only one exception, as outlined in the article.
In a nutshell, only one college can be attended. Your student is not so special that it’s their right for other students to be deprived a place, and for colleges to base their calculations on your child’s indecisiveness, simply because your child can’t make a mature decision.
It’s not allowed and it’s unethical. Housing is not going to be snapped up at this early point. I’d say that anyone depositing by February is going to have plenty of choice.
It’s really sad that many people clearly aren’t aware. High school counselors need to tell students about this.
@homerdog all schools want kids to deposit asap. They might send mailings that make it seem that students lose out if they don’t deposit right away. It’s a sales tactic, isn’t it?
There are separate housing deposits at some schools though that have nothing to do with accepting admission.
@cshell2 , ok, thanks for clarifying.
^^ yeah i thought we were talking about putting down the deposit to keep your housing spot. For most schools (that i know of anyway), you have until May 1 to make the decision to attend the school, so why would anyone have to put down the deposits before May 1. I am sure there are schools who want to know before May 1.
You can’t double admissions deposits, but you can put down any number of housing deposits.
Just make sure the housing deposit isn’t also an admissions deposit.
We did a couple of housing deposits…all were refundable.
We did two housing deposits. One was also an admission deposit. You had to do them both together. It is 90% refundable. The other school deposit is straight housing, but not refundable at all. At least it’s only $50. There is guaranteed housing for freshman, but DS wanted a particular LLC and he didn’t want to be in housing on the other campus a 20 minute bus ride away.
My older son got the far away dorm because he dithered till April 29. He liked it so much he elected to stay in that dorm a second year. Younger son also waited till April 29. He almost applied ED to a school that ended up being his last choice of the schools that accepted him. While it was frustrating for me - it was their decision and I wanted them to be sure that they were happy with it.
So… it’s been a while since i checked this thread. It seems I’ve missed a lot. LOL.
I’m jealous of those of you that said the schools housing deposits are refundable. And I agree that it’s her decision but it’s a big decision. Mostly I want to help her understand the ramifications of waiting or not waiting.
And the school are emailing constantly. Is this normal? It makes me feel pressured which I’m sure is the point.
She has 6 schools. 3 she’s heard from, 3 she will hear from in march/april. I had her do a decision matrix and she’s really down to 3 schools. 2 she’s heard from and 1 that will be in April.
One of the schools has a non refundable conformation deposit. Can you put the deposit down for that school but then change your mind if one of the later schools accepts her? I thought you could but this thread is making me wonder.
Hi Everybody, I’m a new member and wish I had been on here last year! What we’ve all been through this past few months as parents. I love this discussion right now and so helpful.
My son applied to 11 schools. He’s been accepted to, and received healthy merit aid from, five schools so far. All great contenders. He really ONLY applied to schools where his profile fit the “middle 50th percentile” and slightly above that. I almost wish we had encouraged him to apply to a school he’d never get into, just so he could experience the rejection!!!
It’s almost as if he’s thinking, if they are accepting me, they must not be a good school!!! I’m kind of joking, but not!
One school has almost offered him a full ride and he’s like “meh, it’s not UIUC or University of Oregon”. Anyone else have this problem?
On deciding: We are going to visit a few schools in January/February and then wait until all the financial aid and scholarships are processed (February???). We will then lay out all the info on the table and decide on a few that make sense (financially and fit) and then it’s up to him.