<p>Can you pay the non refundable deposit for a college just to reserve the seat but later decide not to go there?</p>
<p>Jus wondering thanks</p>
<p>In general, no. There are some situations in which you can, but if they were relevant you would be more than “just wondering”.</p>
<p>The deposit in effect tells the college you are going there in September. They plan on you attending and on your tuition. That affects their hiring, the dorm space, etc. It also restricts them from accepting someone else on the waitlist. Do not send in a deposit unless you plan on attending. Save your money and make a decision. It’ll help you, the college, and others who want to go there.</p>
<p>What if you put a deposit down and get accepted off a waitlist a few weeks later?</p>
<p>Waitlists are one of the exceptions. Up until at least the end of July, you can enroll in a school you got waitlisted at, even if you’ve already paid a deposit elsewhere.</p>
<p>A deposit does not require you to absolutely attend that institution. It saves your space there. Every year, some students do not end up at the college/university where they have paid a deposit. The colleges/universities are fully aware of this phenomenon, and even have a name for it “Summer Melt”. The reasons for not showing up, are as varied as the potential students themselves. </p>
<p>However, it is a kindness to everyone involved if you are very careful about where you make your deposit. Make certain that it is (at least at the time you make that deposit) the place you fully intend to go. If you get off a wait list, or decide to join the Marines, or whatever, let the college/university know as soon as possible. That way the space that was being held for you can be given to someone else.</p>
<p>Yes, you can put down a deposit and not go. All that happens is that you lose your deposit. What you can’t do is put down deposits at more than one school at the same time. If either college learns you’ve done that both may withdraw their acceptances.</p>
<p>I always like to use this analogy - you can’t be engaged to more than one person at the same time. Just because you are engaged it doesn’t mean you have to get married, but being engaged to multiple people is just not a nice thing to do.</p>
<p>As noted above students on waitlists and who have appealed rejections should make plans, including commitment deposits, while they wait to hear about their waitlist/appeal decisions. Students who are appealing financial aid awards or still waiting to hear about their aid packages should also either ask for extensions from their financial safety school or place a commitment deposit to insure they have an option if the hoped-for funds do not materialize.</p>
<p>In most cases admitted students do not have to commit to a school until May 1st. Often applicants are so excited about an acceptance they immediately submit a deposit before they have heard from all their schools. When a more appealing offer comes in, they might change their mind. The best idea is to WAIT until you have all the information before making a deposit. If you find you have changed your mind about a school you committed to, let them know as soon as possible, thank them for their acceptance, and don’t quibble about the deposit.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that it is not just the deposit - but that you must also inform your college counselor or guidance department where you intend to matriculate so that they can send your final high school transcript to the school. As the person who actually does this task at my school, I assure you that we only send out one final transcript in June for each student. If a student were to get off a waitlist in late June or July, we would ask for proof (copy of the letter) and also require them to contact the school where they had previously deposited in writing to let them know they were forfeiting their deposit and why. Our view is that any student shenanigans - ie, double-depositing - is not ethical and hurts the reputation of our school and future admissions decisions.</p>
<p>I’m not sure of the moral issue with depositing at two schools.
I see where it may make it difficult to manage a waitlist, and agree that as soon as you make a final decision you should let the schools know. That said, if you are narrowed down to schools which base housing choices on first housing deposits in, and in some cases you can’t put down a housing deposit before putting down an admissions deposit, waiting to deposit until the final scholarship results, financial aid etc. comes in can leave you with a really poor or no housing choice at all.
Schools who tie housing deposits to non-refundable admissions deposits are asking for this (multiple admissions deposits paid) to happen. I feel the penalty for multiple deposits is the fact that you lose the deposit.</p>
<p>so, besides the ethical issue, is it wrong to send a deposit to more than one school?</p>
<p>I know of a young lady (now entering grad school)…</p>
<p>who for undergrad
-put a housing deposit down on one school–
then when next better school came through wait list–put deposit down there–and gave notice to first school that she was no longer going to atend…</p>
<p>then much later in the summer she got in from a wsit list at a third school and put down a deposit there (where she did attend)–and let the second school know she was moving on</p>
<p>as with wait lists (summer melt) and housing—I think students have to put down a deposit and conside losing it if they get off the wait list at a preferred school…and want to change.</p>
<p>all of your help is appreciated!
thanks</p>
<p>lots of scenarios here!</p>