<p>I had assumed that you wait until all the responses come in and then pay your deposit at your chosen school. It's not due until May 1. But some of the schools tell you to pay it now in exchange for being first in line for housing, classes, etc. and that you can get it back if you decide not to attend that school before May 1. So do people put down deposits at several places and then ask for refunds when they finally decide? At this point I think there are two schools in serious consideration, while 5 more are RD and won't let us know till April 1. Does it make sense to make 2 deposits? Or should you only make one?</p>
<p>I called each college and asked if it mattered for housing when the deposit was sent in. Sometimes it doesn't matter at all if you get it in by Feb 1 or May 1, sometimes it does. If it matters, send it in and ask for it back before May 1 (check the procedures for doing this correctly!)</p>
<p>Many enrollment deposits are nonrefundable -- check the fine print...</p>
<p>We went ahead and made the housing deposit at the state flagship. It was not refundable, but seemed to be a good insurance policy, as the U had a housing shortage. We ended up losing that money, as things worked out for another school. Still think it was a good move. If you have 2 schools wanting deposits now, I would think you could narrow that down to one favorite, and consider a deposit there.</p>
<p>We put in housing deposit at son's school before last school was heard from. It is very likely he wouldn't have gotten housing if we hadn't.<br>
His ex-girlfriend waited to hear from the last school before putting housing deposit in to the school she ended up going to. She ended up 475 on the waiting list and never did get into the dorms. She loves her apartment so it worked out for her too.</p>
<p>The ones we made were non-refundable also -what a gimmick. But if my S had gone to those schools we probably would have been happy that we'd secured housing.</p>
<p>Be glad that you know the school is at least a contender. At UT Austen, you have to send in the dorm deposit in about September - long before your kid decides if she or he is even going to sent in the application! Unfortunately there is some money that just goes away in the application process.</p>
<p>Should the deposit be paid at this point in the year even if there's no advantage for housing? Some of the schools don't let you start to make choices, or even make requests at all. Is there any risk in losing the space as a student after being accepted, as long as you meet the May 1st deadline?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is there any risk in losing the space as a student after being accepted, as long as you meet the May 1st deadline?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You're kidding, right? They give you a deadline, you meet the deadline, and then they say "oops, you didn't meet the deadline early enough."</p>
<p>You definitely need to find something else to worry about!</p>
<p>Thank you for your kind response. It reminds me of those of my teenager. I thought this was supposed to be the parents' forum.</p>
<p>To quote from one letter received:</p>
<p>"Your acceptance packet includes information on how to submit the acceptance and housing deposits by the May 1 deadline. Because we have received a record number of applications this year, we encourage you to send in your deposit as soon as possible."</p>
<p>I'm sorry if you took offense; none intended, I assure you. I'm just amazed that you would worry about something like that (and perhaps your teenager is equally amazed). Your question was "should the deposit be paid at this point....." You wrote the question on February 2nd, and the deposit is due May 1st.</p>
<p>Based on the quote from the letter that you cited, it doesn't say anything about losing the space, does it? It doesn't say "send in the deposit by February 2nd". All it says is "we encourage you to send in your deposit as soon as possible" as long as it's by the May 1st deadline.</p>
<p>It's a funny thing about money ---- most people like it as soon as possible. I wouldn't read anything else into it, as long as you send in the deposit by May 1st (and not, say, April 30th at 11:59 p.m.).</p>
<p>Again, I didn't mean to be unkind. Fret less, enjoy more. Your child has been accepted to a school that s/he applied to, and that is a good thing.</p>
<p>I think that at most colleges, the later you wait to put down your housing deposit, the less likely you are to get into your top choice of dorm, the more likely you are to end up in a triple, etc. </p>
<p>Know what has happened to late housing deposit kids in the past at your favorite contender school. You may decide to turn in your housing deposit well before the deadline.</p>