<p>So, they keep telling me to sign up for housing before March 1st, but I'm not sure if I'm going to be going there yet- I'm waiting until I hear back about financial aid and a couple more schools in March and April. They're not supposed to make us decide on schools until May 1st, right? So are we supposed to sign up for housing now, even if we don't know for sure if we're attending the school? Is it okay if I sign up now and cancel it later if I decide to go somewhere else? What is everyone else doing?</p>
<p>Sorry I'm rambling on so much; I just don't want to get stuck with the worst room, or no room at all, because I accidentally waited too long.</p>
<p>You need to sign up to be sure of a place- after March 1st they likely won’t be able to take you. You can get your housing deposit back if you notify Res Halls that you are not attending UW (it is NOT sufficient to let UW know your plans) by the deadline ( May 1st?). Students need to let Res Halls know their dorm choice rankings by May 1st so they can have the computer make assignments before SOAR begins in June. If you sign a Res Halls contract and attend UW you are obligated to pay for their housing even if you later decide to live elsewhere. If you don’t sign a contract by the deadline they don’t need to let you sign one later.</p>
<p>Res Halls always gets filled. Some students who signed a contract end up on a waiting list until space opens up sometime in the summer. With the randomization of getting your room choice those who signed a contract early on have no advantage over those who sign by the deadline. Some end up starting the semester in temporary housing (with all of the dorm amenities)- eg dens, short course dorms and get moved into their regular room as students drop out. With the number of students who want to live in the dorms compared to the number of spaces, even with the added new dorms, they won’t take latecomers who missed their deadline.</p>
<p>Always check the school’s website for accurate information. Read the details of the housing contract. You most likely will get your deposit money back if you meet that deadline and do the proper informing of both UW and Res Halls independently of each other. </p>
<p>Each school has their own way of doing things and timelines. This system works for UW.</p>
<p>Listen to Wis75 – sign up for housing before March 1, and if you choose to go to college somewhere else, you get a big chunk of the deposit back. </p>
<p>As long as you sign up before March 1, you have just as much chance as anyone else in getting your housing choices because it is a random lottery, not based on who signed up first. </p>
<p>Hold your spot, and you can decide about which school later.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>