<p>Hi! I have a rolling admissions school question. My son didn't apply to any schools on Rolling Admissions so I didn't know how to help my friend. She was told that when you apply to a school that has rolling admissions, the kids have just a few weeks to make their decision once they get their acceptance...say they apply early..like in September, and get accepted in Oct, then they would need to respond by say Nov 1..not May 1 like other schools. She was concerned as she needs to see the financial package before making any decision..so if this is true, they wouldn't even have their FAFSA in yet...Is this true? It didn't sound right to me...</p>
<p>The rolling admit schools we are familiar with have the same May 1 deadline as others, although several in particular give financial aid estimates/offers within 2-3 weeks of the acceptance. I think they hope that, at that point, one might "accept" and not bother with other applications. </p>
<p>If the above were to be the case, one would not want to apply too early if financial aid is the deal breaker.</p>
<p>Not true in our case. But one thing to keep in mind is that for very popular programs at schools with rolling admissions, it is very important to apply early. Slots can get filled up before the regular application deadline.</p>
<p>One of the schools my S applied to had rolling Admissions. He's already heard back. He signed up for housing, and like most folks right now, we did have to pay a deposit for that, whether he decides to go to the university or not. He was given a merit scholarship and admitted to the honors program. The honors contract won't come out until the end of March, and he'll have 30 days to respond. His merit scholarship came with notification that if he could not respond "yay" or "nay" in 30 days, that he should go on-line and request an extension, which, they tell us won't penalize his ability to get that scholarship. He extended ... and he has until May 1st to accept or decline. There's a sense of urgency that the university fosters, but if you read the fine print and take a breath ... it all sorts out. They are, however, really making sure we don't forget them. Mailings addressed to him and emails ... etc. coming very regularly. </p>
<p>Only one our D's required an enrollment deposit within 30 days of acceptance and it is refundable. The rest all had a May 1st deadline. The scholarship also had an accept within 30 days or request an extension. Since she should hear from all schools by 3/15 she has not yet requested the extension.</p>
<p>the kids have just a few weeks to make their decision once they get their acceptance...say they apply early..like in September, and get accepted in Oct, then they would need to respond by say Nov 1..not May 1>></p>
<p>This is absolutely NOT true. The only admission plan where you must send in a deposit before May 1 is Early Decision. Under rolling admissions (and EA and regular decision as well), all colleges have agreed to abide by the National Candidate Reply Date, which is May 1.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, <em>some</em> schools do put pressure on admitted students to make a decision before that date. Some, for instance, will tell students that they're in danger of losing a scholarship offer, not getting housing, etc. But, according to the National Association of College Admissions Counseling Standards that ALL colleges abide by, a student has the right to request that any such "deadline" be extended until May 1.</p>
<p>You may want to direct your friend to the NACAC Student Rights & Responsibilities brochure, which clearly explains all of this. I will give you the direct link in a second.</p>
<p>By the way, even if a school says there is a deadline for replying, if it is before May 1, they HAVE to give the student an extension until May 1 if the student requests it.</p>
<p>Finally, be VERY careful about double depositing - in other words, sending two deposits - even refundable ones - to two different schools. Colleges can, and will, rescind acceptances if they discover a student has double deposited. Colleges and universities are starting to take double depositing much more seriously. So, make sure only ONE deposit is sent at a time.</p>
<p>thanks so much for the great information! I didn't think my friend had the correct info, but wasn't sure of what WAS REALLY right. This makes so much more sense.</p>
<p>carolyn's advice is very important regarding multiple deposits to different schools. I understand that carolyn was refering to enrollment deposits, but what about multiple housing deposits? Even though refundable, can it affect another school's decision if that school learns of a housing deposit at another college?</p>
<p>Garrity, The housing deposits issue is sort of a grey area. Many colleges don't like multiple housing deposits, but there is no specific prohibition against them that I am aware of so as long as it is specifically a housing deposit, shouldn't be a problem to send more than one. However, as I noted, I have come across at least two schools that word their enrollment deposit in a way that it almost sounds like a housing deposit, so read carefully.</p>
<p>Carolyn, what if the acceptance deposit is sent in, on account of housing, and then, in April, if the student decides on a different school and cancels that one, and then accepts and pays the deposit at another? Would that still be considered double depositing?</p>
<p>Obviously, we are not in that position, but the conversation came up with both my kids because housing at UMich, which they were both accepted to, is first come first served--and some of the housing is a busride away from the main campus and town. In the end, because they were both admitted to Honors, it didn't matter because they would have had Honors housing, but if that hadn't been the case, we would have (like others I know) been tempted to deposit, just in case. But we would have canceled and then accepted the other school. Is that considered ok?</p>
<p>I asked the UT guy about enrollment deposit -because you have to pay the enrollment deposit to get a housing contract. He said it was fine to withdraw the deposit if DS decides to go to another school. I guess it's not really double-depositing - just depositing at one school, then undepositing if he decides on a different school....</p>