<p>I am planning on declining admission this year to a certain school because I already deposited to another school. However, I might change my mind during the summer and withdraw from deposited school and reapply to declined school. I don't want to offend the declined school - I know it's common courtesy to take the time to press that "decline" button rather than do nothing. Should I also send them an e-mail thanking but apologizing them for my decision just in case I do reapply next year? I don't want them to reject me come next year because I declined them this year.</p>
<p>You sound very unsure about your choice!<br>
Yes, you should let the school know your choice. That’s polite to the school, and to the others who are waiting and hoping.
I think you can save the explanation for the future point when you decide to apply again to the school you are now rejecting. I’m assuming you have a good reason for choosing the first school, and that this issue will be moot.</p>
<p>I am unsure :(… but oh well, I had to make a decision either way - so I shouldn’t e-mail them explaining but should press that “decline” button, right?</p>
<p>Why are you feeling that the declined school may be revisited after one year? It may help if you mentioned the schools in question so that you could be advised. Are you turning down the school because of finances?</p>
<p>What you are proposing doesn’t make sense. If you’ve changed your mind just decline the school you already deposited and accept the other school - the one you now really want. No one will be offended and no need to next year reapply anywhere. Problem solved.</p>
<p>It sounds like he wants to leave his options open with this school for next year in case his #1 choice rejects him again.</p>
<p>You don’t “owe” the schools you decline a lengthy explanation. You don’t really “owe” them any explanation. If you end up deciding to apply as a transfer student for sophomore year you could incorporate some of it in one of your essays. I’m not sure what you mean with regard to applying again in the summer as you won’t know if you will be unhappy at the school you accepted as you won’t have attended.</p>
<p>Can you please explain what you are trying to do here, as it seems to make no sense.</p>
<p>I’m sorry…I’ll clarify - I had to make a decision sooner or later either way so I decided to deposit to one of the schools which is marginally cheaper (I like them both equally). However, because I like the school that I had to decline just as much (and it isn’t that much more costly) I want to know if I will have an easy time re-applying to the school that I declined just in case my mind changes during this summer.</p>
<p>To those wondering how I’m going to re-apply, I’m deferring one year no matter what, no matter where I go. </p>
<p>So it’s either 1) take a year off and then go back to the school that I deposited, or 2)take a year off, withdraw the deposit from the school I just accepted and re-apply to the school that I just declined.</p>
<p>You may not get your deposit back from School A…I’m assuming they have granted you the deferral…did you happen to ask if you will get your deposit back if you reneg in April next year?</p>
<p>I’m not getting my deposit back, I asked - but I don’t mind not getting it back, I just want to know if I will be able to re-apply as easily as the first time without the college thinking, “Oh, this kid declined us last year, let US reject HIM this time”</p>
<p>If it’s a selective school, it might reject you if it thinks you’re using it as a safety because you obviously would rather go elsewhere - hence the gap year.</p>
<p>I have a friend who deposited at one school, changed her mind during the summer, called another school that had accepted her and was able to go there, and then transferred to the school that she had initially deposited at.</p>
<p>I also have a friend who was planning on deferring from college for a year, anyway. He deposited at two schools, told them he was deferring, and made up his mind a year later.</p>
<p>I thought double-depositing wasn’t allowed…</p>
<p>I have no idea, it probably isn’t. (This is actually a friend of my younger brother’s, so I don’t know much about the situation). Actually, though, I am thinking about it, and I think that my first post might have been wrong. I think that he asked if he could defer his decision for a year, without depositing, and his final two schools both agreed.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, it’s not a hyper-selective school (not an ivy) but it is pretty competitive…</p>
<p>Decline the second school, nicely. </p>
<p>Then tell yourself that the decision is MADE for this year. You’re not going to change your mind this summer, it’s too late for this year. There’s no point deciding in August you changed your mind and taking a year off, how will you know if the school you DID choose is right for you unless you try it? Get your mind around the fact that you’re GOING to the first school and go into it with a positive attitude.</p>
<p>IF, toward the end of fall semester, you really feel you made a mistake, then apply to school two as a transfer. That’s the time to tell them why you made this decision this year. Then hope for the best. On the other hand, the school you actually did chose may turn out to be great and the whole thing will be moot.</p>
<p>The two schools S declined each sent him a letter wishing him well. They said his application would be kept on file for two years in case he changed his mind.</p>
<p>Agree with Lafalum84. You are abit all over the place, you committed to School A but you want to take a gap year but you just might want to try to go to School B in the fall…if you are actually taking a gap year with a real plan then go ahead, tell School A what the plan is and if it’s reasonable they will allow you to deferr. If you really don’t have a gap year plan but are simply trying to figure out how to keep two schools on the hook. Don’t. Go to A and if it’s not working out after a semester apply as a transfer to School B. You’ll have a clear “story” to tell B about why you are transferring. If you think you want to change your mind now, you need to get on the phone with B immediately and find out of you can still matriculate and get on the phone with A and in a very humble way tell them you made a mistake. But get your mind wrapped around a decision and forget about a plan to keep three balls in the air simultaneously. Life is full of decisions.</p>
<p>Request a gap year, and then reapply to school B this next season if you still feel that it is an option you want for next year. Whether you will be accepted the second time around is dependent on the pool of applicants next year. I would personally visit the admissions office during the application process and let them know you really want to go there after a year’s thought so that they better understand the situation. That is, if you still want to go there next year. </p>
<p>I know a young woman who took a gap year from her acceptance at Middlebury. She was waitlisted at her first choice, which was Swarthmore. She reapplied to Swarthmore during her gap year and was accepted, and that is where she is now.</p>