Hi everyone,
I was wondering if, after signing the contract and paying the deposit for a school, a student gets off the waitlist of another school any conflicts would occur related to paying the tuition for the first school? Would the student still have to pay the tuition for the school that he/she signed the contract for before? How would the process work?
Thank you very very much in advance.
the contract controls. Read the contract. Typically, there is a back out date - if you withdraw before the back out date you lose the deposit but aren’t liable for the rest of the year. After the back out date, you may be liable for the first semester or the full year depending on what the contract says. For the schools I have seen, you are liable for the entire year after the back out date.
My 3/12/15 post the WL thread :
Here’s the drill:
If you receive a WL decision from your first choice school and an acceptance from another school- the steps are pretty simple:
Accept a place on the WL via email with Delivery and Read Receipts.
Schedule a Revisit Day and put the WL school OUT OF YOUR MIND for now. Go to Revisit Day and have a great time.
You’ll have one month for the WL to shakeout and to make a decision about the other school . If you want to go the distance with the WL school ( WITHOUT jeopardizing the other school ) you’ll have until A9. On A8 have your PARENT call the WL school and ask to speak to the DOA. Tell WL school that you have to act on an acceptance from another school before the deadline but you’d like to check WL status ( one last time ) before you do. If they tell you that they’re NOT going to the WL or they don’t expect much movement- thank them and have them remove your name from the WL.
It’s time to MOVE ON unless you choose to stay on the WL. If WL school miraculously does come through ( after A10 ) you’ll have to break your commitment with the other school and forfeit your deposit- which isn’t a mere bag of shells, by the way. Personally, I could never take this route because I’m way too frugal and like closure .
I’m also big on keeping commitments- but that’s just me. So- now we’re one or two days away from the deadline…
The End.
Hope this helps!
Just so you know @PhotographerMom we are following your advice to the letter. We are holding 1 acceptance & have declined the other 3. We are staying on 2 out of 5 wait lists until A9 and will just see what happens.
Given that A10 is on a Monday, doesn’t your decision actually have to be made by A7 (A8 at the latest) in order to overnight the shipment and get it there by Monday?
Yes, you’re right, Saturday night.
I’m so glad you told me, @GMC2918 ! Sending good thoughts your way and I’ll keep my fingers crossed!!
Good luck!!! 
Doesn’t have to be that exact. @HMom16 @GMC2918 As long as you tell the school by email or by phone that you are ccepting their offer and the deposit is on its way, a day or two delay will be fine. As for WL movement after A10, it can happen but the chance of it happening is pretty low. If it does happen to you, then do whatever you want to do. This is all part of normal business to all parties involved. There’s a WL maintained for the school you committed even after A10 exact for the late back outs for various reasons they know could happen. I don’t recommend you hold out on that slim chance, but should it occur no need to make it a moral dilemma for yourself either.
Actually, no.
If a family needs more time to make a final decision about a school , please call the AO before the A10 deadline and ask for an extension.
A lot of schools allow you to pay electronically so you can wait until midnight on A10 if you want.
@PhotographerMom I actually had already seen that post (might be spending an absurd amount of time on CC :D), and had found it extremely helpful! But contracts usually say things like, “I accept responsibility for the full year tuition and any other charges incurred by the student. No refund or cancellation will be made of any portion of the full annual tuition and fees.” So, I was pretty confused when it came to the “tuition” part. I wouldn’t want to be in a situation where if I forfeit the deposit, I would have to forfeit the tuition too. Thank you very very very much!
@Korab1 Thank you very much! I am trying to absorb what the contract specifically says right now :D.