@adlgel no it’s not unethical. That’s what they want you to do - then they can keep your deposit, and psychologically they “have you” so you may be more likely to attend. IMO it’s the school that asks for this that is being unethical.
And is it unreasonable considering kids “apply” to be accepted to a college? If you have zero desire to attend at the moment don’t send in the deposit until you make a decision. No one is forcing anyone, and if kids that apply, want to go and deposit get slightly preferential treatment then it is because they applied somewhere they wanted to go and made a decision and deposited. I don’t see any reason why not to reward those students for signing on the dotted line. For those whose goal is to find the least expensive college then play that card and wait it out. For those that think they will probably attend, play that card and send in the deposit. There is choice and it’s just one of many choices along the way that lie in the student’s lap and every decision has risks and rewards. There are benefits to EA and RD in that kids can get the whole process done and over with much quicker than colleges that wait until spring, but again those are choices.
Remember, in most cases a deposit is really reservation fee that you don’t get any credit for.
Just wondering if this is still an issue with deposits that you get no credit for even if you attend the school?
If your admitted student is in the top 30% of stats for the school, I’ll guess a phone call will be all it takes to get an “acceptance fee” turned into a deposit.
Good point, all negotiable. I wish I had know it was non-refundable at the time.