When is not too late to apply for College housing to minimize expenses

Applying to College
1

Hi All,
Thank you for the help in the previous topics!
All the info was very helpful

Now, after applying to several colleges, my daughter has the following situation:
3 safety schools - accepted
SDSU - accepted
UCSC - waitlisted
CalPoly - decision pending
UCSB - declined, unfortunately

2 more UCs - still waiting for decision

Most likely, she will be accepting SDSU (San Diego State University) offer.
But, she is still waiting for the ones that are - either waitlisted, or pending, or not yet emailed the decision!

From my side - I’d like to minimize (if possible) the housing expenses… …
I went thru SDSU website and looks like their rules - Freshmans must live on campus
for 2 years; with the meal plan mandatory included for the 1st year !!!

The tuition for us (as California residents) will cost $7 510 per year
But the housing starts from $15K (could be $20K) w the meal plan included

Question:

  • When is the optimal time to apply for housing in order to avoid paying $20K for the school year? (It says that she has to accept the offer 1st… and I worry that all those $15K houses will not be available by the time we’ll make a decision)
  • Is there anything else I can do to minimize the housing cost, as much as possible :) ?

As stated before, this is the 1st time we’re dealing with all this
Sorry for all these questions

Thank you

2

If she accepts SDSU and applies for housing then she needs to pay the enrollment deposit of $400 which is non-refundable if she decides to accept a waitlist offer later.

The housing deposit is $375 non-refundable and first housing payment is due in August so she should know prior to that date if she will stay enrolled at SDSU or go to another school. She will lose that deposit also if she withdraws.

No way not to lose some amount of the housing/enrollment deposit unless she is accepted off the waitlists prior to May 1. Unfortunately that is the reality of the waitlists.

SDSU housing is not on a first come basis, but the housing deposit is due by May 1.

https://housing.sdsu.edu/campus_living/rates_payments/payments.aspx

3

to Gumbymom:

She will decide no earlier than in April, but no later than the 2nd part of April

My main worry - is not even about $375 deposit, but - if she submits her papers to SDSU let say in April - how likely to only have $20K room + meal plan available, and nothing cheaper ($15K I see now)?
This is $5 000 difference …

What you’d recommend? When is not to late to decide?

UPD:
Oh, so housing is not on 1st come basis…
That’s better…

Thank you

4

You can decide up to May 1 for housing.