Accepting an Offer - Binding?

[DocMom1]

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Let's say a person receives an offer from school A requiring her to accept within 3 weeks by sending in a deposit and a confirmation of intent to enroll. After sending this in, is the student obligated to go to school A? What happens if she is waiting to hear back from schools B, where she would prefer to attend? What (if any) are the legal implications of sending in a deposit and declaration of intent to enroll in response to an offer of admission?

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

No, it's not binding. You can hold as many acceptances as you want until May 15th.

I'm also fairly certain that you'll get your deposit back if you decide on a different school. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about that. So, accept your acceptance even if you're waiting to hear back from another school.

 

[Donnie1310]

I'm also fairly certain that you'll get your deposit back if you decide on a different school. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about that. So, accept your acceptance even if you're waiting to hear back from another school.

It's school dependent, but that's true for the most part. A few schools don't refund (ex, Wayne state according to MSAR) but the vast majority do.

 

[DocMom1]

Why do schools make you tell them "I intend to enroll" if they know that you can "intend to enroll" at multiple places? What is the meaning of all of this? I do not understand why the system has been structured this way.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

It's school dependent, but that's true for the most part. A few schools don't refund (ex, Wayne state according to MSAR) but the vast majority do.

Thanks for the clarification.

Why do schools make you tell them "I intend to enroll" if they know that you can "intend to enroll" at multiple places? What is the meaning of all of this? I do not understand why the system has been structured this way.

You're really, really over-analyzing this.

Be happy you got an acceptance and send in your intention to enroll while waiting to hear back from your top choice. Your intention to enroll basically tells the school to hold a seat for you; it doesn't mean that you have to attend that school.

 

[aSagacious]

Why do schools make you tell them "I intend to enroll" if they know that you can "intend to enroll" at multiple places? What is the meaning of all of this? I do not understand why the system has been structured this way.

Because some applicants flat out reject schools' offers of acceptance right away. It is in the schools' best interest to give these offers to the next person in line rather than be strung along. Sure, many applicants will withdraw later on in the cycle but a not-insignificant portion of applicants tell the schools up front.

 

[theseeker4]

Why do schools make you tell them "I intend to enroll" if they know that you can "intend to enroll" at multiple places? What is the meaning of all of this? I do not understand why the system has been structured this way.

It is not a promise to enroll. You are telling them, "Yes, I am still interested, so reserve a spot for me." If you aren't interested, you don't send them the deposit, and they can let another applicant know they are in sooner than if you sit on the acceptance. The schools understand that applicants can and usually do hold multiple acceptances, which is why a date is set when applicants need to decide which of their acceptances they will keep. Don't read too much into the language, as you are not "obligated" to attend a school that accepts you. The semantics are not that important, so don't worry about that.

The exception to this is the EDP, in which a student agrees to only apply to a single school early on, and if they are accepted will matriculate at that school. Decisions are disclosed to the applicants by Oct 1st and if the applicant did not get accepted, they are allowed to apply to other schools, though they will obviously be quite late applying. You are obviously not in this program, though, so you are free to accept the seat and drop it later if you have multiple acceptances.

 

[Lil Mick]

So, here's sort of my take on it. If you don't have any other offers at the time, you do intend to go to that school at this point in time. If you already have an offer but you'd prefer to go to this next particular school, you let the first school know you aren't coming and tell the second that you intend to come... By May, you'll have all the offers in, and you'll know for sure where you're going (holding one or more acceptances at schools). The other schools generally refund your deposit when you turn them down, and, if they have open spots, they will start offering them to the next person on their list. Hope that helps.

 

[scarshapedstar]

Short answer: always say yes. Their feelings won't get hurt if/when you and 100 other people make your final decisions. They got plenty waiting in line.

 

[apoptosis123]

I was confused by this too because of the wording. In the letter I just filled out it says "I understand by accepting this offer I will matriculate here" or something along those lines... but then it says you can get a refund on your deposit so it's pretty clear it's not binding.