Clarification: Seat Deposit Deadlines Forum

[bkegslounge]

Most schools ask for your 1st seat deposit sometime in April and the second around June/July. These are not binding, right? I am confused as to when exactly you commit to a school. Can someone please clarify? For example, if I am still deciding on a school / negotiating scholarships well into May or June, I would have to pay non-refundable seat deposits for each school I am still considering. Is there a point when I am required to commit to one school and make a binding decision?

[Winston1984]

I think that depends on the school, but in general, it seems like the first deposit usually is not binding. If you plan on double depositing, I am pretty sure it is etiquette to clarify with both (or more I guess) schools and make sure that is okay. I would definitely clarify everything with each school in question.

[bkegslounge]

Ok, makes sense. I have seat deposits due for different schools on 4/1, 4/15 and 4/31 and some ASW in April to attend. For the schools that are due earlier, I guess I'll just have to eat the deposit money if I haven't decided yet. I just want to make sure I'm not locking myself in anywhere if I'm still weighing options.

[Tiago Splitter]

LSAC sends a notification to schools listing people who have deposited at more than one school. They used to send this out on June 15th, but I believe that may have been moved up to May 15th. Schools will give you a hard time about double depositing, but I doubt they'll actually do anything until after the second deposit is due.

Here it is:

"Each year, LSAC provides participating law schools with periodic reports detailing the number of applicants who have submitted seat deposits or commitments at other participating schools, along with identification of those other schools. Beginning May 15 each year, these reports now also include the names and LSAC account numbers for all candidates who have deposits/commitments at multiple participating schools."

http://www.lsac.org/jd/applying-to-law- ... -to-admit/

[bkegslounge]

Awesome thanks. I'll make that my deadline then if I still haven't decided by the end of April.

[Moonlight]

When you say hard time, what does that mean?

[Tiago Splitter]

When you say hard time, what does that mean?

They say that they reserve the right to rescind your acceptance if they find out that you've double deposited.

[Moonlight]

When you say hard time, what does that mean?

They say that they reserve the right to rescind your acceptance if they find out that you've double deposited.

That includes the 1st deposit right?

But if we get accepted waitlist off of another school can we still go to that school? Even after 1st deposit? Or after both 1st and 2nd deposit?

[Tiago Splitter]

When you say hard time, what does that mean?

They say that they reserve the right to rescind your acceptance if they find out that you've double deposited.

That includes the 1st deposit right?

But if we get accepted waitlist off of another school can we still go to that school? Even after 1st deposit? Or after both 1st and 2nd deposit?

Yeah the waitlist presents no problems at all. It's not uncommon for people to get accepted off a waitlist after classes at one school have already started and switch to a different school.

[Moonlight]

Oh okay cool thanks!

[ojala]

Any chance deposit deadlines will move back this year considering how slow everything seems to be moving? And also the fact that some schools pushed back their application deadlines.

[Moonlight]

Any chance deposit deadlines will move back this year considering how slow everything seems to be moving? And also the fact that some schools pushed back their application deadlines.

I doubt it. But I have read somewhere that you can ask for extension on your deadline on a case-by-case instance. It is pretty expensive to deposit so it would be a shame to deposit somewhere you aren't willing to go.

[ojala]

Any chance deposit deadlines will move back this year considering how slow everything seems to be moving? And also the fact that some schools pushed back their application deadlines.

I doubt it. But I have read somewhere that you can ask for extension on your deadline on a case-by-case instance. It is pretty expensive to deposit so it would be a shame to deposit somewhere you aren't willing to go.

I know, I am just worried because I have not heard back from the majority of the schools I applied to and am hoping to be able to negotiate as well. It seems to me like there might not be time before the deposit deadlines given the turnaround time so far. So I did not mean to say that I would deposit at schools I wouldn't want to go to, but that I might deposit at more than one while I figure out my whole scholarship/financial aid situation.

[Tiago Splitter]

Any chance deposit deadlines will move back this year considering how slow everything seems to be moving? And also the fact that some schools pushed back their application deadlines.

I doubt it. But I have read somewhere that you can ask for extension on your deadline on a case-by-case instance. It is pretty expensive to deposit so it would be a shame to deposit somewhere you aren't willing to go.

I know, I am just worried because I have not heard back from the majority of the schools I applied to and am hoping to be able to negotiate as well. It seems to me like there might not be time before the deposit deadlines given the turnaround time so far. So I did not mean to say that I would deposit at schools I wouldn't want to go to, but that I might deposit at more than one while I figure out my whole scholarship/financial aid situation.

Sounds like a good strategy to me. Especially in a declining-app environment, not getting your decision until after deposit deadlines have passed isn't the worst thing in the world. In many cases more money will be available because a lot of the people holding onto scholarships will have failed to make their deposit.

[Moonlight]

Multiple deposits can result in revoked admissions right?

And yea its true that scholarship students will release a lot of scholarship $$ after we don't deposit at some schools.

[The Dark Shepard]

Thing is, that's a fairly large amount of unrefundable money(though compared to law school itself, it is barely a dent)

My question, in terms of scholarships, is that if you deposit, that means they won't give you any more scholarship(from those with scholarships who decline admission) since they basically think you are hooked into it, correct?

[bkegslounge]

Thing is, that's a fairly large amount of unrefundable money(though compared to law school itself, it is barely a dent)

My question, in terms of scholarships, is that if you deposit, that means they won't give you any more scholarship(from those with scholarships who decline admission) since they basically think you are hooked into it, correct?

I have heard of people increasing their scholarship amounts after they've already deposited. Seat deposits are not binding. You may have deposited at one school but are still on the waitlist for your top choice. I've heard to always make sure you ask a school if that is their final offer. They may have extra money in their pool in June/July that you could still get.

[cron1834]

Tiago, thanks for your help in this thread. This is relevant to my interests.

[furrrman]

When you say hard time, what does that mean?

They say that they reserve the right to rescind your acceptance if they find out that you've double deposited.

Do schools specifically say this or is it something that is simply understood?

[Shortterm12]

Thanks for the info Tiago, do you (or anybody else) know if you withdraw after putting down the first deposit but before May 15th, would other schools still be notified?