seat deposit at 2 schools?

[jane_doe]

Is it unethical/illegal to send in seat deposits to two different schools, if only to buy more time on making the decision.  I realize that they are non-refundable, but if I can't make up my mind it is probably worth the few hundred bucks to have another month or two to decide.

Are there any other consequences from doing this?  Can a school take away your spot if they find out?  Do they care?

[Poetgirl80]

There has been extensive discussion on the TLS boards on this topic. LSAC apparently has a blurb on their website (i think) that says that they will alert schools when a student has multiple deposits out there. I 'doubt' a school can pull your acceptance based on this... I guess it is just frowned upon.

Nevertheless, I will have to break this rule because the timing of ASWs and seat deposits is off and I won't have ALL the information before deposits are due. AND, 2 schools that will trump all haven't even responded to me yet-- no WL or deferrment... just a lack of response.

[Sergio]

Well there is nothing wrong with putting a deposit down, and then if you get in somewhere better, withdrawing and accepting the new one.  I think people are talking about two deposits at once - but I can't blame ya if you don't have all the info yet.  Everyone has to play the game.

[ChangedMan]

I spoke with W&L and they said they understand students putting down 2 or more deposits and have no problem with it. They even blamed it on the system and said they're one of the schools working for a uniform deadline. Another reason to love W&L.

[Team Awesome]

As a rule of thumb, if you have to ask if something is unethical then you probably already know the answer.

[kev199]

I'm putting down two deposits because I can't actually go visit one of them until after their first deposit deadline.  Not much I can do about it, but I honestly can't decide right now.

[littlebit]

If W&L feels this way, why don't they extend the deadline for deposits, if you have a scholarship offer, from April 1 to April 15th?  The seat deposit is $400.  On another thread someone called and they would not extend the deadline.

[rosetta]

I would seriously advise AGAINST the whole 2X deposit thing. LSAC posted a notice warning against it here: http://www.lsac.org/Applying/lsdas-other-information.asp

There's a long thread about this here:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24541&hilit=double+deposits

It seems to risky in my view to deposit in two places like this. A school may be able to revoke its offer.

[Poetgirl80]

I would seriously advise AGAINST the whole 2X deposit thing. LSAC posted a notice warning against it here: http://www.lsac.org/Applying/lsdas-other-information.asp

There's a long thread about this here:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24541&hilit=double+deposits

It seems to risky in my view to deposit in two places like this. A school may be able to revoke its offer.

Yeh, well... I like to live dangerously 

Besides that, there is a big difference between covering the board with deposits and waiting until 2nd deposits are due in June to pick a school, and covering your bases for a week or two to give yourself time to tour your other options... I would think schools would forgive the second scenario.

[chammon2]

If you're going to be putting down more than one seat deposit, more often than not they will not overlap, correct?  For instance, while LSAC doesn't approve of having two out there at the same time, if you have to put one down by April 1 for school A, but you get pulled off the waitlist at school B in May, you can withdraw from school A and then put down a deposit at school B.  In this scenario, you would have paid two seat deposits, but they would not be overlapping.  It seems that their main goal is to avoid people putting down multiple deposits in April, then waiting until July to decide.  And if you look at the links rosetta posted, it seems like they can take your offer of admission away.

It would be great if they would just adopt a standard date for notification and deposits.