Holding at 2 Schools? Legit?

[notgoingtols]

Please don't flame me - I'm just asking a question.

Yesterday I was talking to parents of a 0L.  She is accepted into 2 good law schools, and has still not decided between the 2 (she has been into both since the winter, so this is not a recent WL-->admit).  Anyways, she's been paying deposits for both schools and accepted seats at both.  Is this legit?  At what point do you have to give a definite NO to one of them?  Obviously, you can't go to both schools, and there are plenty of people on the waitlist, so holding at 2 schools seems quite (for lack of a better word) douchy.

[philibusters]

I think if she sends in the second seat deposit thats pretty bad.  As for the first seat deposit, I think thats sort of bad, but sometimes understandable.

[deedeeleigh]

They have seat deposits for this reason--it's a security deposit, you lose it if you don't attend.  Unless the school asks for your word that you'll be attending alone (I think Chicago does this), then I don't see the problem with bailing after putting down a deposit.  The school gets your cash, and lets someone in off the WL. People do this right up until school starts.

[WSUAlum1]

Nothing immoral about more than 1 seat deposit, IMHO.  But here's some info that might be of interest.  B4 June 15th, law school admissions people can find out real time how many of their admittees have seat deposits at other schools.  LSAC will tell them (eg): of the 275 who have given you deposits, 120 have deposits elsewhere, too.  On June 15 or so, LSAC releases names and schools.  So: after 6/15, each admissions director knows the names of every 'seat depositor' who has deposits elsewhere, and where those deposits are.  At that point, you'll likely start to get calls asking for what you're thinking, how you are leaning etc. 

One poster above notes that some people hold multiple places til the end, and that is true.  But understand that many 0Ls need to move to a new city, find a place to live, figure out transportation, etc.  If you don't release your slot til the last minute, dorms might be full, and the wait list person who gets a call may have to live off campus.  Would you like to be figuring out which neighborhoods are safe to live in, have good bus routes to the school, etc in a city you don't know 3 weeks before classes start?  I can't give you a magic day when holding multiple deposits becomes mean/immoral, but I think you can see that the golden rule comes into play here.  Suppose there was a school that is a little better than the best one you are in now.  Surely there's a point where, if you got the call from that school, you'd say: I'd prefer to go there, but it's not worth the hassle.  Sure wish I'd've heard a week ago.  Plenty of people are in that position, and you (or the child of the people you spoke to) should show some consideration.