Can I pay the seat deposit by the deadline and back out if I need to?

[Cicero]

I was hoping someone with experience in this issue might be able to give me some advice. My #1 choice transfer school hasn't gotten back to me yet, and another transfer school, the one I would attend if the other rejects me and which is also an excellent school, wants to know very soon if I will be attending if I want to participate in their OCI in August. Can I pay the deposit and sign up for OCI and then back out in a couple weeks if my #1 accepts me? I'm pretty sure I can, but I haven't done anything like this before. I also don't want to lose $200, but my #1 takes very few transfers, so...Any advice would be appreciated.

[kjw5029]

Even if you do lose it, you're spending THOUSANDS of dollars to go to school.  Isn't it worth $200 to save a spot?

[Cicero]

Yeah, I'm not so much worried about losing the $200, as just wanting to make sure that there is no problem backing out. I didn't do ED or EA, just regular transfer, so I figure I can back out if I need to.

[kjw5029]

That's true.  Well if it helps (and it may not), I put a seat deposit on an undergrad school I DID NOT attend.  I backed out and they just kept my deposit. 

[bigs5068]

Yea I put down seat deposits at 3 law schools and backed out before 1L started. It is not quite the same as a transfer deposit, but honestly any law school or any school period will just keep your money and find somebody else to take your spot. Your not really hurting anybody's feelings by not showing up.  I used to think that it would be a big deal last year, but I realize how stupid it was to concern myself about the fact that they might get upset or something. Nobody is going to hold it against you that you decided to spend your money elsewhere.  They are just businesses and you don't even know the people on the other end.

[Cicero]

Thanks Bigs. I just didn't want to get myself into something I couldn't back out of if I needed to, and it sounds like there is no problem backing out from what you're saying.

[bigs5068]

No problem again my flaking out was before 1L and not transferring, but I doubt anybody is really going to care. Any law student or student anywhere is customer at the end of the day and if it is not where you want to go then you don't have to pay them money.

I am sure they will be fine getting $200 for doing nothing if you don't end up going. Michigan State has $700 dollars of mine and I am sure they just let someone else of the waitlist and all that happened to MSU is they got $700 richer.

[kjw5029]

If anything, doesn't it just give them more $$?  Now they have your seat deposit and a seat deposit of someone filling your spot. 

[Morten Lund]

I put down deposits on two schools, which turned out to come in handy.  Most likely the extra deposits will just be wasted, but I have a hard time imagining a real downside to multiple deposits (other than the cash, of course).  And if you end up using that spot...  the extra deposit can be a lifesaver.  I would suggest putting a deposit down everywhere you might conceivably go until your final destination has been finally determined.