@GoodGrief16 so far, we have avoided the housing deposits. But I think we may have to send some soon to make sure options stay on the table. No decisions here yet.
In fact, I think one school that I thought was out might be back in. Coach called up ad yesterday and they had a long talk. It is probably 1 of 2 places she could continue her primary sport, so maybe tempting? I don’t know. I like it because it is closer to home. But also more pricey–trade offs I guess.
@GoodGrief16 That is a new one…an essay for a housing application! Are you kidding me? If the essay isn’t good enough, does the student sleep on the street?
@4kids2graduate I’m guessing the essay @goodgrief16 mentions is for special program housing. That’s not unusual – my H and I both had to do this (for the dorm we met in) and my S14 also did it (though he had about 6 short answer questions). I would imagine no essay is required for regular housing. I like UCSD’s way of organizing students into communities, where you select the order you prefer in your admissions application. No essays required, but you have some sense that the people you will be housed with have similar values (and it affects your gen ed requirements, too).
@4kids2graduate, that’s funny. I wonder what the house where all the essay rejects live is like. I can see the conversations now, “How can my essays be good enough to get into the college but not good enough to get a place to live.” I can see it being like the land of misfit toys in Rudolph.
A few years ago I had to write a letter of recommendation for a recruited athlete who was trying to get into a house at UCLA. So I wonder what would have happened if it wasn’t good enough
@mysonsdad: “I can see it being like the land of misfit toys in Rudolph.”
Doesn’t that little guy (Dennis?) bring out all of your compassion?
You guys are scaring me with this talk of housing essays. We are not in the running for any more news until the colleges start their big Spring notification so I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but I’m getting a little antsy.
Hi! I’ve been the quiet parent in the corner silently cheering on all these great CC kids, and I wanted to ask a question and I think you are all the ones who can help me.
As you can see from my name I have two girls, one is a sophomore in College and the other a senior going through this crazy process. So, my D16 has her acceptances in and hasn’t made a final decision yet. We/she have a favorite but need to see the final package. It is probably going to come down to two schools – the favorite or the one where D14 is attending (and she would be really happy there, too)
So, my husband was working on the CSS profile last night and one of the questions on D14’s form is do you have other siblings attending college and where/cost. I haven’t had a chance to look at the form yet. How do you fill that out if you don’t know where child 2, D16, is going? My husband seemed to think you had to put a school name in, that you couldn’t put undecided. So, he wanted to put school 1, the favorite one in. I don’t think that’s a good idea for her 2nd choice school to see that D16’s sister is really interested in the other school! (they might actually read it as she has decided to go there and not take her package seriously)
Wow, I hope that made sense. For what it’s worth D14 is at a smaller school and they would definitely connect the dots. So, long story short – please tell me my husband misunderstood the form and can put undecided or a price range. Thanks!!!
Most State schools have a separation for housing vs school deposits. Many of the good choices run out by the school deadline for deposit at schools like UT Austin or A&M in Texas because they are so large with thousands of students enrolling each year. We have to remember that one kid’s safety is another kid’s reach and there are 10s of thousands kids if not closer to millions who have already settled on their colleges and ready to pay up.
My take on this question is that they are trying to pin a cost for the second kid and you should probably pick the most expensive one. The schools could cost you 25000 or 60000 and if your D14 school gives FA (not loan) based on how much you are spending for your second kid, then the expensive option can make a difference.
@girlsmom14and16 : Hello, there.
I don’t have an answer that comes with any legs, but my thought is you have to enter a name and not leave the field blank. And, yes, the smaller college will see it, but I think it must simply be done.
We will be doing it this evening.
You could always put the smaller school in, if the cost of attendance is about the same, and in that way the larger school might just huff at seeing who their competition is, dismissing it, but it would not have them consider that they were second fiddle and place an asterisk by her name. They might work harder if she’s a catch!
@girlsmom14and16 - Welcome! Just putting this out there - do you need to fill out the CSS for D14? FAFSA of course is necessary. At most of the private schools that I have seen, you only need to fill out the CSS for the first year. Of course, your school could be an exception 
@catholicmom3 Thank you. I have a most beautiful spreadsheet laying out four year COA for the short list, including kid’s loans and amount to earn over summer and/or during school year. Instead of helping, it seems to be (counterintuitively?) making things worse. I have good intentions; a desire to walk her through the decision making process and teaching her some financial literacy in hopes that it will help her ground herself for this decision and other big purchases in her life where a lot of emotion is involved.
@GoodGrief16 Yes, we have put in a housing application with a housing deposit for one school (without yet committing and without an enrollment deposit).
We put down a housing deposit at one school as well. It has since dropped way down on D’s list, but at least she’ll have a room if she chooses it.
I WAS going to make a spreadsheet with all the costs and pros and cons laid out for D-it was her idea-but as time goes by she’s pretty much set on her top 3, with #2 already having sent us the scholarship info so that we are pretty certain of the final cost (there’s a very small chance we may get a tiny amount of FA). We’re waiting on honors awards from #3 and a decision of SOME KIND from #1. All the rest are kind of also-rans. If there is a late flurry of merit or FA we may still make a spreadsheet, but I think D would just roll her eyes otherwise.
Hoping that #1 decision comes in soon @sseamom ! If I recall correctly your D applied awhile ago.
@GoodGrief16 @midwest67 We are trying to figure out to do about a housing deposit at one of D’s schools. There is a deadline of Feb 1 for the housing app if you want to have a choice of room and roommate, otherwise housing is guaranteed but you just take what you get. But, in order to put down the housing app, you need to put down an enrollment deposit. Many here on CC have posted that they have done that just to keep the option alive. $225 is non refundable if she doesn’t go there. In the scheme of things, it is not huge amount of money, but I don’t feel right paying an enrollment deposit when she is still trying to decide.
To further complicate it, this is the school where she has applied for an LLC where she would be guaranteed housing in a specific dorm, but we don’t find out if she is in that until the second week of Feb, after the housing deposit is due, and even then she is she won’t be able to participate in room or choice or roommate selection without paying before Feb 1 Uggh…
@me29034 I’m confused just reading about it. Ugh. Hope it all works out- a real toss up.
@me29034 that’s similar to our housing deposit. D is waiting on an honors scholarship and a right to live in the honors LLC, but the regular deposit for housing was due well before the decisions on honors comes out. Fortunately it wasn’t a lot and we didn’t have to pay an enrollment deposit also. I know it’s not possible but I would so love it if there was some kind of universal timetable for everything!
@readingclaygirl she applied just in time for the Dec. 1 deadline for EA, then there was some kind of problem with the recommendation from the GC. It had to be resent, but it got sent to the wrong person and then the correct admissions person had to go track it down. By the time they had it all worked out, it was mid-December, but they are still counting it as submitted by EA. We were told 2.5 weeks ago a letter would be sent out “soon”, as in something like, “We’re admitting people now, you should get your letter soon.” We’re hoping that means SHE is admitted, but it’s frustrating.
My Trig Regents is tomorrow and despite my tutoring and studying I’m getting stressed. I’ve been getting mid to high 80’s on the practice tests. I really hope I do well. It’s a notoriously hard exam and I don’t know why.
@readingclaygirl Good luck! I bet you’ll do very well.
Thank you @CAMidwestMom