<p>I’m sure it’s possible to get out of the enrollment contract, but probably not to get back whatever deposit you put down. They don’t want you there if you don’t want to be there, and there will be a long list of people who DO want to be there. I wouldn’t wait until May 1 to tell them, however – you should do it as soon as possible after you find out that you got in to whatever school you prefer. (Of course, if you don’t get in to that school, you don’t have to tell them anything.)</p>
<p>Why are you even thinking about this? It’s crazy. The percentage of students who go to Stanford and don’t like it is miniscule – and much lower than the percentages of students who are unhappy at Harvard, Yale, or Princeton, which are small but not miniscule. If you go there, you are practically guaranteed to love it. So why waste energy second-guessing yourself?</p>