A deposit with a plan B school--a question for parents

Mom22

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My son has an appointment to USMA and has been given a deadline of 4/15 to accept and I expect he will do so.

Still, I worry if some type of injury, accident happens prior to R-day. I am wondering if other parents have placed deposits with plan B schools as backup? While admissions officers hate this, I am told by friends in admissions offices that it is common and expected.

Thanks for any advice.
 
Well, I should have searched more carefully! I see that many took plan B deposits. Good to know!
 
My son has an appointment to USMA and has been given a deadline of 4/15 to accept and I expect he will do so.

Still, I worry if some type of injury, accident happens prior to R-day. I am wondering if other parents have placed deposits with plan B schools as backup? While admissions officers hate this, I am told by friends in admissions offices that it is common and expected.

Thanks for any advice.
 
Well, I should have searched more carefully! I see that many took plan B deposits. Good to know!
I am assuming that you found a few posts on this topic, yes???
My DD's accepted her admission to plan B at Texas A & M; paid the deposit, signed up for housing and everything else that's required. However, my DD said they would have to push her out the door with a broken leg, arm, knee or worse before she would ever leave. She will pull her application once she makes it through BCT. Medical turn backs do happen, so we feel like we made the right decision.
 
My DD's accepted her admission to plan B at Texas A & M; paid the deposit, signed up for housing and everything else that's required. However, my DD said they would have to push her out the door with a broken leg, arm, knee or worse before she would ever leave. She will pull her application once she makes it through BCT. Medical turn backs do happen, so we feel like we made the right decision.
My DS is C3C now. I did the same thing. I did cancel housing at A&M so I got my deposit back on that. I figured if he ended up at A&M he would join the corps and they would squeeze him in a dorm somewhere! I scheduled him for his new student conference for the very last date in August JUST IN CASE. Notice all the "I"s in this statement. My DS was completely confident he would finish basic and would not look back. A&M was MY fall back school for him. I just knew he was going to college somewhere and I didn't want him at the local community college! (local being the key word) On Acceptance day, I let A&M know he wouldn't be attending. Best 75.00 I ever lost just for my piece of mind.
 
Pay the deposit, even if you loose it, and don't look back! DS had appointments to USMA and USNA early but I forced him to apply to another school "just in case"....$500 non-refundable deposit. He selected USNA and just four weeks before I-Day was medically DQ'd due to a late season sports injury. You never think it's going to be your kid...but it is. If we had not done that, and hadn't paid the deposit...it was the local CC and no wiggle room...it was June!

You don't want to roll with those kind of dice...it's a small price to pay with everything else at stake.
 
Many older threads on this topic but there is nothing wrong with having a Plan B. Good to talk with the Plan B school and let them know what you are doing since most will be accommodating knowing the background.
 
My DS is C3C now. I did the same thing. I did cancel housing at A&M so I got my deposit back on that. I figured if he ended up at A&M he would join the corps and they would squeeze him in a dorm somewhere! I scheduled him for his new student conference for the very last date in August JUST IN CASE. Notice all the "I"s in this statement. My DS was completely confident he would finish basic and would not look back. A&M was MY fall back school for him. I just knew he was going to college somewhere and I didn't want him at the local community college! (local being the key word) On Acceptance day, I let A&M know he wouldn't be attending. Best 75.00 I ever lost just for my piece of mind.

Did your DS know you had plan B all set up?
I am also considering paying the deposit, scheduling the orientation, and reserving housing for DD's plan B University. But, I don't want her to think I lack confidence in her ability to make it through BCT and beyond. I have all the faith in the world she can and will. But, like Sydney C. said, anything unforeseen can happen that may DQ her before or during BCT.
 
Capri120, my DD knows about our plan B and is very confident that she will make it through BCT. But she is also aware that there are certain things she can't control It is a prudent thing to do.

I think you should have a frank discussion with her about it and tell her why you think it's a good idea. I don't have exact stats, but I would bet medical turn backs occur in each class. It has nothing to do with your confidence in her or her ability. Sometimes it just happens. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. If not and it happens that she gets a medical turn back, she will see herself at a local CC. That may not be the best course if she would consider re-applying the next year. Cover all your bases. That
 
Thanks FalconsRock. Will discuss it more with her and DH. Fortunately or unfortunately, the local CC would not be an option since she will have her AS degree in 6 weeks along with her HS diploma. So, it would have to be a 4-year university or nothing.

And, completely agree with always hope for the best, plan for the worst, and take what you get...at least in the short term.
 
Thanks FalconsRock. Will discuss it more with her and DH. Fortunately or unfortunately, the local CC would not be an option since she will have her AS degree in 6 weeks along with her HS diploma. So, it would have to be a 4-year university or nothing.

And, completely agree with always hope for the best, plan for the worst, and take what you get...at least in the short term.
It seems in your DD's case, a backup university is even more important. What will she do if she is turned back? I guess she could get a job for one semester, and then start in the spring. IMHO, that would be risky if she intends to reapply in that situation. She may surprise you and agree. Let us know how things turn out.
 
Very true. Not to worry, she has been accepted by her top two Universities, with scholarships. I will plan on making the deposit to her Plan B (1st desired University) so, worst case scenario, she can continue her pursuit of a BS in Chemistry.
 
Well, yes, however she worked at a drive in this summer and said, "Now I know why I NEED to get a degree! I don't want to carhop the rest of my life!"
Even more of an incentive to lock that plan B, so she's not working there this fall, right?!?! ;)
 
Perhaps we're in the minority, but we didn't pay the plan B deposit for either DS. (2nd one was a reapplicant, and what we didn't pay was the tuition deposit for is second year). Risky? Perhaps...but it worked for us. Many, many don't pay for plan B. Please don't feel the pressure to do so if you are not wanting to. Most do fine. Most stay. Most are not turned back. My $.02.
 
Perhaps we're in the minority, but we didn't pay the plan B deposit for either DS. (2nd one was a reapplicant, and what we didn't pay was the tuition deposit for is second year). Risky? Perhaps...but it worked for us. Many, many don't pay for plan B. Please don't feel the pressure to do so if you are not wanting to. Most do fine. Most stay. Most are not turned back. My $.02.
I can totally see your entire point and I am glad it all worked out for your DSs. I look it as insurance....you never need it til you need it. You can pay thousands of dollars in insurance over a lifetime for your life, car, house and never need it. You can't get the money back, but it gives you peace of mind. But, if you don't have it, you and your family could be in a world of hurt.

Would my DD crumble and die if we did not keep a plan B in place? No. But it certainly would make the blow of getting turned back much easier to recover from. Every family has to do what they are comfortable with.
 
Did your DS know you had plan B all set up?
I am also considering paying the deposit, scheduling the orientation, and reserving housing for DD's plan B University. But, I don't want her to think I lack confidence in her ability to make it through BCT and beyond. I have all the faith in the world she can and will. But, like Sydney C. said, anything unforeseen can happen that may DQ her before or during BCT.

My DS knew. He gave me his typical eye rolling "you can do what you want to, but you have nothing to worry about look." Lack of confidence is not in his vocabulary.
 
My DS knew. He gave me his typical eye rolling "you can do what you want to, but you have nothing to worry about look." Lack of confidence is not in his vocabulary.

My DD gave me the same response...said even on a broken leg she would figure out how to keep up.
 
A deposit was just made for Plan B school. DS was advised and he understood the reason, "just in case..." It is always better to be safe than sorry.:idea:
 
A deposit was just made for Plan B school. DS was advised and he understood the reason, "just in case..." It is always better to be safe than sorry.:idea:

Totally agree. $200+ is a small price for "insurance"
 
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