The countdown to final college selection decisions for most US high school seniors is 16 days away (May 1st) but many parents have already given money to colleges in the form of room deposits in hope of getting good housing. In addition to deciding the college they will commit to, students need to make sure they move quickly to request return of any refundable deposits their parents paid to colleges they will not attend.

Many colleges warn students as soon as they offer them admission that to get the best housing (or any housing) it is best to pay their enrollment deposit early. Within the same notice encouraging such deposits, students are warned about deadlines for refunds of those deposits should they later decide not to attend. The amount of deposit money at stake could be anywhere from $300 to $700 or higher for each college. The deadline at many institutions to request a refund of housing deposits is often the same deadline to accept offers of admission (May 1). Although most colleges refund housing deposits, some do not.