Are wait-list acceptances binding if I say yes? Forum

[moonshooting]

My question is assuming the principle that money is not in the equation and I just want the best school.
Let's say I am accepted and fully prepared to attend William and Mary Law in the fall, but I am then accepted from the waitlist to Boston University (clearly better). This is great news, however, I am also on the waitlist at UVA, UPenn, Georgetown, and Columbia. So my question is whether a yes answer to attend Boston University (or more generally for any waitlist) binding and thereby preventing any chance of attending my T14 waitlists? If it is binding, what should I do?

[UVA2B]

Typically every one of these decisions comes with a seat deposit, so every time you get off a waitlist, you’re paying another chunk of change to accept that seat. So, assuming money means nothing to you, you can renege as many times as you want. But you’ll likely pay $1k+ every time you do it (not sure what seat deposits look like currently, just going off of historical knowledge).

There is not a contract between you and the school you decide to take over another beyond forfeiting seat deposits.

Also, BU is not obviously better than W&M. It’s better if you want to be in Boston, but starting your career in VA will yield way worse results compared to W&M.

[UVA2B]

To further clarify, schools will be made aware that you’re double deposited if you try to hold two seats, so you should only hold one seat at a time, but you’re able to ride with that seat all the way into orientation and before loans are disbursed for tuition. Once that window closes, you’re pretty committed to that school, at least for that semester where you’ve paid tuition.

[moonshooting]

Typically every one of these decisions comes with a seat deposit, so every time you get off a waitlist, you’re paying another chunk of change to accept that seat. So, assuming money means nothing to you, you can renege as many times as you want. But you’ll likely pay $1k+ every time you do it (not sure what seat deposits look like currently, just going off of historical knowledge).

There is not a contract between you and the school you decide to take over another beyond forfeiting seat deposits.

Also, BU is not obviously better than W&M. It’s better if you want to be in Boston, but starting your career in VA will yield way worse results compared to W&M.

100% agree that W&M is way better for a VA/DC career. Mostly wanted to have a hypothetical making the assumptions of money=irrelevant and rank=only deciding factor. Neither assumptions are true but are useful as a starting point. Thanks for the feedback!