May 1: National Candidates Reply Deadline

The National Candidates Reply Deadline is May 1. This is the date by which students must formally notify the college or university of their choice for attendance in the fall. This year, May 1 falls on a Saturday, so please consider Friday, April 30 to be your final reply deadline. For most colleges and universities, an enrollment deposit is required. Paying the enrollment deposit confirms your intent to enroll at the school and reserves your spot in the incoming freshman class. Only students who have paid the enrollment deposit are then able to register for classes, request on-campus housing, and attend freshman orientation. It is considered unethical to submit a deposit to more than one school, so your final decision truly needs to be made in advance of this deadline. Because of a growing concern over students double-depositing, there have been recent instances of a college or university discovering that a student has deposited at another school in addition to theirs and both schools then rescinded the admission offer. This enrollment deposit is typically credited toward the student’s first semester tuition bill. In addition to the enrollment deposit, most campuses also require a housing deposit and contract to secure a room in a residence hall for the freshman year. This deposit is also usually credited to the first semester’s bill. In most cases, both the enrollment deposit and the housing deposit are non-refundable after May 1.