Okay, so Goshen is going to make people pay a $250 deposit on SST groups two semesters before they leave. Assume the following (and I think they're pretty fair assumptions):

• Goshen needs this most for the small SST groups (French and German) in order to determine whether there is enough interest to run the group.
• If someone wants to go on a French or German SST group after the two months are up, Goshen can't afford to turn them down.
• Goshen can't read your mind.

What this essentially comes down to is that rather than pay the $250 deposit you should just pretend not to be planning on going on SST, then, whenever you feel like it, "change your mind." Goshen can't tell if you're being honest or not, and can't afford to refuse you in either case.

It is true that that for SST groups which look likely to fill up, you might lose a chance at them by holding back your deposit. But how many really fill up? And isn't it the ones that are least likely to fill up that Goshen most needs the deposits for in order to determine whether or not the unit should in fact go on at all?

The results of this will be to harm the French and German SST groups because Goshen will be even less able to predict interest, as students will be encouraged to conceal their plans to participate in those groups in order to avoid forfeiting their deposits should they change their minds (as well as forfeiting two-semesters' worth of interest on the deposits).
posted by weiss @ 7:05 PM