<p>Hey! I'm new to the forum! I originally posted this in the wrong category so here I go again. </p>
<p>One of my top choices for college is Wharton and I really want to go there. But since it is an ED school and not an EA, if I apply and make it, I would HAVE to go. I'm kind of freaked out by that and I'll have no other chance to take a look at what other schools can offer (scholarships, etc.). It's also quite a financial commitment. </p>
<p>So though I really want to go there, I don't know if I want to sacrifice choice for the higher admission rate that ED applicants are afforded.
So what do you think?Should I apply Early Decision to Wharton? </p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>ED provides a significant boost even at schools like Wharton.</p>
<p>Especially when RD admit rates are like 7-8% and ED is around 17-20%.</p>
<p>You have to keep in mind, alot of the ED boost comes from the fact that legacies and the hardcore business kids apply ED. Is there a boost? Yes, but don’t apply unless you know wharton is your top choice. </p>
<p>As for FA, most aid packages are comparable between different schools so I wouldn’t worry too much about that.</p>
<p>If you really want to go there then apply ED.</p>
<p>Another thing to note is that if you apply for financial aid and you get accepted but you don’t like the FA package that they give you you can withdraw your ED commitment.</p>
<p>Like you, I’m fairly certain if I applied to other schools I would be able to obtain some scholarships (i.e. USC’s National Merit scholarships, WUSL’s various scholarships). </p>
<p>Financial Aid is based on FASFA and CSS and, occasionally, other financial supplements like Penn’s PFAS. Most financial aid packages, especially at institutions promising to meet 100% of financial need like Penn, will not vary by a significant amount. </p>
<p>How I determined I would apply ED: I thought about myself. If I received a full-ride to, say, USC–and was accepted to Wharton but with minimal financial aid–which school would I attend? I eventually realized the answer was Penn, always Penn. You need to ask yourself this question too.</p>
<p>If Wharton isn’t your first choice, don’t apply early, simple as that.</p>
<p>Higher ED rates don’t mean it’s easier to get in. It may actually be even harder to get in ED than RD to Wharton. Think about it–the people who apply ED to Wharton are the kids whose lives are built around going there. That’s who you’re competing against. In the RD process, you could potentially stand out more as truly dedicated to Wharton against all the other RD applicants; against the ED kids, not so much.</p>