Oh! We had senior orientation night recently and they said over and over to ensure that if you went ED, you’d better make sure it was your first choice as it was binding. That changes things a bit! Thank you 
The ED school should absolutely be the first choice because the early decision is final (yes or no when FA is involved). When you say ‘yes’ you are locked in with no chance to choose a different school that pops up favorably.
Got it. So many moving parts to this whole process!
Thanks @vonlost for clarifying that you can turn down an ED acceptance if the financial aid is not sufficient as deemed by the family. I believe there was at least one ED student of the class of 2022 on CC that turned down the acceptance because the FA did not come back sufficient. The key is sufficient for your family, the thing you can’t do is wait for other offers to come in to compare packages, there is a pretty short time frame in which to deposit for ED. If you already have an offer in hand that is OK. You won’t know the outcome fo the FDDS or Honors program by the ED1 deadline.
@sahmkc - thank you for pointing that out!
@familyfromLI , isn’t it great what the hive mind can do? your thread is an example of CC at it’s best.
A major advantage of successful ED is a less hectic senior year with college apps done before the year end break.
@vonlost I so agree! DS18 went ED1 to AU and I’m trying to convince DD19 to ED to a school. It was awesome to have the decision made before Xmas. DD19 is applying EA to a couple of schools.
@collegemom3717 - YES!
@vonlost - DOUBLE YES!!! That would be a tremendous load lifted just as winter track is getting started as he doesn’t get home until 7:30 pm M-F and still has those darned meets all day Saturday
Typically when does a student hear back from an ED - is it in December or January?
DD2 applied EA to her second choice and got in, then had only one more app to write to her first choice.
December 15 is typical to get an ED1 decision, Feb 15 for ED2.
Our ED1 decision “big envelop” came on December 20th. AU only officially notifies by snail mail. There is a workaround to that you can read about on last years class of 2022 thread to view this online. We were able to see our acceptance letter and aid package on the 15th.
@sahmkc - that’s about the time my older son got EA decisions back, which was great. We just didn’t ED anywhere with him so I’m not as familiar with the procedure. Hope you don’t mind me asking - Is your son loving AU?
Yes, he really is loving AU. Every time we talk I can hear people in the background popping in to say hi or ask questions. He has been down to the national mall several times already and went to the zoo over Labor day weekend. Usually, he hangs up with I’ve got to go people are waiting for me. They have a summer orientation called the Eagle Summit which I think really helped prepare him it was only 3 days, but really worth it for him and me too. He is an AU Scholar and really loves his seminar and the professor. If you have any questions please feel free to pm me.
That really makes my heart happy as a mum I will absolutely take you up on the offer if I think of anything else - thank you!
thanks to all who contributed to this thread. We’re still wresting with ED vs RD as well. We’ve visited AU, W&M, JMU, UVA, and University of Mary Washington so far. AU’s international studies program is still far and away tops on my son’s list, and we’re going to visit again in October for a Virginia preview day.
Our concern continues to be cost. The Net cost calculator seems terribly out of date, and doesn’t ask for as much detailed info as other school’s calculators. We’re a family of four, with an annual after tax income of about $130k, the NCC says AU will cost us $42k a year, but it says it’s based of 2015-16 numbers. We are struggling to justify AU at that cost (and probably higher) versus W&M in the low $30’s, or JMU/UMW in the mid-$20s.
Our current thought is ED at AU, RD at his other choices, and see what kind of aid package we get. He had a 1440 on his SAT, has around a 4.25 GPA, with very good ECs, so we’re thinking he’s got a good shot at ED acceptance.
@VaParent19 - Lots of luck to you! It’s sounds like he’s got lots of good choices that however it shakes out, he’ll do just fine!
My son interviewed this weekend, and I’m hoping he managed to get out more than one word at a time
@familyfromLI …I would bet (and do not quote me on this, or take it as any more than a somewhat educated guess) that your son’s interest in science would be a plus in admissions. At a school full of political scientists, where they are breaking ground on a new STEM center, it would be good for diversity.
@domarge - I hope so!
He found the info that they were building a new science center and asked during his interview when they anticipated it would be finished. He said the interview went ok. I was banned within 5 miles of the interview location, but boy would I liked to have been a fly on the wall . . .
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to post a comment!!!