<ol>
<li><p>Upon further (off-line) discussion I will amend, people may well still reasonably decide to apply ED whether for hypothetical admissions “bump”, or to get the process over with , while still applying for FA. But often, IMO, if $$ is a critical factor in the matriculation decision this is not the best strategy to maximize it.</p></li>
<li><p>D2 did her homework in advance, to be in position to make a sound ED choice. Because she saw what happened to D1 in RD. Many people can do likewise, and have just as good a chance to make a sound decision in time for ED as for RD. One just starts earlier.</p></li>
<li><p>The true deviation, if any, of a school as conceptualized vs. reality won’'t become clear till you are actually there. Before that, at application time you have to make the best choice you can, going on what you know and what you believe. And on those criteria, dozens of schools may not all be equal to you. Whether you turn out to be correct or not is another matter. That doesnt mean you should randomly pick dozens of other places that don’t appear to have what you think you want. Lots of people actually do want what they think they want.</p></li>
<li><p>D1 did not attend Barnard. </p></li>
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<p>5.Barnard had the most comprehensive,and most levels, of dance offerings of the liberal arts colleges my daughter looked at. Moreover by virue of its (unique) location, yes it does have access to Steps, which dozens of other liberal arts colleges don’t. And access to ballet performances in NYC, which dozens of oher LACs don’t. Quite simply, it was better for someone interested in dance than any other liberal arts college she came across. Not the same as dozens of others, better. I’ve seen no information since to suggest any different, to this point.</p>
<p>That doesn’t mean she felt it was fully equivalent to a professional ballet school. But its the best LAC she found that there is, in this regard. At some schools she looked at, she said she wouldn’t even take ballet there because the level they offered was too easy. And those schools did not have access to Steps as an alternative or supplement.</p>
<p>No, they are not all necessarily equal, if you particularly care about something.</p>
For the RD student, “application time” is a period of 3-4 months, with the freedom to add more colleges late in the game. At the very end of the process… my daughter went online and submitted an application to Fordham. It was essentially an afterthought – she decided she needed another safety, she wanted to come to NY, so though unvisited and previously unconsidered, she spent 15 minutes online and added to her choices. Fordham accepted her of course… and surprised us with a financial aid package containing more merit money that I would have thought likely … but by the time she arrived in NY on the visit-Fordham trip in the spring, she had been admitted to Barnard, and so never made it to Fordham.</p>
<p>But the point is… there isn’t a fixed decision point the RD process. There are deadlines… but even those might be flexible. (We kept getting emails from Tulane about their deadline being extended – it was the same year as Katrina, so Tulane was in a tough spot at the time).</p>
<p>Although my parents were never married, and they aren’t in a relationship.
I still continue to have a relationship with my dad.
He helps me out with money and other things and has for a long time.
I don’t think he would have an issue giving me any kind of information I needed for college.
Including tax returns.</p>
<p>If you want to apply ED, you need to discuss it with both your parents – including the documentation you will need from them for financial aid. Also, I have the impression that your mom has very limited income … but if your dad makes more money, your financial aid will be calculated with “his” EFC added in. So lets say with your dad’s income, Barnard expects you to pay $7,000. (that’s the amount you are left with after the loans). Obviously your mom doesn’t have that money – will your dad come through for you? </p>
<p>I just made up that number – you can get a better idea of what Barnard will look for from your dad by running his numbers through a FAFSA calculator – but the point is, if your dad’s in the picture, Barnard will expect him to contribute.</p>
<p>There are other colleges that won’t. So you may find that between Pell grants or merit aid that you might be offered better aid at different colleges. </p>
<p>If you are still intent on applying ED, I’d suggest that you try to meet with someone from the financial aid office BEFORE you apply to go over your financial situation. They may be able to give you a rough idea of the sort of aid you would get.</p>