I think it’s important to note that the OP hasn’t just committed to attend VT but has committed to VT’s BArch program. This is a comprehensive 5 year professional degree that follows a highly structured sequence of courses They don’t accept external transfers into the program, and transferring out may —depending on the destination— entail starting over again.
For an applicant committed to architecture VT’s BArch is top of the line!
But … for an applicant considering a range of career paths (which is understandable for a high school student) there are better degree options.
The OP considers VCU (presumably for a BFA though she hasn’t specified) her “backup.” This doesn’t sound to me like a firm commitment to architecture, especially to an intense and competitive 5 year program.
Of course, as she says if she doesn’t like VT’s BArch, she can always transfer out. That’s correct and plenty (an alarming number) of BArch students do just that. However the OP should be aware that transferring out of a BArch program— whether to another BArch or to a different degree—will potentially have downsides, both in time and money.
I am definitely committed to architecture, which is why I applied to VT in the first place, and I only applied to VCU for interior design as a backup in case I didn’t get into Tech, but not because I wasn’t committed to architecture. I have talked to VT arch alumni who said they absolutely loved the program, even if it had its challenges at times, so I feel confident in that aspect. I also participated in VT’s inside architecture + design summer program and really liked it. However, there’s also no way of truly knowing how I’ll feel until I actually attend the program, which leads me to your final point. I think if architecture ultimately ends up being something I don’t feel like continuing, I’ll know by first semester, at the latest by the end of freshman year. Would transferring at that point also entail the same downsides?
Absolutely. We have a few family friends who are architects who graduated from VT. They have very successful careers and are proud VT alumni. It is a top department.
My concern with this situation is the OP wanting to keep the VT option by telling them they now want to be an EA admit while shopping other opportunities. Maybe VT will be ok with it, but possibly not. The OP needs to walk away from VT or commit at this point.
And there are also definitely concerns with the school/college counselors not reminding the students to pull their other applications when accepted ED.
Reading this- makes me furious that people decide to do ED when they get buyer’s remorse. I am a full pay parent and we didn’t do any ED which may hurt my high-stats kid because we don’t have an “out” for saying “no” to an ED CONTRACT. As a full paying family- you know the expectations of the school (ACCEPT SCHOOL AND WITHDRAW ALL OTHERS) or you decide to go in RD pool- which is what we had to do!
By EDing you essentially are saying I’ll take what I get, or I’ll bow out. That said, if you ask, it’s not going to hurt you in any way. You’re in if you want in at a known price. Best case, they give you a little more FA. You really shouldn’t play that game though unless you’ll walk if they say no. You’re essentially saying you can’t afford it if you ask.
I apologize for inciting such strong emotions, that was never my intention. I totally agree with where you are coming from and the privilege of my situation. That being said, buyer’s remorse is not something I expected and not something that I can control either, it is just an immediate reaction that came with my acceptance. If you read my previous responses, though, you can take solace in the fact that I will be accepting my offer. Just wanted to get my thoughts out there.
@Maria_Maple it sounds like you’ve done as much as you can to prepare in advance for VT’s BArch. VT wouldn’t have accepted you unless they felt you could do the work. So the open question is whether you’ll actually LIKE it — both the education and the profession.
I think the reason for the BArch’s high drop out rate is that the students with tech/structural interests find it too artsy and those with creative/design interests find it too technical. Architecture is a balance of both. (Plus a generous helping of people skills)
The liabilities of transferring out really would depend on what you would be transferring into. Many schools that offer the BArch also offer a BS or BA in architecture as a fall back. VT does not. Unless there’s another VT major that fits your goals, you’d have to move to another college. In that event you’d have a lot of options, each with its own requirements/restrictions.
Have you already received your financial aid package from VT? If yes, I do not see that asking for an increase would jeopardize your acceptance (as long as you don’t threaten). If no, then you need to know what they’re offering before the 15th.
Your GC may not be happy with making that sort of decision as it can make their job harder going forward for future classes. I think you stand a chance of getting caught if you get into some reach school and they have any communications with your high school. Bad karma. ETA - sounds like you are sticking with your school. I think it is totally normal to have some buyer’s remorse, to wonder what “could have been” and also when people are accepted, the feeling if you got in here, maybe should have tried the next level, if that makes sense. Good luck.
That is completely fair, but the second thoughts hit immediately with my acceptance and because they mentioned in the letter that if I don’t accept the offer by the 15th it would be withdrawn, I was tempted to think a little bit more about my decision. In retrospect, that was a wrong and selfish decision, I concede.
Yes absolutely, I certainly had some doubts as to whether or not I aimed too low, but I’ve since reconciled with those thoughts as I figured I would be happiest at VT regardless of ranking. Thank you for your input!
This would be a non-factor with the GCs/schools that I work with.
If a student is accepted ED, everything stops; no midyear reports are sent, no midyear transcripts are sent and the school does not process any more applications for the student unless they have in writing, that the family has submitted to the school that they are not accepting the ED offer and the School releases them from the ED agreement
It’s ok to change your mind. What is not ok is that you hold on to the ED seat while waiting to see if something better comes along.
If money is an issue, and VT is not a financially feasible option, then withdraw and go with the full ride as you wait to see what other offers are coming our way.
But how would the guidance counselor know unless the student tells them? I don’t think this is a widespread problem, I assume most people honor their commitment (and that most, like my D, remain thrilled to be going to their top choice school), but I don’t see how the GC would know what’s necessarily going on. Esp. if you apply to additional schools pre-decision. Maybe in a smaller private school they have time to check in w/ the kids, but in my D’s small public school she would just ask the admin person to send more transcripts & the GC would never know.
it is the GC’s job to know and they should be held accountable. the colleges too. I am cynical about this but we can’t trust all the kids and parents to do the right thing. My daughter got her ED acceptance and immediately withdrew all her EA applications. A classmate of her’s got in ED to Vanderbilt and did NOT withdraw her Michigan application because she wanted to see if she would get in, even though she knew she was going to Vandy, and even though 60 or more of her classmates were applying to Michigan. I suspect this happens much more than we realize- I have never heard of a consequence but I know that kids at my local high school never get into certain colleges and I wonder if it’s because of shenanigans like this in prior years.
I don’t think the ED rules would be hard to track and enforce with a little effort. It’s another case of the rule-followers suffering and it’s unjust.
My D waited 24 hours until we had the financial aid letter & then withdrew/declined all her other apps immediately as well. Some do, some don’t. At that point she didn’t care if she got into any of the others or not. But the GC sent out an email a week or so later asking kids to report their decisions. They have no secret way of finding out as far as I know. It’s still incumbent on the kids to self-report where they did or didn’t get in. All we can do is to teach our kids to do the right thing & try not to worry about what others are doing (I know easy for me to say since my kid did get in).
Remember the GC and the family both sign the ED agreement stating the student will abide by the agreement. For the counselor, you are putting your professional reputation on the line. Most counselors are not going to let a 17-y/o student mess with that relationship. Just like in other facets of business, people don’t want to do business with people they find questionable. When you hear about high schools being blacklisted by colleges, something has happened where the A/O feels that there don’t need kids from a particular high school because they can meet the institutional mission using other students from the region.
Counselors are always working to develop relationships with their school’s regional admissions rep. Depending on the relationship that your counselor has built, s/he could pick up a phone, shoot an email to find out which of their students had been accepted ED, who was deferred, who was outright rejected and if time permitted the reasons why. A good counselor/AO relationship can have a student moved from waitlist to acceptance.
This is one of the reasons that people will pay for elite private/prep school because the college and admissions process runs like a well-oiled machine where counselors spend years cultivating relationships with A/Os.
In general this should be the approach for anyone applying ED…get in, game over…if you can afford it. The angst should happen before applications are sent. It;'s precisely why our son didn’t ED anywhere.
As a parent (e.g., not an expert) I agree with a lot of what has been written. But if the OP does stick to the ED agreement, there’s no reason why she shouldn’t reach out to VT and ask about merit and/or financial aid (if she applied), and make them aware of the full ride offer from VCU. It may not produce anything, but it can’t hurt to try.
And personally I understand why this is all overwhelming for a kid. My S22 got into his ED1 school and a week later (after he’d already withdrawn his other apps) had a letter from an EA school with a big merit scholarship. He didn’t consider backing out for a second - he was so psyched about the ED acceptance and we immediately paid the deposit and bought a bunch of swag! But it was a surprise to get any merit - it just wasn’t even on the radar for us - and for another kid or family, I can understand why a full ride offer might throw them for a loop, especially in this crazy time.