<p>I’m missing something here. When did “I learned that I could wait to withdraw my other applications UNTIL I got my financial aid packages from the other schools.” this happen? Did Muhlenburg tell you that you could do this? I think I am shooting off a an Email to Muhlenburg to tell them what a joke they are making out of their ED program with this situation. This is preposterous. </p>
<p>Without knowing all of the facts, i won’t lay blame on the OP, but to lay out the terms of ED, one gets extra consideration for admissions in return for making this your first choice school and withdrawing your applications elsewhere upon acceptance to that school with the only exception being that if the financial aid package from the ED school makes it undoable. You, a parent, and the school counselor likely read and signed the statement on the Common Application, and i urge you to reread exactly what you agreed to do. </p>
<p>The agreement says nothing about merit money. It only addresses meeting financial NEED, which you may not have, or have little of. So really what you agreed to do, is to withdraw you applications upon receiving Muhlenberg’s acceptance unless their aid package is unacceptable to you, at which point in time you would appeal it and give them time to come up with something if they can. From what i can gather in the situation, they probably can’t because a school can’t just pull financial aid out of anywhere if there is no need as defined by PROFILE and/or FAFSA. And there is nothing about merit money. It has always been my suspicion that ED kids are handicapped in terms of scholarships as no such incentive is needed because of the ED agreement.</p>
<p>Where my guess is about this whole problem is that these stupid wannabe schools imitating the big boys with their EDs are doing ED2s with time tables that are meeting up with early read and offers from other wannabees that are trying to attract these kids. So instead of everyone honoring commitment and agreements made, the whole idea of ED is now a scavenger fight. And this kid is worried about a $400 deposit.</p>
<p>I don’t have any sympathy for the OP, but even less so for the schools involved and they pretty much substantiate some nagging doubts I have had about the integrity of this whole process. Sheesh. If the OP has talked to the Admissions Office at Muhlenberg and they agreed to let this applicant look and compare MERIT offers, then everyone gets what they deserve. Op might as well milk this for what she could. </p>
<p>Go ahead and ask for the delay. See if Muhlenberg will match your merit offers elsewhere. If I were the admissions director there, I would shoot this dog of a case and tell the OP right out to get of the pot or dump right now, but if they have been allowing this leeway, then it’s their own pot to clean. </p>
<p>What is your EFC? What did Muhlenberg say your need is? Usually, the FInancial AId office does the aid packages and they do have to be backed up by need as defined by formula, and other than for ED, the packages are usually not done this early. Admissions tends to do the merit awards, and you, OP, are apparently a hot candidate, for these schools so they have jumped the gun in admitting you and giving you money to get you to come. Congratulations on that. My advice right now is to talk to Muhlenberg’s admissions office and tell them outright what has happened and if they won’t give you a merit package on the spot, then tell them you can’t go there and head on to Door #2, Unless you have need, none of the schools are likely to give you a financial aid package. Your best bet for that was Muhlenberg as your ED school. The thing that is causing so much confusion here is that merit and financial aid are two wholly different things coming from two completely different offices and these schools are all hungry to seal the deal on a candidate they really want. </p>
<p>This is why ED is such a bad idea. All of a sudden a first choice school is not such a first choice school when other schools throw money in the pot. Saw that happen with a good friend of mine and his DD. He would have gladly cut of his arm for his DD to get into FIrst CHoice U and when she did, they broke their necks to make the fin aid package acceptable and were going to go with it. But then State U gives a better deal with Honor College Icing (they didn’t care that she had been accepted ED elsewhere and her application continued to be processed), Suddenly free sounded really good next to $40K a year,. He still regrets his DD having applied ED since they never did find out what some of thsoe schools that did cancel her application would have given her.</p>
<p>The reason ED often works is that it keeps the applicants in a vacuum about what else is available and preys on the fear that the appllicant may not get in anywhere that often lurks in the minds. It goes on that Big MO. Strip that away, and other than for the most selective schools, the HPYMS and company, and it’s all a big razzle dazzle and when the lights go on and all the offers are on the table, FIrst Choice U can look pretty danged paltry. </p>
<p>OP, you probably would have gotten merit mone from Muhlenberg too, had you NOT applied ED. But they may have already given it out to those not so constrained. You can talk to them and see if they’ll match your offers. If the adcom from that school is reading this , S/he should be ashamed the way they operated on this, and had better get to work on tightening up the ED process at that school as it is a total clusterwreck.</p>