<p>Many parents and students don't realize that it's acceptable to turn down a "binding" Early Decision offer, if the financial aid package that goes along with it isn't adequate. Of course, "adequate" is a tricky word ... lots of gray area there. What it's supposed to mean is "Way out of kilter with the EFC or with what the family can reasonably afford." It does NOT mean, "Not as good as we'd hoped" or "Not as good as an Early Action or Rolling Admission school already offered."</p>
<p>So, here's the question:</p>
<p>Have you--or anyone you know--bailed out on a binding ED commitment? If yes, was it for financial reasons? If not, what was the situation? </p>
<p>Sally, we have acquaintances whose child was admitted to Emory ED a number of years ago. They "bailed" on the ED commitment, citing finances, but I always heard that they made up all kinds of financial excuses. Their child was admitted to Tulane with a lot of $$, and that seems to be what triggered their "bailing."</p>
<p>Ha! I knew of another student who bailed on an ED commitment elsewhere (not Emory) after also being lured by Tulane merit money. Again, it seemed like a case of an okay deal vs. a better deal.</p>
<p>How does that work? ED admittees should withdraw their other apps upon notification in December. How is that they can keep one in play for Tulane's FA decision? Or does Tulane make an early offer?</p>
<p>What about a family not requesting financial aid? What if they decide that even though they don't qualify for financial aid, that their financial situation will no longer allow for full freight at the private ED, and opt for their in-state flagship instead? Especially if the ED school is on the other coast?
Thoughts?</p>
<p>Broetchen, I would think that that situation would be an okay one to bail out on. But if there's any chance at all you could get FA, you should fill out the FAFSA.</p>
<p>Schools don't want kids who don't want them. I feel certain that quite a few ED acceptances could be bailed on with the approval of the school if there is a significant reason such as suddenly decided I couldn't be that far away from sick grandma or something like that.</p>
<p>The important thing about binding ED offers is that while students aren't forced to attend a college they don't really want to attend, they also aren't able to "trade up" to a much more desirable college from an ED college they have spurned. Getting into State U after turning down an ED offer is routine, but not getting into a top Ivy. </p>
<p>My friend applied ED to Penn. She got in, but never went. Said it was finances, they pulled up her FAFSA and said "you can easily afford this!" Ended up not going though.</p>
<p>Someone from my school bailed on BU after getting in early - the reason was finances, but he didn't receive adequate scholarship money to make ends meet. The major backlash was from my school's college counselor, who was rather adimant that he not ruin our school's good name with BU. He's now attending Iowa - he didn't mention it being a problem to break it off with BU, apparently his dad was rather persuasive about the finances.</p>
<p>I also believe it's uncommon, but reasonable under circumstances already discussed, to not honor an ED acceptance. Other threads on CC have addressed this in the past, and in particular, it has been stated that the ED committment is not a legal, binding contract, though it should be treated as a moral obligation. The Guidance Counselor often experiences the greatest backlash from the college or university, especially the prep/private school GC (who has been known to steer students toward specific schools in order to enhance or maintain the GC's reputation and standing with schools). In this situation, other students at that high school may suffer some negative consequences.</p>
<p>Since everyone is citing cases where people successfully bailed out of ED, perhaps it would be the annoying but right thing to do to cite a case of someone who turned down Brown ED for Oxford. He was an amazing applicant from my old school, accepted ED to Brown, cut his other applications, but get his Ox and Cam applications open, figuring, what the hell, college is A) cheaper there, B) they arent in connection with Brown, so it's not like they will know anything C) its my dream school, chances are I wont even be accepted anyways. Guess what, he was accepted and he really wanted to attend. I think he was accepted because he has some behind the door connection to the Ox, but anyway, he received the news in January I think, and commited to Oxford, trying to claim that he financially couldnt afford Brown. He didn't say he was going to Oxford or anything - he just politiely, or his parents did, informed Brown that he would not be attending due to financial inability and had to bail. Well it turns out the the Brown adcom who specializes in our region of the country's admissions knew our guiddance counselor very well and requested the truth. The guiddance counselor cannot lie, and will not, because then she loses her rep and will have trouble in future years, so the truth was known.</p>
<p>Oxford contacted him, saying basically that he belonged to a different school. He got the shock of his life, 4000 miles or whatever doesnt mean that colleges talk apparently. He went running to Brown, and they were on the verge of rescinding because he had disrespected. Parents, GC, and adcom got in contact and the truth became known that he could indeed pay Brown, and Brown was his 2nd dream school, and they took pity on him and accepted.</p>
<p>^^ This is the story HE told ME back in our HS senior days. Friends do exxagerate and tell tales, so I dont know if this is one hundred percent true, but I know the outcome is correct.</p>
<p>Be careful. They can and they will rescind you - if you want to be crafty, be extremely smart about it, cover your rear with a whole lot of cushioning.</p>
<p>One of the counselors told me the sad story of a kid who bailed on his ED school and applied to others. He didn't get in the other places, but his original school found out and rescinded him. </p>
<p>Please explain to me why it is a "sad story" (your phrase) that a "kid" (again your phrase) that broke his promise to one school "didn't get in the other places, but his original school found out and rescinded him".</p>
<p>Unless the applicant and his/ her parents lacked the ability to read the ED agreement that they signed and also lacked an understanding of the Early Decision application process then the "kid" incured the consequences of his actions.</p>
<p>I am unsympathetic to anyone that gives their word and breaks it.</p>
<p>It does amaze me that among this generation of students, raised on the Internet, at a time when everyone knows everything about everybody, and news is flashed at lightning speeds, so many believe that somehow other schools won't know of ED acceptances and the ED school won't learn about other acceptances.</p>
<p>No, there's no formula about how much cheaper some school must be. I think if you ask to be released from an ED contract for valid reasons related to financial feasibility (and not cynical ones) you will have no problem. If you can't afford it, honestly, it will be clear that you can't afford it. If you can but you're shopping for a better deal or using it as an excuse to accept a more attractive offer elsewhere then you may get hammered. Can't say you weren't warned.</p>