<p>“even the parents of full-pay students don’t know in October of 2009 what their kid will be charge in September of 2010”</p>
<p>I don’t see a practical issue here; full-pay parents will know that schools raise fees every year, and a jump, e.g. at our school, of 3.8% can hardly make a difference, especially for the freshman year.</p>
<p>At schools that meet full need, list price is irrelevant to FA students; at other schools it can make a big difference.</p>
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<p>When I think of changed circumstances, I think of something that has changed in the life situation of the student or family since the application was submitted–dad lost his job, mom got sick and you would like to stay closer to home, etc. I don’t consider “someone is giving me more money” to be a changed circumstance. </p>
<p>Let’s say that you hadn’t gotten the scholarship from the state school. Were you going to turn down the Penn ED acceptance because you couldn’t afford pay for it after you saw the financial aid package and it would require your parents to take out a lot of loans? Then you could argue that you have a financial exception. </p>
<p>You can’t be forced to go to Penn. The only “stick” that Penn has is that it can notify other colleges that you’ve reneged on your ED commitment after you received an acceptable financial aid package and those colleges may also pull back your acceptance to them. This is not going to happen at a state school. They don’t care.</p>
<p>Any applicant whose parents who can’t afford to take out loans shouldn’t be applying ED. You were hoping that Penn would cover your whole nut? </p>
<p>I, too, don’t like ED at all. If there is an advantage in admissions chances (which is the case at Penn) by applying ED, then low income kids are disadvantaged.</p>
<p>Justmytwocents…I love your story. I’m glad you posted it. But it is a different story than the OPs. If the OP declines the Penn acceptance and Penn knows it…the OP should feel free to apply wherever.</p>
<p>They should really do away with the search function on CC.:)</p>
<p>Blueredbeaver, how many schools did you apply to?</p>
<p>“They should really do away with the search function on CC.”</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>^^ Yes, it makes it so much more difficult to lie.</p>
<p>As a parent of a kid applying to MIT, I sure hope you don’t get in. I’d not want you in school with my kid (should he be so lucky as to be accepted)</p>
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<p>I thought the whole point of the ED process is that the student promises to matriculate if he or she is accepted, except for financial aid or changed circumstances exceptions. There should be no “declining” except as covered by the exceptions.</p>
<p>You are allowed to apply to different schools when you apply ED. You just aren’t allowed to apply to more than one ED.</p>
<p>But why would a poster say he applied to 2 schools when it was more?</p>
<p>Not cool.</p>
<p>“after you received an acceptable financial aid package”</p>
<p>Only the OP and family can decide if it’s an acceptable package.</p>
<p>
Maybe they have a 0 EFC on the FAFSA, but an asset like home equity that changes the equation in terms of the Penn calculation of financial aid.</p>
<p>^^You can apply to other colleges, but you must withdraw other applications (or decline acceptances) once you’ve been accepted ED and have a reasonable financial package.</p>
<p>Maybe he said he only applied to 2 schools because we are getting the Readers’ Digest condensed version…I would be much more interested in the full version. Something isn’t adding up…</p>
<p>:)…</p>
<p>"Only the OP and family can decide if it’s an acceptable package. "</p>
<p>Yes, but package from school #1 doesn’t becom unacceptable just b/c of a better offer from school #2.</p>
<p>Why not? You get a financial aid package from another school two days before the ED acceptance and you are supposed to ignore it? (I’m just assuming those are the facts. Who knows? 
)</p>
<p>please stop sounding so harshly towards my previous posts. I did only APPLIED 2. the state school did not require any application, it was called an “advantaged offer”, I would not consider that an “application process”. I simply clicked the “yes” for wanting to be considered. additionally, MIT EA doesn’t not violate the ED agreement, as you all know. If my parents really want to give them a financial break, I would do. I will explain all the truth to whoever wants to hear it.</p>
<p>^ There are a lot of cynics out here in CC land.</p>
<p>“Yes, but package from school #1 doesn’t becom unacceptable just b/c of a better offer from school #2.”</p>
<p>Sure it does. Parents can be unwisely willing to take on debilitating debt to enable a college education, but when the debt becomes unnecessary, the situation changes, and within the rules in this case.</p>
<p>I’m not saying you ignore the second offer, but receipt of a “better” 2nd offer doesn’t render the 1st offer unacceptable. That the better offer came only 2 days after the ED admission means OP really didn’t have time to w/d his ED app even if he wanted to. But, it the state finaid package had arrive a week earlier, OP would be obliged to have a conversation w/ UPenn. And the conversation where a candidate wants declines ED b/c of free-ride at StateU is very different than conversation where candidate wants to decline b/c of $5K more grant money from Ivy Competitior.</p>
<p>This is a lesson in knowing what you are getting into before you sign on the dotted line. </p>
<p>Something tells me that you will be able to get out of the agreement, but it sounds to me that had you not found out about the state school and you just found out that you got into your ED school, that you would be sending the deposit money in. </p>
<p>I tend to agree with what nyc said. If the OP had not got into the state school, would the OP be going ahead with the ED School??? Something tells me the answer is yes and that changes everything. If that is the case than the OP should be going with the ED school.</p>
<p>You applied to the state school. You did have to have your scores, transcript etc sent. If you don’t consider that applying, then your reality is not the same as mine. But if you want to parse words, your choice. I guess you can parse “binding ED” also. </p>
<p>Yes it is OK for you to have applied to MIT, but you are now also legally bound, as of a couple of days ago, to withdraw your application from them immediately. As you very well know, the MIT results won’t be released until wed 9 pm, leaving you plenty of time to let them know you are withdrawing.</p>
<p>you were a fool to apply early decision, and you may have to pay the consequences. pray that you won’t</p>