I was accepted to my first choice ED and it is a private school. Am I allowed to leave my application to 1-2 public safety schools in case some tragedy occurs and I cannot pay for the school? Thank you.
You really should withdraw. I’m not sure what you mean by tragedy but by contract you agreed to withdraw all other outstanding applications once accepted at the school you ED’d to
Do you have a financial aid package from the ED school yet? You can’t agree to enroll in a college if you don’t know the cost. Wait until you have a financial aid package from your ED school before withdrawing other apps. If the ED turns out to be unaffordable for your family, you’ll have to turn it down. Good luck.
Once you’ve received your FA award and determined can afford to go to your ED school then you MUST retract all your other applications.
Doesn’t ED require you to commit to the school immediately regardless of the financial aid package and whether you are able to afford it or not? I thought ED was 100% binding no exceptions.
Is it even possible to turn down an ED? I thought that was only possible with early action.
Some ED programs state that you’re required to attend assuming the financial aid package is “reasonable.” What reasonable means varies. In general, though, the idea is that we’ll accept you and give you some aid package and you have to go.
@HopefulBadgerPlz not necessarily. You can appeal your FA package if they don’t give you enough. Provided that they still don’t give you enough money you can then attempt to prove to the school that there is not possible way for you or your family to pay for the school. Some schools make it more difficult than others. I’ve heard Wash U ED is a little difficult to get out of(my college counselor used to work there) but my friend applied ED at Tufts and was able to break it after a FA appeal and still not enough money. They were fine with it because Uchicago gave her practically a full ride but Tufts would have left her with about $20,000 in debt even after showing Tufts Uchicago’s FA package because they were unable to match it.
But I do have one question for the OP @sallymeno11. Don’t they usually send FA packages with acceptances? If you’ve applied ED somewhere you should already have your FA package and know if you can or cannot do it. The estimate and the actual amount given after the FAFSA and CSS(if applicable) are usually relatively close to one another give or take a few hundred dollars. One thing about ED is that you really can’t weigh FA packages against each other. You pretty much gave up that right when you applied ED. Only you can prevent that “tragedy” from happening and them snatching your FA away. That would only occur if you started getting F’s or got arrested, both of which are completely within your control
Have you accepted the ED offer? If so, then per most ED agreements, you have agreed to withdraw your other applications.
Talk to your guidance counselor. I’m not sure what the correct answer is if you didn’t get the financial aid package and feel a need to keep a financial safety,
Here is an example from Duke’s ED agreement:
http://admissions.duke.edu/images/uploads/process/ED_agreement.pdf
Emphasis added
Basically, they have to accept that you don’t believe the aid package is workable.
If the state U where you have applied doesn’t care about ED admissions elsewhere, and you have reason to believe that the ED institution might not prove affordable, or that a financial reversal is possible for your family, then it would be smart for you to leave that application open until you know about the money issue. You do not want to be the author of a “How do I pay for this unaffordable ED college?” thread in the Financial Aid Forum next June.
You have to withdraw all of your application, even to the state publics. And you should do this immediately after receiving your FA letter from ED school. My D got her ED acceptance on 12/11 and the FA letter one week later. She then withdrew all outstanding applications.
If you cannot afford the college after you receive the FA award, then you can get out of your binding agreement, or maybe try an appeal if this is where you still want to go.
I work in admissions and IMHO, net price calculators are there to give an estimate of costs, and in most cases, are pretty good indicators. All students and parents should run a NPC especially if an ED application will be submitted.
Ed is BINDING. If there is any doubt about affordability after running NPC, then apply RD.
I have withdrawn all my apps. I had initially received an incorrect award, but the error was fixed, and as of today I have received my FA package.
Thank you all for your help. I just don’t understand how schools would know if you didn’t withdraw haha
I would leave those applications open if you have already submitted them. Once you know you can afford your ED, then close them out.