<p>For financial aid purposes, does applying to a college Early Action increase likelihood of getting a better financial aid package? I know submitting an app earlier for rolling admissions has this effect.</p>
<p>Also, just out of curiosity, do they factor in your essay/Letters of Rec/extracurricular activities in merit aid?</p>
<p>It could at some schools, in some situations. But it would also be important to have all of your financial aid information ready to go as well. Some financial aid is limited and is distributed on a first come first serve basis, and no more when all gone.</p>
<p>Most schools in this country do not meet full need for most students. In fact, very, very few schools do, and those that do tend to define then need themselves. So there is simply not enough aid to go around. The earlier your package can be processed, the more aid there is to distribute is the bottom line. But some schools will hold off on fin aid packages for EA students until the RD apps are processed. It’s not a uniform policy for all schools. </p>
<p>Merit money is usually distributed by the admissions office, not financial aid, though, again it’s up to the school. Usually it is given to the candidates the college most wants to have. Usually high test scores are what they want. But, it is possible other issues are taken into account too.</p>
<p>So is there some sort of designated title given to colleges that wait until the RD applicants? Or do you just find out by chance? I feel like this is something that would greatly influence which colleges I apply to ED</p>
<p>You have to read the information that the college has on its website and ask them directly. It can differ from college to college, and even a given college can change its policy from one year to the next. </p>
<p>Also, please do NOT confuse ED and Ea. That’s a whole other story. When you apply ED, schools have financial aid form that you fill out (usually PROFILE0 with estimates along wtih your ED application. Your ED acceptance would come with an estimate of what your aid would be if the financial info were correct. ED has a deadline by which you have to accept the offer and it is supposed to be a binding agreement that if you are accepted, you will accept unless the aid package makes it unaffordable, in which case that school releases you from the obligation and the school is now off your list. That’s the way it works with most every ED program. That’s very differnt from EA when you have until May 1 to make the decision and can compare packages with other college. EA is not binding; ED is. You have to read the stipulations carefully with these programs as you do sign the agreement saying you do understand the school’s policy.</p>
<p>SOme schools do give ED accepted students a guaranteed full need met package without giving such a guarantee for RD students. Whether a given school gives ED applicants better or worse packages is dependent upon the school. I know of no such list, but I know CMU guarantees to meet full need for ED accepted students, something that is not extended to all RD students. Schools tend to try to meet need for ED since they want as close to a 100% accept for those students they take early and one of the only legitimate outs for an ED acceptee is if school is unaffordable. </p>
<p>There is the thought that merit money is not as easy to come by for ED if the school gives merit, since a lot of merit money isn’t given till later, and why give it to those kids who are already stuck to attend by ED agreement? Merit money is to try to “buy” more acceptances by the students the school wants. By definition, ED is saying you will go there as long as your need is met, so why give the gravy to ED? But, again, there are schools that will consider ED acceptees for merit as well. It all depends upon the school’s operating policies. </p>
<p>If you don’t do the research, looking at the school information and asking you find out by chance. Not something that you should find out that way, since the answers to these things might be a filter that you use to choose and eliminate schools on your list.</p>
<p>Some colleges have early application deadlines for certain scholarships - for instance Scripps has a deadline of Nov 15 for a couple of their scholarships. This is the same deadline as Early Decision. Since they don’t have EA, you would need to apply either ED1 (they hade another ED deadline in January) or RD by November 15.</p>
<p>Other colleges may give preferential aid - remember that need can be met by self help as well as scholarships and grants. An EA applicant may be more likely to have a larger share of scholarships and grants vs. loans and work study. It may be a matter of the school running out of money for grants, or preferential treatment for the student who indicates interest early.</p>