<p>Does early action reduce one's financial aid? Thanks!</p>
<p>I'd like to know this as well. </p>
<p>To bring it further, would demonstrating too much interest slightly reduce generosity of FA offerings? What about merit aid offerings? (After all, isn't merit aid meant to entice less willing students? So if you seem willing, would the college assume it to be a "waste" to use merit money on you?)</p>
<p>At schools that offer need based FA, no early action does not reduce your chances of aid because:</p>
<p>It is non-binding, so you can still compare offers with RD schools.</p>
<p>At many schools you do not get the FA offer from your EA school until the RD financial aid packages go out in april.</p>
<p>I think that ED reduces your your opportunity when it comes to merit aid because you are essentially stating if admitted early you will attend (regardless of the aid package) so in this case there is not reason to entice you, because you are already committed to attending if accepted.</p>