<p>Does applying ED significantly help your chances of admission at wash u? I know it varies from school to school and it didn't know that this schools policy was.</p>
<p>It does help for WashU (or at least did in the past). But you deprive yourself of any leverage in fin. aid / merit package negotiation / reconsideration. If money part is not an issue and it is your first choice, apply ED.</p>
<p>Don't apply ED if you can't afford it. Granted, it is a boost, and it is possible to negotiate better financial aid if your package isn't good enough, but it is true that you have no leverage.</p>