<p>I'm a senior starting the application process, applying to the following schools:</p>
<p>Northwestern
Oberlin
Barnard
UMichigan
Kenyon
NYU
UChicago
OSU</p>
<p>I would apply early to Northwestern or Oberlin, but financial costs are a concern. However, if it'll help me get in, I'd do it in a heartbeat. OK, so long story short: is early decision all it's cracked up to be? Will it honestly help me get in, or am I better just waiting?</p>
<p>It's hard to say whether applying ED will give you an edge or not. Yes, at some schools, that acceptance rate for ED is higher than for RD. However, there are many possible reasons for it (ie smaller pool, higher qualified applicants, etc.) If financial aid is a concern, it'd be better (in my opinion) to wait because then you could compare aid packages. After all, you wouldn't want to be stuck with a $40 000+/year tuition that you can't afford.</p>
<p>ED is all that and more. It saves effort, time and gives you peace of mind. There are reasons that it may not be right for everyone but it is a nice thing and works well. If one cannot be a development admit then this is the next best bump.</p>
<p>What exactly is a "development admit?"</p>
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What exactly is a "development admit?"
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I think it's when your family is able to donate millions of dollars to the school.</p>
<p>At least one school on your list is EA.</p>
<p>ED also helps colleges lock applicants, since the yield is near 100%, if not 100%.</p>
<p>ED will help you avoid Tufts syndrome (ie, when colleges reject over qualified applicants because they think they're using them as a safety), but only UPenn has admitted that it actually helps you. The acceptance rate for ED is almost always higher, but most colleges insist that's only because athletes, who almost always get in, usually apply ED. In general, I wouldn't advise ED unless you're absolutely in love with the school (because, while it will give you peace of mind to know you're in somewhere, it would be incredibly stressful to know you have to go somewhere and then change your mind). Financial aid tends to be less available ED, and you can't change your mind if they don't give you enough, so if aid is a major concern, either apply for a lot of outside scholarships or apply RD.</p>
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...and you can't change your mind if they don't give you enough, so if aid is a major concern...
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I do think that the only way you can be released from an ED bond is financial concerns. If your family determines that the aid granted is not sufficient, then you can be released.</p>
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...and you can't change your mind if they don't give you enough, so if aid is a major concern...
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</p>
<p>I do think that the only way you can be released from an ED bond is financial concerns. If your family determines that the aid granted is not sufficient, then you can be released.
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I'm not 100% sure about this, but I think if you ask to be released, you must attend your state university.</p>
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Financial aid tends to be less available ED
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You have no evidence to substantiate that claim</p>
<p>A case can be made that more money is available during ED. Never have I heard that less is available. Some folks here continue to refer to insufficient aid.....I don't know what that means. A family fills out FAFSA and an EFC is determined. Most schools tie the aid award in some fashion to FAFSA and the aid awarded will meet the need but it may be more loans than grants. There may be a gap but I have never heard that a family itself will determine that aid is not sufficient....as in they are not awarding enough we are going to walk. If a family has savings....the school will plan for it to be used and the loans will be a part of the package.</p>
<p>I do think that less financial aid could be made available ED, and then you are in a situation where you can't make your ED school increase its offer by showing what you got at another school. In the RD round students do get increases in financial aid packages by saying other schools have offered me $X.</p>
<p>I also think less merit aid is available ED - practically, these schools "have" you and don't need to compete for you by offering generous merit aid.</p>
<p>Hey there jrpar.....Merit Aid and ED are not always "together" or "apart". Many of the most selective schools have NO merit aid. Thus it would not affect any financial aid package.</p>
<p>I realize that. I was making two separate points.</p>
<p>There are some selective schools (Wash U, Emory and Vanderbilt come to mind but there are lots of others) that offer plenty of merit aid. They are not as generous with this merit aid in the ED round because they don't have to be.</p>
<p>Oberlin has a big rep as an ED school, your chances of admission are much greater especially if youre male. Northwestern has a rep for poor fin aid packages. But the old rule for ED is that you really like the school and its the one for you. If youve visited, spent time there and have that feeling then go for it, if not don't do the ED thing.</p>
<p>If you cannot attend your ED school because of financial reasons, you are allowed to back out of the contract. And no, you are not then required to attend your state school.</p>
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And no, you are not then required to attend your state school.
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Oops sorry. Please disregard post #10 :o</p>
<p>Thanks for all the input, guys, it's really helpful. I didn't know that you were aloud to back out of ED for financial issues...that's very interesting. And it helps at Oberlin? I might just do that, then. Oberlin was my 1st choice. :-)</p>
<p>Revoke ED ( Multi-page thread 1 2 )
millerforthree</p>