<p>In some cases even if you are low income and would like to compare
packages it still makes sense to apply ED. If your scores are say 1250 to
1350, GPA around 3.5, you're probably not getting in to the elite lacs
RD. You're best shot is to visit and then apply ED. You'll probably have a
decent shot to get in and get a better fin aid package than you would
at your next level of schools. It is, of course, helpful if you can get some
assurances from the fin aid people that they're not going to dump more
than 25 grand in loans on you. That can be hard to do. Unfortunately, the
way the system is set up, it's very difficult to get into the elites without
going ed</p>
<p>"My D is going to apply single-choice EA. Is there any disadvange in terms of finantail aids?"</p>
<p>None that I can see b/c it is non-binding thus you are keeping your options open while letting a 1st choice school know that D is very interested in attending. My D did the same thing an had many great options academically and financially.</p>
<p>"In some cases even if you are low income and would like to compare
packages it still makes sense to apply ED. If your scores are say 1250 to
1350, GPA around 3.5, you're probably not getting in to the elite lacs
RD."</p>
<p>Still doesn't make sense for a low income person to apply ED.It's basically wasting their time and their GC's goodwill since the GC would be doing a lot of work to try to get them into their first choice.</p>
<p>The ED tip isn't likely to help anyone who has scores of 1250-1350, gpa 3.5 applying to places like Ivies, Amherst. Those colleges have such an overabundance of high stat applicants, they've no reason to select people ED who are low for their pool.</p>
<p>Even for low income students, there certainly are students with higher gpas whom those colleges could admit. It can be understandable for low income people to have relatively low SATs for the pool since they're likely to go to weak schools where a 1250-1350 SAT is extraordinarily high. However, a 3.5 gpa would still be low for the pools of the most competitive colleges, and such a person would be unlikely to get in unless there were extenuating circumstance such as having been homeless, being a recruited athlete or having a major disability. </p>
<p>For those who are wondering, it's unlikely that such a person for whom English is a second language would get in because there are many 4.0 very high SAT such students who apply to the elites. </p>
<p>And, as has been explained here a lot, the financial risk also isn't worth it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
In some cases even if you are low income and would like to compare
packages it still makes sense to apply ED.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The problem with this scenario is that you do not get to compare packages beacause you are suppose to withdraw all of your other application. Even applying to a school EA, you often do not get your FA package until packages are given out in the RD round.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If your scores are say 1250 to 1350, GPA around 3.5, you're probably not getting in to the elite lacs RD. You're best shot is to visit and then apply ED.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Absolutely not true as colleges know that they are going to get the lions share of their applications during the RD round (at the elites it could be any where from 5000 to 15000 more applications) which means the school is not hardpressed to admit a student with a 3.5 GPA and 1250 SAT when they know that there are going to be stronger students applying in the RD round.</p>
<p>I know someone who was accepted ED to Brown, but broke the contract to go to UCSD for a prestigious 8-year medical degree program.</p>
<p>But he wasn't really being sneaky.
a) He applied to UCSD and Brown at the same time since UCs are all early
b) Brown didn't give him good finaid.</p>
<p>While brown did not give him good FA, it is most likely that student in question is a CA resident it is highly feasible for student to be released from ED contract to attend their state university (which was the affordable option and most times the only option that an ED school will grant release).</p>
<p>well, i experienced something like this last year: i applied to middlebury early decision 1 and my financial aid package had a huge family contribution part which we couldn't cover up. so i didn't send the deposit and appealed for the increase of my financial aid decision. i sent my regular decision applications in this period too, in case middlebury didn't increase my financial aid. i got an answer in mid-january regarding this; they told me that they wouldn't increase my package. afterwards, we sent in some additional documents, my school appealed for me too and i got the financial aid i wanted in mid-february. afterwards, i withdrew all my regular applications so the process turned out to be just fine.
don't worry; when it's financial aid, the binding property of early decision just vanishes away and you're free to appeal or reject to go to the school you're accepted to. good luck!</p>
<p>This has become more and more of an issue lately. I would venture that it is because more students are trying to play the game as the college-going boom reaches its peak. Here is the deal--when you apply early decision, you are entering into a defacto contractual agreement with the institution. Can the institution do anything to you if you break it? Legally, no. The contract is not worth the paper it is written on. However, inside the admissions network, it is very easy for information to spread. No one looks very highly on someone who breaks an ED agreement. Ultimately the choice is yours. Play the game if you wish, but remember that the entire admissions world is watching. Is that really the way you wish to start a college career? By entering an academic community built on intellectual integrity by undermining that integrity before your foot is even in the door? I don't think so.</p>
<p>integrity? gimme a break. This ED system is set up for the advantage
of the colleges. It's a way to manage enrollment and tie down good
scoring wealthy applicants - it blatantly discriminates against low income
kids. It has spread down to lower level colleges, places like Muhlenberg,
Dickinson, that end up taking over 50% of their kids ED. It forces low
incomes into the RD pool where their chances and the amount of aid
available is reduced. They have also intimidated Guidance Officers and
the applicants with their phoney contract baloney. Frankly most of these
places ought to be ashamed of themselves.</p>