<p>I have been unable to find a satisfactory answer elsewhere. Does applying to one college Early Decision disqualify you from applying to any other college early, or just from applying to any other college early <em>decision</em>? For example, would it be acceptable to apply to one college Early Decision and other colleges non-binding Early Action?</p>
<p>The 2011-12 Common Application's Early Decision agreement seems to imply the latter, as does the college admissions information page at about.com. However, neither page (nor any other source I have seen) provides a clear answer for the former.</p>
<p>You can apply to schools EA (but not schools that have REA) as well as applying to ED. But if you get into your ED school you will have to attend regardless of where else you get in…</p>
<p>The only way out of an ED contract is if the financial aid does not work out. That being said your son should not apply ED to a school unless he is confident he will get enough financial aid (run the net price calculator) or is comfortable taking out loans…</p>
<p>In our high school, all those applying ED to any school must meet with the head of the guidance counselor with their parents present to make certain that all parties are in agreement on what BINDING ED means and sign an agreement in order for guidance to go forward and provide transcripts and needed documentation for those applications. </p>
<p>They of course still provide transcripts and all other required paperwork for EA and RD applications as well however they do stress the commitment aspects required for ED.</p>
<p>“That being said your son should not apply ED to a school unless he is confident he will get enough financial aid”</p>
<p>Well, there should be at least a reasonable possibility. If the net price calculator says there’s no way, there’s no point in wasting the application fee.</p>
<p>No, I did not mean it in terms of jail or being sued… what I meant was what is the procedure in place to either hold you to or allow you out of the ED. I read a few other threads and now see that ED should really be used in limited circumstances.</p>
<p>^ One minor detail is that you can’t know for SURE if you can afford it without APPLYING ED and getting a financial aid offer (but do so only if the net price calculator suggests there’s a good chance). If the ED FA offer is too small then it is declined and you move on to RD.</p>
<p>Indeed! This has been covered many times, but many still fail to understand the exact rules. The above quotes, obviously, apply to all schools that accept the Common Application. While this covers most schools, a school does NOT have to accept the arbitrary rule expressed in the Common Application.</p>
<p>Further, the rule is also pretty clear that a student has the right to reject the offer of admission. This does NOT intimate that he or she has to view the opt out rule as the beginning stage of negotiations. As long as the financial offer is joined with the admission, you either accept or reject it. In so many words, it should be over by January, and not be an open door to keep an ED offer “open” until the RD decisions come in. When one accepts the ED, he or she HAS to withdraw all applications and not start new ones. The window for rejecting the offer is very small, as it ranges from the date of the offer to the decision date, plus an eventual SHORT time to clear up the nature of the financial offer. And NOT lengthy negotiations. </p>
<p>As it is known, however, that is more theory than practice, as more than a few will play games and think that rules only apply to the ROW. Integrity remains in the eye of the beholder. Or so it seems!</p>
If the net price calculator says there’s no way, there’s no point in wasting the application fee.</p>