Early Decision (ED) to Multiple Schools

Applying to College
1

<p>I know that ED applications are meant to be sent to a single school, but I know people who have EDd to multiple schools (about three). They say the binding doesn't apply until you actually respond to the acceptance letter and make the deposit, or something like that. I know 100% that this has happened and worked, but I would still like more information about this. Anyone?
and yes, I'm talking about ED, not EA</p>

2

<p>There are rounds for ED. So conceivably you could apply EDI to one school and then EDII to another. That’s the most ED apps you can send out (to my knowledge).</p>

3

<p>“I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy’s cousin…”</p>

<p>Just ask them which schools, and you can check the ED policy at that school.</p>

<p>My understanding is that most schools say “if you get accepted, you have to withdraw all other applications”. So, if you feel that you can game the system and your favorite school will either respond first and you can cancel the other applications, or you will only get into one ED school, it sounds like that would be okay.</p>

<p>The common app is pretty onerous about one ED only:
<a href=“https://recsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33014/Article/329/How-ED-works-in-Common-App”>https://recsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33014/Article/329/How-ED-works-in-Common-App&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>No it is binding as soon as they accept you. Once that letter comes out, you have to go.</p>

5

<p>

Ask you friends you know 100% did this. But your GC would be a moron to sign off on it, and risk any future chance of getting a student into any of those schools involved. As @wharton2020 said there are EDI and EDII. That’s it. Anything else is just cheating.</p>

6

<p>You can get out of an ED agreement by claiming that the financial aid offer does not meet your needs. It’s not a particularly ethical thing to do, but I’m guessing that’s what your friends did.</p>

7

<p>^ It doesn’t explain how the poster’s friends could apply to ED three times when there are only two ED rounds.</p>

8

<p>@“Erin’s Dad”: They could apply to three schools ED and, if they were accepted to more than one school, get out of 1-2 ED agreements by claiming that the financial aid offer was insufficient. (The OP didn’t say that his friends only applied ED to Common App schools.)</p>

9

<p>But wouldn’t the HS GC refuse to submit to a second or third ED school, assuming that at least one of the schools was a CA school? I recall an agreement that had to be signed by my son and the GC for his ED school. This was probably a CA agreement, but nonetheless, his GC would not have allowed him to apply to another ED school. Multiple EAs–yes, multiple EDs–no.</p>

10

<p>The HS guidance counselor has to sign the ED letter and should (and hopefully would) never sign more than one per student.</p>