Like to hear thoughts on the following hypothetical scenarios. For simplicity, let's stipulate that the applicant a) did not apply for FA, and b) fully intends to matriculate to the ED school.
[ul]
[<em>] Successful ED applicant (say to Columbia) has 5 other RD applications in-flight.
--> withdraw all 5 outstanding RD applications
[</em>] In addition, during same week but ahead of the ED notification, applicant gets admitted to 2 other EA schools (say Uchicago, MIT)
--> what is the legal obligation? what is expected? what suffices?
[li] In addition to ED and EA schools, applicant had already been formally admitted to 2 Rolling admission schools (say Pitt and 'Bama)[/li]--> what is the legal obligation? what is expected? what suffices?
[/ul]
It seems to me that once a decision has been rendered, it is no longer an application or is it? Is there an obligation to inform the EA and/or Rolling Admission schools and formally decline the acceptances already granted? If so, can it wait till the individual schools' official dead-lines? Guess my question boils down to the differences between: withdrawing<em>formally vs. declining</em>acceptance vs. simply<em>not</em>matriculating Hope I am not splitting hairs. What should the parent make sure the child does, besides matriculating to the ED school, an withdrawing any outstanding RD applications?</p>
<p>I’d say there is little hair-splitting available here. </p>
<p>After years of controversy, the consensus has become that applicants can “walk away” from an ED offer of admission, but only for a lacking financial aid issue. </p>
<p>A candidate who did NOT apply for financial aid cannot use that joker card, and can only be released at the discretion of the school. </p>
<p>In the case that the candidate plans to attend and accepts the offer, the next step is to notify all schools of this acceptance (meaning of withdrawing applications) and be left with the sole and only ED acceptance in hand. </p>
<p>On a practical note, the ED schools could not care less about the rolling admission acceptances, but the question is why would anyone keep those applications/admissions live! Your best bet here is to call the ED school and ask them directly.</p>
<p>It’s still an application. The wording of the withdrawal might be slightly different (the student is declining to attend rather than withdrawing an application), but it still needs to be done.</p>
<p>Why would anyone in his right mind risk having the ED offer rescinded as a consequence of playing cutesy semantic games around the difference between “withdrawing an application” and “declining an offer of admission”? </p>
<p>You know perfectly well what the ED deal is: if the ED school accepts you, you agree to forsake all others, regardless of where you stand in the admission process. The only “out” is a bona fide inability to attend because of inadequate FA. Don’t make things difficult for yourself by pretending you didn’t understand the contract, or by willfully reading it in a hypertechnical way that distorts its meaning. And don’t jerk somebody else’s kid around by holding onto an offer of admission at some school you have no intention of attending. Just say “yes” to the ED offer (if it occurs) and turn everyone else down, whatever language you need to use to accomplish that (“I withdraw my application” or “I decline your offer of admission”). It’s the only honorable thing to do, even if you have buyer’s remorse. Buyer’s remorse is not an acceptable reason for walking away from an ED offer. If that’s not a deal you can live with, then you should withdraw the ED application before the ED offer is extended.</p>
<p>I don’t see what the question is…if a student gets accepted to the ED school they will have a very short amount of time to make certain the finances are all in order. They will accept the ED offer and they will need to withdraw applications or decline admissions to all other colleges. That’s what ED is all about…that is what differentiates it from all other types of applications. It’s an agreement between one college and one student (plus the student’s parents and guidance counselor) that this one college is the student’s favorite above all others and the student will attend if accepted. If that student does not feel that way about an ED school right now, today, that student can call the college and change the application to regular decision. </p>
<p>I also don’t understand the point of not letting any rolling decision colleges EA colleges know you are not attending after the student is accepted by their ED college. That feels disingenuous to me.</p>
<p>The responses are strong and consistent, and I agree, that the applicant should forefeit all others excpet for the ED choice once accepted. Practially speaking, the ED school may not care as long as the candidate matriculates per contract. Once an applicant gets the desired ED decision, the incentive to do withdrawals is not strong, except that the parent is charged with making sure the child follows through. Hence the question. </p>
<p>I am sure there are some real cases, and I hope they are extremely rare (1% or less) - otherwsie, the FA exception is hard to digest.</p>
<p>There is no need for imputing motives needlessly based on a hypothetical scenario seeking clarity on imprecise language, and looking ahead.</p>
<p>Then why even ask the question? The parent isn’t really “charged” with anything, presumably the kiddo knows the right thing to do since presumably the kiddo is hoping beyond hope they get accepted to the ED college or they should have never applied ED. Heck the student can shoot out an e-mail with all the admissions officers in the blind copy spot. The e-mail could be one sentence…not really “difficult.” Again, it’s not too late right now to change an ED application to regular. That IS something a parent can be in charge of, getting the kiddo to change the app, if they think the kiddo is waffling about the ED college.</p>
My interpretation differs; but then I may be mis-reading the Parent Signature Section.
I happen to agree with you on parents needing to help with waffling students, but ED would be off-the-table if the student is still waffling or needs $FA$ to make it work. Thanks for the dialogue, and I do appreciate your time. Peace!</p>
<p>I had the same interpretation as the original poster, and it wasn’t clear to me that it counted schools that have already made a decision. </p>
<p>I can conceive of the following scenario. Student gets admitted to a rolling school very early. His application is no longer pending. He gets admitted to an ED school. He is struggling senior year and wants to drop down to an easier level in one subject for spring semester than reported on his application. Rolling school’s web site specifically addresses this issue and says that it’s acceptable to drop down a level for one subject without risking rescission. He pays ED deposit and fully intends to go to ED school. He then writes admission office of ED school asking for confirmation that dropping down will not cause rescission. </p>
<p>Now it’s clear to me, that all pending applications must be withdrawn immediately, and no more applications filed, but I don’t see bad faith in waiting for an affirmative response that no rescission will occur by the ED school before turning away the acceptance at the rolling school. It gives the ED school another chance to say no. I think the ethics of holding this open would depend on the specific interpretation of OP’s question. </p>
<p>In this case, nobody is harmed by a few week delay, nobody does any extra work. Every consideration is given to the ED school. Nobody’s spot is taken over this (rolling schools won’t reject a qualified applicant this early, EA schools won’t make an RD decision this early). I don’t see the big deal. </p>
<p>Now I admit that it’s a far fetched scenario, but it answers the question I quoted.</p>