<p>If I applied to NU early decision and got in, they would notify the other early action schools right? And if I got in, I can't apply to any schools RD anymore yeah? But what if the financial aid they give me is not enough (my efc is close to 0). Doesn't that mean I can't attend the school and that it was basically the only school I applied to/got in?</p>
<p>I don’t believe that NU would notify any other non-single choice EA schools you applied to - you signed a contract with NU, and they assume you’ll have the respect and integrity to honor that agreement. That means you will attend NU (or any ED school you apply to) over all other EA schools that you might’ve been accepted at and must rescind all RD applications that have been sent. ED is not for the fickle. </p>
<p>There are occurrences where financial aid gets messed up and a school become absolutely unaffordable when applying ED. Technically, you can opt out of that contract for financial reasons, but colleges really don’t like that. So, yes it’s there but it’s also a last resort generally frowned upon. If you apply ED, financials should be in order.</p>
<p>First of all, you are responsible (“required”) to notify other colleges if you are accepted. That’s part of the contract you sign when you apply ED.</p>
<p>I specifically recall (in 2009) hearing the administrator say that “If you need to get FA, you shouldn’t apply ED.” That may have changed, but this was one objection that colleges offering ED before you find out your FA package.</p>
<p>Second of all – I think your Guidance Counselor may also be required to do so (at least that’s what they said at our HS). The GC also signs off on the ED statement.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, we were assured that D’s financial aid offer from NU (zero) was exactly the same as it would have been had she applied RD versus ED. D did have full-ride merit and talent scholarship offers to a few other schools that had admitted her early (even though she had applied to them RD) in-hand before she heard ED from NU, so applying ED doesn’t mean you won’t have heard from any other schools.</p>
<p>Since NU basically doesn’t give merit aid I assume they don’t enter in to bidding wars with other schools. We didn’t try to play other offers off NU since she had applied ED, but have others had any success negotiating additional FA with NU by showing them competing scholarship or FA offers?</p>