<p>Dear Colby Rep,
With all the talk about ED in the press and on these boards, what is Colby's position on ED and financial aid? Are minorities and needy students at a real disadvantage if they apply to Colby? Would the financial aid package be the same as if applying by RD? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>For "balboa":</p>
<p>Colby looks at an applicant's financial aid eligibility in the same way, regardless of the admission application (Regular vs. ED). Our financial aid is need-based, with no merit or athletic scholarships available at any point of our process. No student is at a disadvantage based on race, ethnicity, or creed, as our awards consider a family's relative financial strength, not the level of interest in our institution. The downside to ED, in terms of financial aid, isn't that our aid package will differ depending on the admission deadline/round; it's that a student/family won't be able to compare our offer with other schools' packages. ED is a binding commitment, and when accepted to Colby, a student must withdraw other applications to other colleges, which means financial aid packages aren't on the table elsewhere, either. If merit scholarships, athletic scholarships, or just shopping for the best "deal" is going to be an important part of the college search process, then ED sometimes isn't the best move. But assuming all deadlines are met, appying ED or Regular Decision doesn't affect one's financial aid eligibility with us--we determine that from the info gleaned from the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and from communications with the family. Hope this is helpful.</p>