@gallentjill makes a good point about kids changing their minds with regard to first choices. Although my D1 did ED to a school she loved and loves even more now that she is there, I heard an admissions guy say during an info session, that among kids transferring out,there is a substantial amount of students who were accepted ED. And he had worked at 3 schools and had seen the same at all.
@dadofd I am not sure how your child did only 1 application. I get that it was ED - filled out 1 application and had the answer by Christmas. But, my child did ED and they should find out by Christmas—but what if it is a deferral or denial? How in the world would a child complete additional applications with essays in about 1 week (hearing back on ED at Christmas and then filing Jan 1)? You are lucky, but I don’t think that is very usual. I have heard of many many kids filing ED and a few EA - Nov. 1 - and having applications ready to file for Jan 1 IF that ED is not in the kid’s favor!
My D ED’d at her favorite school, but she also did EA apps at four other great schools.
She was denied at Vandy, but accepted with merit and honors at all four others which softened the blow.
She applied to two more in Dec, but is now very happily attending one of her EA’s.
I definitely recommend several EA apps if your child does ED!
It’s common to get ED decisions by Dec 15 and have RD applications due Jan 15. With two weeks off between, it usually works out.
Another strategy: Apply EA to your realistic second choice, if accepted write only one more app.
@gallentjill Most schools will give the potential ED student an early read from the financial aid office so that the student knows in advance what the costs are likely to be. The student with an unusual situation can still find out the potential costs.
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But only from the one school they ED to. Or can a student with, say, divorced parents, ask for pre-reads from 5-10 colleges and see what they say? If so, that makes ED a better possibility for lower income families.