ED regrets?

anyone else have buyer’s remorse? my daughter got in to her ED school (Emory, by the way), and promptly withdrew all other applications. I have to admit it pains me a little hearing about other kids, with lesser stats than her, getting good merit $ from perhaps slightly lower-tiered colleges, knowing that we will likely be paying full price for Emory. I doubt she would have gotten hefty $ from places like Case Western, but I think she could have from Tulane or UVM. Yes, we (or at least my wife) had decided since we had a good amount of money put away for college that we would keep this out of the equation and let her choose where she really wanted to be, but it still stings.

This is a common refrain at this time of year. She made a decision, you supported it. The chips have fallen. Support her and hope she enjoys Emory.

Neither of our kids chose the lowest cost college option. We had the “money talk” with them before they applied, and we were fortunate to not have to include cost in our equation either.

No buyers remorse here. Both kids got excellent college educations at great schools. And yes…both did receive substantially more money from other colleges (neither did ED).

Emory is a terrific university. I would spend your time being very proud of your daughter for getting accepted at her number one choice school ED. She sure is going to enjoy her senior year of high school!!

While buyer’s remorse is common, I echo the above posters. Congrats on her getting into a great school that she thinks is a great fit (assume you do too since you agreed to her ED there). If she had not applied ED, she very well may have not gotten accepted. The she and you would be lamenting the decision not to ED.

Enjoy Emory. Be thankful you can full pay.

Yes, buyers remorse is a real thing. My youngest got a very nice merit award from what became his second choice school, before he got his first choice ED acceptance. He actually said he’d just as soon go to his second choice school for half price and mulled over withdrawing his ED app.

He came to the conclusion that he’d still rather go to his first choice school but if he were deferred or rejected, it was game over for him— no RD applications; he would happily go to second Choice school.

This is just one example of how mercurial kids can be. This kid of mine, a wonderful person, about as level headed as any, changed his mind from one school preference to another.

I understand - my D20 has flip-flopped so many times over the past few months about her “first choice” school that I could imagine her regretting an ED acceptance. But, it sounds like your D is happy with her choice and in the end, that’s what matters. Congratulations on her accomplishment - Emory is a fantastic school, and congratulations on yours (having the ability to be full pay).

Hm, it sounds like only the dad is having regrets, not the kid, or the wife. The discussion about going to a “less preferred but cheaper because of merit” school should happen before the ED agreement is signed.

More often the “regret” posts come from the kids who ED’d “strategically” and regret not having kept options for preferred schools open. Happy to see this is one where the kid is happy! Congrats on a great school btw. We have a fiercely loyal Emory alum in our family.

I had a twinge of this too, since my S could have likely gotten merit elsewhere, places he also liked. But also I have relief that he applied ED since it turns out the EA round was a lot tougher (Tulane). S has no regrets though.

Although we can afford it, I had some regret at first as she could have gone to our state flagship probably with a scholarship.

Our D had no regret at all. Neither did her Dad. She has done well and been very happy with her first choice. Honestly, if not for ED, she may not have been accepted.

Wish your daughter the best at Emory.

If Emory is the perfect fit for your D than there are no regrets and is the reason you socked away money in a college savings plan, right?! Well done by you and your student. Enjoy the “fruits” of your labor…

The regrets are not limited to ED. My daughter cried on the floor for an hour when she committed to her school and gave up another school…one where she had a very nice email relationship with the admissions counselor and where she received a nice scholarship. She felt awful…despite recognizing that her first choice was really the better fit. It’s not an easy process.

Congrats on Emory…it’s a wonderful school!

People have the same concern about their spouses after a few years, but if you remember why you picked 'em, you can commit to being happy.

My S had a nice scholarship offered to him from his second place school (which had already rolling accepted him) right after he got the ED acceptance. People, including folks here, asked me if I regretted letting him ED and miss this scholarship. But both he and us were happy with how it turned out. Same thing, we had committed to paying for the ED school, and were happy he could make that choice.

@joecollege44 if I remember correctly, your daughter applied ED to Emory even though she preferred BU and Lehigh (I apologize if I am wrong). She had her reasons for doing this, and what’s done is done.

The time for the “what ifs” is now over. She was accepted to a wonderful school and it is now time to be fully behind this decision.

I predict she will be very happy. Congrats!

I just went back and re-read this particular post.

You are fortunate in that you saved enough to pay for Emory…that’s no easy feat. I agree that it’s now time to enjoy what you worked hard to accomplish. And again…I wish your daughter the best. My prediction remains the same…I think she will be very happy.

Thanks all. She is happy, worked hard for this, and I do think it’s a good fit for her. Although like most kids I think she could have found her fit anywhere.

Hm. Could have found her fit anywhere? That gives me pause as a family who is considering ED for D21. We didn’t use it for S19. It’s something to seriously consider…if the student is the type of student who could be flexible and find her way at a less expensive school.

As for @joecollege44 's D, what’s done is done and I would just get psyched about Emory and dig into all of the opportunities the school offers!

Stop second guessing.
Go out and buy Emory hoodies/mugs for the family.

Enjoy your D and her accomplishments.

HAH! UPS just dropped off 2 Emory mugs and an Emory umbrella a few minutes ago!