<p>My whole plan is to do ED Vanderbilt because to be honest, I'm not that competitive of a student, I've moved to 3 high schools and the one I'm at doesn't really challenge me academically when I actually need to be challenged academically and my G.P.A. is quite low due to always moving and just feeling miserable. But the whole point is, I really want to apply ED but the only problem is that doesn't the financial aid package come in during April? I mean I'll REALLY need some money to attend Vanderbilt, my parents have been homeless for 2 years resulting me in moving in with cousins(some time ago) and my dad recently had an heart attack which drained a lot of money out of the family. Plus my parents will not pay for anything related to college besides supplies other than that I'm on my own. So, even if I get accepted and wait until April all joyous and all and then find out that the financial aid won't cut it, will I just have to go to community college and wait next year to transfer?</p>
<p>It is generally advised that ED is not for those who are concerned with financial aid.</p>
<p>However, if the aid is insufficient to Vanderbilt but you can afford another school, then that may be cause to not honor your ED agreement.</p>
<p>If you do ED as an applicant with a low income, as in lets say less than $40,000, and get into a school like Columbia or Dartmouth, is it most likely, almost definitely, that you will get almost a full ride? These schools have large endowments and try to meet the needs of the students.</p>
<p>I have a similar question – what if you’re in the middle of the “lower end?” Like the 60,000-100,000 zone… should you still ED?</p>
<p>I’m debating this same question in my head… and what silverturtle said, are you allowed to actually break the ED contract if they don’t give you enough aid? Is that legitimate and would that not cause any problems?</p>
<p>(Also, what if you end up not going to the ED school – like, what could the ED school do to “punish” you exactly? Nothing comes to mind…)</p>
<p>“I have a similar question – what if you’re in the middle of the “lower end?” Like the 60,000-100,000 zone… should you still ED?”</p>
<p>I wouldn’t do it… I am in that zone and I didn’t get enough financial aid to go to my top choices (an Ivy League among them). Financial aid depends on a lot of factors, and even if you fall in the ‘likely to get financial aid’ income range, you might still not get enough because of things like asset, paid morgages, being an only child, having business losses, etc. etc.</p>
<p>So wait… if you did ED and didn’t have enough, what happened? ^ Were you able to get out of the ED?</p>
<p>Do not apply ED if finances are a consideration. Remember, the school, not your family determines if the financial aid is sufficient. This also includes the way the financial aid is given, including how much of it is in loans. While colleges say that you can back out of ED if financial aid is insufficient, that can be hard to do if the college feels it met your need. </p>
<p>Applying ED also prevents you from comparing financial aid offers and negotiating with your preferred college if another school offers a better deal.</p>
<p>Applying ED and then backing out for financial aid reasons also may burn bridges with your GC, who may have advocated for you over other students. </p>
<p>There are thousands of wonderful colleges in the U.S., so there’s no reason to fall in love with just one. There are many colleges that could meet your needs, and where you’d be happy and fulfilled.</p>
<p>What ED schools can do to “punish” you is make life hell for your GC, who is likely then not to be motivated to offer lots of help as you apply elsewhere. ED schools also have been known to punish – for years – the schools of students who backed out of ED for reasons the ED schools didn’t think were good. The ED schools punished the schools by not accepting students who applied.</p>
<p>Actually, I’ve heard contrary advice. Never believe that because you’re applying for FA that you shouldn’t go ED. If you have a dream school, and they meet 100% of need, go for it. Know your family’s finances and the school’s FA rules. Like, if they meet needs of families below $100,000 with no loans or no parental contribution below $60,000, definitely apply ED. </p>
<p>Go for it as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into. My family is pretty lower-middle class, but at my top choice (Brown) there would be no loans and we’d get plenty of aid. So I’m doing it.</p>
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Of course if the school decides to fund your college with a package that has way more loans than you like, they’ve still met your need and you’re on the hook…</p>
<p>“Actually, I’ve heard contrary advice. Never believe that because you’re applying for FA that you shouldn’t go ED. If you have a dream school, and they meet 100% of need, go for it.”</p>
<p>Remember that it’s the school, not your family that determines what your financial need is. The school may feel that it met your need, but your parents may not agree. If so, too bad. The school also may meet your need by including more loans and work study that you’d want. If so, too bad.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, your scores + gpa make Vandy a big Reach, even ED. This year, Vandy rejected plenty of 32/2100’s. Note, Vandy does not defer during its ED round – it’s either acceptance or denial. With Vandy being no loan (as is Dartmouth) and both offering great finaid, you have little to lose by going ED. But, chances are not good.</p>
<p>While you might get into Miami and some of the other schools on your list, you should know that Miami does not meet 100% of need, which is where your focus should be.</p>
<p>That’s the problem for me, my parents make like <$15,000 a year. So they REALLY can’t afford to help me out here. I am the only person who will be paying for my college expenses. The only thing I’m worrying about is that if I apply ED, will I be able to find out if I can afford it or not before the regular decision deadlines come in?</p>
<p>Yes, ED acceptance does come with a preliminary finaid award, based on prior year income/assets. But, it’s subject to change based on current year income/assets.</p>
<p>Suggest you consider Oxford at Emory.</p>
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<p>The poster (obstinate) who wrote this said the school he wants to apply ED to has a no loan policy for students at his income level. This is a good example of someone who has done his homework and I agree with his conclusion.</p>
<p>When a school meets 100% of need, has loan maximums or a no loan policy and clearly defined aid terms, it’s fine for the applicant who has done the leg work to closely approximate what he will get to apply ED.</p>
<p>If you make below $15,000, and the school does not require a parental contribution (I believe Dartmouth has this, not sure about Vandy), then you really have nothing to lose. Throw your passion into it. Make SURE that they don’t require parental contribution at your income level though. It is this idea that ED is ONLY for those who don’t require FA that is the reason why they created many of these new initiatives in the first place. They’re trying to encourage more low-income kids to know that their dream schools are in fact attainable and that colleges can safely secure these kids in their reach.</p>
<p>"I’m at doesn’t really challenge me academically when I actually need to be challenged academically and my G.P.A. is quite low due to always moving and just feeling miserable. "</p>
<p>What is your gpa? What are your scores?</p>
<p>If it truly is quite low – such as a 2.8, then it may not be wise to apply ED to a place like Vandy because if you’re rejected ED, you won’t have much time to get other applications in. Even though you have mitgating factors such as having homeless parents and a dad who has been seriously ill, low grades still may make a place like Vandy a longshot because they may have concerns that you have the academic background to succeed at Vandy.</p>
<p>Also, make sure that your parents will file the paperwork (which is based on their tax forms) for you to qualify for financial aid.</p>
<p>“Remember that it’s the school, not your family that determines what your financial need is. The school may feel that it met your need, but your parents may not agree. If so, too bad.”</p>
<p>But also, it’s your family, not the school, who decides if your EFC calculated by the school is too high. If you applied ED to a Common App school, there is no consequence in declining the school’s FA offer.</p>
<p>From the ED agreement: </p>
<p>“Should a student who applies for financial aid not be offered an award that makes attendance possible, the student may decline the offer of admission and be released from the Early Decision commitment.”</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/DownloadForms.aspx[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/DownloadForms.aspx</a></p>
<p>The family decides if the aid offered makes attendance possible.</p>
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<p>nsm, can you name these schools? Students should definitely be avoiding them. I have never heard of a specific school doing this, though there have been rumors. These schools should be kicked out of the Common App group; it is clearly against policy.</p>
<p>S’s GC told parents that a specific LAC school had done that to her after a student didn’t tell the GC that she had been admitted ED, and then in April, the student backed out of ED to accept another offer. I don’t want to name the school since I’m relying only on the GC’s word.</p>
<p>I’ve also seen students posting on CC that ever since someone from their school backed out of ED several years ago, the college has never taken anyone else from their h.s. no matter how well qualified and interested the applicants were.</p>
<p>“the student backed out of ED to accept another offer.”</p>
<p>Ah, well, that’s a different subject than declining due to insufficient FA, and deserves sanction; no need to name that LAC!</p>