On the face I’d agree but we’ve all ready stories here about two like schools have packages 5,10, 15k, 20k apart so we’ve learned there are differences in how schools calculate.
Why Harvard is concerned with an app to Elon or U of Denver, I don’t know but they are likely more concerned with MIT, other Ivies and to a lesser extent the BU, Northeastern, Rochester, etc.
Agreed though in the abstract the point stands that I would not let FA uncertainty dissuade me from applying RD (if that were the school I really wanted to attend). And in fact the wide-ish range of awards you cite underscores that point. If the FA shoe doesn’t fit, then you won’t have to wear it.
However, some students and parents may have a net price range that is marginal, where the college is doable, but no longer the first choice. For example, supposed college X is the first choice if cost were not an issue. But, for example, the student and parent see the following with respect to cost:
Now suppose college X has only ED, and the net price calculator estimates a net price of $25,000 per year. The student in question would be very hesitant to apply ED with the possibility of getting admitted with a net price in the marginal zone of $20,000 to $40,000 and have to make a decision before seeing other college net prices.
All the more reason for schools to offer flexibility. I mean I get why they don’t, which is sort of my point/supposition in asking.
And it’s a fair point, assuming the family ran the school’s NPC tool and was comfortable with the results before committing to an ED application.
REA and SCEA are ways for the schools to create captive applicants and help de-risk the chances of losing those students to the only schools that would stand a chance of poaching them. Look at the schools that use these application options and consider how students might otherwise cross-apply (HYP, Notre Dame & Georgetown, etc.).
Georgetown EA is not restrictive.
Depends how you define restrictive…
“In keeping with this principle, students applying under the Early Action program may not apply to any binding Early Decision programs since they then would not be free to choose Georgetown if admitted. Students are, however, allowed to apply to other Early Action or other Regular Decision programs while simultaneously applying to Georgetown’s Early Action program.”
Perhaps “exclusive” or “monogamous”
Unlike a lot of EA programs, Georgetown and Notre Dame don’t allow ED applications at other schools. Notre Dame calls this policy REA, as it should. Georgetown doesn’t.
Disagree here - to me what makes a program rea is that you can’t apply EA elsewhere which Georgetown permits.
How a college calls its early action program is really (or meant to be?) confusing, but all early action programs (for private colleges) generally fall into 3 categories:
Totally unrestricted. With Caltech’s early action program becoming restrictive this coming fall, MIT is the only school that offers it.
Single-choice. They’re offered by Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and now Caltech. Only Yale and Princeton actually call their programs Single Choice EA, and the other 3 call theirs Restricted EA, but they’re basically the same thing.
Restricted (no ED). They’re offered by the two Catholic schools: Georgetown and Notre Dame. Georgetown doesn’t use the word “restricted” in its program and Notre Dame does, but again, they’re basically the same thing.
U Chicago has a totally unrestricted EA I believe.
Yes, there’re a few others. But they aren’t really the same programs as they also offer ED. Their EA programs are meant to attract more applications and few are admitted under those programs. Vast majority (nearly all?) of the qualified applicants to such programs are deferred and urged to switch their applications to ED2 (all of them happen to offer ED2 
).
I agree with the other posters definitions. Regardless of how they label it, Georgetown’s policy is restrictive. A true EA doesn’t care where else you apply, period.
USC is adding unrestricted EA this year.
There are quite a few less selective privates that don’t have ED that offer unrestricted EA. Here’s a few off the top of my head: U Tampa, Eckerd, DePaul, Butler, Ill Wesleyan, Suffolk, U Dayton, Roger Williams, U Dallas (private/not UT Dallas).
I am sure there are more.
The primary purpose of an EA program, from an applicant’s perspective, is to have an acceptance decision before year end so that s/he doesn’t have to submit any more applications in the regular round if s/he so chooses. USC’s new EA program (and probably many other on that list) doesn’t meet that objective.
My student applied EA to a handful of schools, but not Georgetown, even though Georgetown was a top contender. Why? Because it would have prohibited an ED application at another favored school.
Having an early decision before RD acceptances are due is indeed a benefit, but just one of the benefits of an EA program (note that several on my list notify before the holidays).
Additional important benefits of EA include accessing merit $, and that some majors/schools will fill up before the RD round necessitating an EA app.
There are also a number of public colleges that offer EA options. One of the not-applicant-friendly changes over the last several years is that many EA schools that had notified prior to the holidays don’t do so anymore.
Lastly, there are a number of rolling admission schools if one wants an early acceptance, some notify even before EA apps are due.
There are also colleges that, while they do not have a formal EA or rolling admissions policy, may notify applicants (particularly admitted ones) substantially earlier than April 1. But these are usually less selective admission-by-formula schools that are not among the top choices of most forum posters here.
Many students at my kids’ school EA to one or more match or safety schools with the expectation that it sets the bar for whatever they need to apply to RD. So if you get into a safety you don’t need any more safeties. If you get into a match, you can just focus on reaches, etc.