My S17 has several LAC coaches offering OVs and discussing whether he’d commit to ED. The problem is that some of the schools he likes don’t offer merit, and the NPC shows a very high EFC based on our last taxes. Our financial situation has changed since then (and was complicated to begin with since we have a rental property), so you can see why we would avoid ED.
The school he likes most is known for great need-based financial aid. It gave him a thumbs up for academic read but when I asked for a financial read, I was told that we should just go ahead and apply ED, see what aid they offer, and ask for reconsideration based on current situation – and that it ISN’T binding until we put down a deposit. Isn’t the whole point of ED that it IS binding?! Has anyone here turned down an ED acceptance because of the financial aid?
Inadequate financial aid, for a family which is eligible (and applies for) financial aid, is the only approved grounds for declining an ED offer.
For a recruit, the challenge is, by committing to apply ED at one school, the student has given up the chance to be an ED1 recruit elsewhere. IF the financial aid does not work out, for an ED1 athlete, it is not just that the family is not bound by the ED agreement, but also that the student has given up the ability to be recruited at most other schools.
All in all, I would try to work with financial aid more. Perhaps ask the coach for suggestions about how to proceed, or how other families may have handled this in the past. For a coach who wants a student, that coach doesn’t want to lose them on Dec 15 because of financial aid gaps.
@Midwestmomofboys Thanks for the thoughtful response. The ED situation is problematic for us, as I’ve seen it is for a lot of parents on here who need financial aid or merit aid yet want to play sports at an LAC.
I was surprised by this because I thought financial reads were a normal part of this process. But I will take your advice and discuss with the coach and see if there are other options.
@youngbeck – I would just suggest working on avenues to get someone to look at current financial aid info, whether asking the coach to help identify how to work through it, or going directly to your specific admissions officer.
This is a stressful time – it’s difficult enough to get offers from programs where you student wants to go (and will be accepted) – and then to add on the financial challenges --all I can say is, there can be lots of tossing and turning at night. Hang in there, and keep asking questions!
“IF the financial aid does not work out, for an ED1 athlete, it is not just that the family is not bound by the ED agreement, but also that the student has given up the ability to be recruited at most other schools.”
@Midwestmomofboys, why is this? If ED1 doesn’t work out, its effect would be nil, as if ED1 had not been attempted, and the student just moves on, to EA or RD or perhaps ED2. How does a failed ED1 prevent EA or RD (or ED2 if possible) recruitment by other schools? Just curious! Thanks.
I think she meant that each student only has one ED app, and if he uses it on School A, that means he’s given up the opportunity to apply ED1 to School B . Some schools don’t have ED2, and some of the coach’s pull disappears for RD. Each student really has ONE first choice/best chance school for ED. Use it wisely.
I agree with twoinanddone, once the athlete applies ED to a school, the other coaches will take him off their list and move to the next kid. If the other coaches slots get filled with kids who applied ED to their school, then the slot is now gone for youngbecks kid.
@vonlost Yes, as @twoinanddone said – for recruiting to have an impact on admissions, coaches generally offer support at the ED stage, not RD. Yes, a player who declined ED1 acceptance because of financial aid could apply ED2 to a different school. BUT, by that time, the other coaches have moved on and filled their recruiting needs with their own ED1 recruits, so there may be very few desirable options at the ED2 stage. For the OP, that means, getting as much information about the potential aid package before submitting the ED app.
@Midwestmomofboys Yes, thanks, I will try to go back to the coach, but I don’t have much hope of getting a solid answer. You would think that if so much depends on ED for athletes, as @twoinanddone notes, financial aid reps would be prepared to do financial reads for recruits? It seems like there is ambivalence in some LACs about athletic recruiting generally and being seen to give any kind of special treatment.
And @vonlost, on top of the complication of choosing 1 single school for ED1, unfortunately, ED makes the whole process close to impossible at many LACS for those of us who can’t afford full pay and have a kid whose talents fall between D1 and D3.
@youngbeck – for what it’s worth, the fact that our family is full pay, but cannot actually afford that, drove my kid’s recruiting focus. The NESCACs had to come off, because his final list could only include schools with significant merit awards – we can afford $40k-50k, but not $65 a year. It worked out, but there were compromises all around.
Some of the LACs downplay recruiting, others embrace it. It is a very challenging road, hang in there, and keep asking questions of the program/school and here!
@Midwestmomofboys If you were looking for merit with your kids, did you end up avoiding ED altogether, if you don’t mind my asking? If we choose to chase merit, I think that will eliminate several options since many schools as pointed out above will fill teams with ED applicants.
I don’t think you should avoid ED if your child is really sure that there is one school right for him/her. It’s one lottery ticket so use it. The FA is either going to work or it isn’t. If you have another school with a financial pre-read and a coach asking your child to apply ED also, you are going to have to decide if it is worth it to basically give up school 2 for the chance at the one he really wants, or to take the almost sure thing. If you have no other coaches requesting he apply ED, then why not take the chance? It does sort of stop the recruiting in Nov/Dec, but you can keep a quiet campaign up.
Really, push for the financial pre-read, used the NPC and see if it is close, even talk to the coach about what he’s seen in prior applicants. Tell him you need some direction.