My D didn’t apply anywhere ED. She EA’d to a bunch of schools. It seems like “everyone” on CC applies ED but that just doesn’t translate to the outside world, at least in our experience.
Just a side note, if your S likes the smaller school feel, be sure he has SUNY Geneseo on his list as a safety.
I’m confused. He can ONLY apply to Yale if he’s applying early, with a few exceptions. If he has already applied to other private colleges (Hamilton is not going to be an exception as listed below) then he has to withdraw those apps until he hears from Yale.
Here are the exceptions:
Applying to Other Colleges and Universities
If you are a Single-Choice Early Action applicant to Yale, you may apply to another institution’s early admission program as follows:
You may apply to any college’s non-binding rolling admission program.
You may apply to any public institution at any time, provided that admission is non-binding.
You may apply to another college’s Early Decision II program, but only if the notification of admission occurs after January 1. If you are admitted through another college’s Early Decision II binding program, you must withdraw your application from Yale.
You may apply to another college’s Early Action II program.
You may apply to any institution outside of the United States at any time.
“he is not interested at all in applying early. He said the college visits are helping him make a very important decision and that he doesn’t want to rush.”
smart kid 
As calmom hinted at, ED is far more beneficial for the schools than the applicants.
I thought he already sent his apps-? RD, but submitted.
I really wanted him to consider Geneseo, but they don’t offer a CS program, which is something my DS is seriously considering double majoring in. He’s applied to several SUNY schools that I’m concerned are too big. The smallest of which is New Paltz. We are visiting Ursinus, so hopefully that will be a hit.
I feel the same, and felt using even EA for Yale was a waste, but it was his decision.
I was hoping he would consider the permissible ED 2 options, but he really wants to wait and get all the results. That’s how he feels right now anyway.
He has. He applied EA to Yale and regular decision to all other schools except for some SUNY (public schools) where he also applied Early Action. He hasn’t applied anywhere under a binding program.
I can tell you from experience that if a kid has targeted schools well, it feels really good in the spring to have so many acceptances in hand. My son was accepted to 8 out of 9 schools he applied to, waitlisted at one; my daughter was accepted to 9 out of 12, waitlisted at 2, and rejected at only one. It’s nice to feel a sense of control over the final choice, and over the course of the remaining months of senior year, kids learn more about themselves and the schools that might impact their decisions. And it feels good when some of the match or safety schools include merit awards with their acceptances.
Obviously, the kids who aim too high and apply to all 8 Ivies with no true safeties don’t have similar experiences – but it doesn’t sound like your son is one of those.
There really is no good reason to lock oneself into a decision early on, unless the student very clearly has their heart set on a particular college.
OP, I am PM’ing you my son’s full decision making process, which culminated in an ED application, and which addresses many of your questions.
No regrets- he is happy at college.
Good luck!