Admissions said at our visit that there was not an advantage to apply ED nor did it affect merit. We are trying to decide if we should ED2 now that D22 has been deferred from BU.
not sure about merit, as we went RD because we wanted to evaluate the money, but as far as acceptance rates, ED is much higher than RD. I would only ED2 if D really wants to attend GW, and you run the NPC and that number is acceptable to you. If you are “full pay” but hope for Merit, RD acceptance rates run around 40% from what i have seen in the past.
I don’t see any reason the admission officers would lie about it. If BU is still your D’s top choice I would apply RD to GW.
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That’s what I was thinking. At the meeting they said “we accept more people in RD than ED” so I said BU was just the opposite and they said “we don’t like to force kids to ED. It’s nice to know they want to be here, but it doesn’t give them more of a chance of being accepted.” But I’ve read on here that 2019 admissions said opposite, so I’m nervous.
I tried to find the ED vs RD admission rate but couldn’t. I can’t imagine that ED is not higher and much higher than RD. It would be at all its peer schools and I actually found an article discussing how they need to cut back on expenses bcuz they are not getting the intl revenue they need. Don’t forget, colleges are first and foremost businesses with highly paid executives who much March revenue and expenses.
Saying they accept more RD than ED does not mean it’s no more difficult to get in. It simply means the # accepted ED is less than 50% of the total expected class. That’s because the # of RD applicants dwarfs the # of ED applicants.
I personally don’t believe ED doesn’t affect merit but many schools say that. I mean merit is subjective and they needn’t give to someone they know is bound. They would save it for someone they are trying to convince. That’s my opinion…I know others disagree and I wish stats were available to show this one way or another. But I can’t imagine there would be stats because they would not be a good look for the schools…is my guess.
Anyway, deferral from BU does not mean rejection so unless you’d rather attend GW than BU, why apply ED?
Because BU is a little more of a reach according to her counselor so she’s thinking she’s not getting in.
It definitely is but are you assured she’s not getting in? And are you ok paying full pop at GW where there are other lower cost options?
If you apply ED, you are giving away financial flexibility.
Gw shows a COA of $79.7. College costs more than they list. So $85k a year assuming you get no need or merit aid…are you willing to pay $340k vs $200k, $150k or even $100k at other schools?
If GW is equally easy/difficult to get in RD as ED why give up that flexibility ? I don’t think that’s true and I’d verify with them but that’s what was first stated.
It’s always a value proposition though…are you willing to pay full pop ? I wouldn’t but I’m not you. But once you go ED, you take away your right to make a decision.
It’s easy to say yes I’ll pay $85k a year. But at least for me, when it was time to stroke the check, I’d go into convulsions 
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GWU’s common data set (section C7) says that level of applicant’s interest is considered.
Since applying any form of ED expresses the highest possible level of interest, it presumably helps in that area of the application. But that may be more applicable to applicants who appear “overqualified” relative to the typical admit at the school.
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Besides visiting, what kind of interest are they looking for?
They probably do not want to get the impression that they are a “backup” behind Georgetown or other more selective school.
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She’s not overqualified. Has a lot of things going for her but lacks rigor of course work. She’s a music scholar captain of team varsity teams, has taken 5 math courses and 4 years all other core. Good EC. Test optional but she only had 1 AP and 3 advanced classes, one of them am IB. So, I don’t know. It’s a reach. I get that part.
I’d say it goes back to need and your expectation of expense. GW is clearly easier to get in than BU but not easy. If your student is not over qualified the likelihood of merit is less.
If you’ve yet to demonstrate interest and we are near the deadline, the ED is the best way to do so But again you could potentially be on the hook for $340k + yearly inflation.
In general interest is done by visits, info sessions which can be done online and other university programs. Some say to write the admission counselor but you are too late. What a school doesn’t want is to be one of many apps…but you don’t have a lot of care or attachment. That’s because they don’t want to admit you knowing you won’t attend. It hurts their yield.
So what is it about GW that you like? Have you been ? Yes there are similarities to BU. On the other hand, it’s a school…at least a year ago….without a dining hall. Their meal plan used area restaurants.
I would not ED anywhere that you are not 100% sure about both from a fit and financial POV.
My daughter got into 17 of 21 - only EA and RD.
My son 13 of 15, etc …my point being you don’t need ED to get into college….it’s a choice for sure but don’t feel forced.
Good luck.
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We can pay if we need too. I’m not worried necessarily about the merit. She only is on the fence because there’s still a chance BU could offer her their spring start in their CGS and if she gets into GW ED, then she will lose that opportunity. BU was her first choice. So really the problem is, she doesn’t know if she should write off BU totally and ED 2 to GW which is her second choice, or should she just wait and trust not ED 2 ing won’t have hurt her chances of getting into GW. She is trying to avoid “I should have…” if she doesn’t get into either.
Hard call. What’s her gpa?
I have a neighbor who starts BU in Spring and then is going to Oxford with them in the summer.
It’s one you have to make your best guess….and don’t look back.
3.7 unweighted. 3.9 first quarter this year submitted and 4.0 in her junior year.
Ok. But little rigor ?
U may find a BU chat from 2025. Read the decisions. See how people who got deferred sit.
A ton of their admittees are TO. It’s why their scores are so high. So you have that going.
What’s her third choice? Hope not NYU - it’s always those 3.
Have you looked at Pitt or Fordham ?
The avg GPA for GW is 3.66 so you are good there.
The thing with deferred is….after you send in your letter of continued interest, you want to remove it from your mind…like a rejection.
But at many schools it isn’t. For example, UGA and Miami are two that defer and then accept a lot. My daughter was deferred at Miami and got in with the same merit earlier kids did.
You might be honest and ask for stats…what % get in. You can say we strongly want BU but understandably want to maximize odds at #2 if it’s unlikely. BU is a tough in. Their avg kid ranks in the top 6% of their class.
My concern with GW is interest ? Have you visited or done webinars ? If so great.
You can send an admissions counselor a note. I really want to go here and plan to ED but cannot afford without merit.
They’ll tell u not to and you’ve let them know u want to go
Or ask how dining works as it’s different than other campuses. I ask about the my Vernon campus
Show interest
To ED or not is up to you. But it will be an easier, but not easy In to GW for sure…
Never easy but go with your gut. I’m 20 years, she’ll be successful no matter if she ends up at one of these or another.
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Her third choice is actually College of Charleston which was her safety. She’s been accepted to Delaware, Elon and Loyola Chicago and U of AZ. Also a safety. She just applied to Pittsburg on a whim yesterday because she’s looking for an Urban campus Waiting on Miami, and 3 other reaches.
She did visit GW and went to the virtual. It’s again funny because they told us at admissions they don’t track what’s been opened, etc…
Ok. Charleston is cheaper…you tell I’m into the cost aspect. I’ve seen two many parents take the plunge and then panic a year or two later. And the honors college is solid. It’s urban but has a campus so more like Pitt or Northeastern.
If GW and BU are the top 2, Charleston makes sense. U of A I love and it’s not urban but close to downtown. Elon is gorgeous but odd for you as it’s in the middle of nowhere.
The question is…how much more would she want GW than Charleston. And as the parent - would you rather pay $85k or $50k. Lots of merit to be had at Charleston if you get into Honors and the fellows program. We are OOS. Zero tuition although much of the scholarships came after acceptance. My D is a fellow.
If she can see herself at Charleston and you’d like to save, then go RD. If she has such a big drop off of delight from GW to C of C then maybe ED. I would not say perception wise there’s a big gap. You have kids like mine that got into Washington and Lee and her bff at school who got into Rice. So while some kids look solely at rank - that’s not most important and frankly I don’t think GW, while a fine school is seen in the world as elite, etc.
It’s one of those hard calls as a parent.
It sounds like u can afford it. I could afford W&L but it was an easy decision to tell my daughter, sorry it’s $81k. And I made her choose amongst the schools where tuition was $30k or less…plus room and board. My hard target was 45k and she knew up front. I personally didn’t see the value otherwise.
That’s y I say it’s up to your values, a total individual decision.
Go with your gut. Don’t look back
Ps we all love our kids but if your going to experience financial strain or difficulty then just say no. And go RD. The stress of $80k a year can be large, even to well off people.
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She got 10,500 from CoC. Did not apply honors. Got NO merit from Elon. But she got double from Loyola. Thank you for all the advice! This helped me a lot!
Sure. Hope I didn’t overstep. Keep us updated.
Ps congrats on c of c and Loyola. Elon has lower tuition so aid is less likely.
Good luck.
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