^^For us everything worked out for the best. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise as daughter is now happy at another school and doing well. She will be graduating debt free.
I don’t think it’s an urban legend. Colleges, like businesses, “fish” where the “fishing is good.” If they get boatloads of check the box common app applications from a particular high school and no one attends, why would a college risk their yield by giving that school’s students strong considerations? Seems pretty logical to me. i think the “GC” sign-off it to keep busy high school offices a method to keep track of applications so kids don’t apply to multiple ED schools. I don’t have a problem with ED and I really have no problem if kids back out - but theoretically it’s a “one and in” system where kids apply to the one college they genuinely want to attend and not used as some sort of game the system, hail mary pitch. If kids want to shop around then they don’t apply ED, but the form helps the high schools keep track of the activity - do they ‘need’ to do this, no. Do high schools care that they sign the form - probably not. Parents sign off on ED also.
My experience was with an instate public school in VA. Here W&M, VT, and UVA are the most popular schools where most in state students apply. Two of them offer ED and the other offers EA. The public high schools here have a lot of students applying to these three schools as they are quite popular locally.
It is perfectly fair for a college to require an ED contract stating that the student will attend if accepted. Otherwise, the school has nothing to gain from ED applications. The student would benefit, but owe nothing in return for the early decision. If you want the benefit of an ED response, then you need to have some “cost”. If you want to be able to compare costs, scholarships and other aspects, then don’t apply ED.
Except . . . there are more than a few colleges that do not require a promise of enrollment in return for an early admissions decision. All colleges with early admissions programs get the benefits of lengthening the time period for admissions staff to read applications and having a group of highly motivated students identify themselves. The commitment ED colleges require is a very high price to charge for a program that doesn’t really cost the colleges anything much.
Yes, the school GC/college counselor is gatekeeper of the college application process and must approve all application for ED, whether electronically or by signing and mailing in a paper copy of the ED agreement. The counselor is responsible for insuring that the student/parent understands what it means to apply to a school ED/REA/SCEA and how additional applications will be handled. There is also an expectation that the family has done their due diligence before applying ED.
High schools can and will set up policies at their schools as how they will handle the ED process. I do know some schools that once a student is accepted ED, they will not send out any more paperwork until they receive written notification that the student has requested and been released from the ED agreement.
If I remember right from my D there was a ED contract that gets signed by the guidance counselor, the student, and the parents. I’m guessing the guidance counselors signature is a way to confirm that the student only applied to one ED school.