<p>I understand all that. However, high school students do not always know what they want. While I understand and respect that people should honor their agreements, ED is only a way for colleges to protect their yields. Yes, students are offered higher acceptance rates to schools, but the program is mostly for schools to protect their yields, and little more.</p>
<p>If a person does ED at more than one Ivy League school, the schools may find out and reject the students applications. I find it quite difficult to believe that other schools would find out or even care about what the student has done; I dont believe in a national conspiracy to enforce this agreement. The schools in question are some of the most selective in the country, and have much more about which to worry than a few students cheating them on an ED agreement.</p>
<p>I wouldn't call it a national conspiracy, but there is an arangement amongst colleges, to let eachother know of ED acceptances. It is not a matter of legitamacy or legality-if a student choses ED, he has a moral obligation. Simple as that. If he changes his mind, he should have to go about things the fair way, and transfer to another school in the coming years. That may not be the most desirable but it was his fault for being irresponsible in the first place. ED is not for everyone and just because you are a college applicant doesn't mean you can use it like a get out of jail free card.</p>
<p>
[quote]
An applicant receiving admission and an adequate financial award under the Early Decision Plan
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and it is the school and not the student who decides whether a student's request to be released for financial reasons will be granted. If the school provides an ED applicant with its typical (and somewhat predictable) financial aid package ... typical for a family with its particular finances ... then a student's cry of not liking the financial aid package may very not be well received. Applying ED has advantages and also has obligations ... fully understanding the deal before applying is very improtant IMO.</p>
<p>A high school counselor would be remiss do any thing that places themselves and their school in a bad light or jepordizes their intergrity as a professiona or the integrity of their school. </p>
<p>GC's that sign off on ED agreements, and the students don't follow through often lose their credibility with the admissions committess at that school. This makes the application of every other student from that school suspect. While the college will never come out and say that they are black listing the school, they are also not at a loss to do business with schools where they don't have to question one's ethics or integrity.</p>
<p>What will you do after you have made a liar out of your GC and have backed out of your ED agreement? You will now have to go back to this person and have them write you new recs after showing them that you are not a person of your word. Do you really think they are really going to give you their all when it comes to advocating for you?</p>
<p>At the end of the day, you want to maintain good professional relationships with people especially if you have to deal with them again. Any guidance counselor worth their salt is going to want to maintain a positive relationship with the colleges that students from their schools applied to.</p>