How Will the Economy affect ED applications?

<p>I was talking to an admissions rep this week from a top LAC college to which I am applying ED and she said that they were expecting a sharp drop in ED applications. With even well off families seeing sharp declines in college funds, do you think that ED (not EA) applications will be way down accross the board?</p>

<p>I had to have a serious talk with my parents about applying ED to Northwestern, especially since Northwestern has largely need-based aid, which we don't qualify for. But, I'm still applying :) and working on outside scholarships.</p>

<p>Yes, I think that the broad affect will be a sharp decline in the number of ED applicants. Last year we saw that so many people applied ED as well as RD, but ED entails being able to pay for the college education even if you can't afford it (well not really, but like they probably will match the EFC or come close so you can't argue). This means that a lot of people who don't have financial stability will not be able to afford the education, unless they completely sacrifice many comforts, so I think a really high decline will take place. </p>

<p>It will be really interesting, mostly because many expected the 13 class to be even bigger than the 12 class for college.</p>

<p>Wow that's a really interesting thought...
College is ridiculous expensive and financial aid can be applied for usually only if you apply RD, if I'm not mistaken, yeah? Wow. I wonder the same.</p>

<p>All the contract schools at cornell (1/2 tuition for nys resients) will probavly see ED increases if anything which messes me over.</p>

<p>cheers,
Mike</p>

<p>bestwhit, you can apply for financial aid in ED. What you won't have is the opportunity to compare financial aid offers between schools like you'd have in RD, so in every sense you won't know if your ED school's offer is the best deal you could have gotten.</p>

<p>For some students just getting a do-able deal, if not the very best one, is enough because of their singular desire to attend that school.</p>

<p>ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS:</p>

<p>1) decline in ED ----------------> increase in ED acceptance rate? </p>

<p>2) you said you talked to an LAC rep.
So would the discussed case above only apply to the LAC's or other colleges in America?</p>

<p>This is all conjecture on all our parts at the moment... but my guess is ED will actually be up at the most generous schools that meet 100% of need without loans. I think it will be down at schools that aren't able to offer that level of aid.</p>

<p>But yeah, for schools where ED apps are down, I think there may well be better odds in ED than last year. In these uncertain times schools are also going to be worried about yield and ED is helpful in that area.</p>

<p>I think the general pattern would hold across LACs and other colleges that have an ED option.</p>

<p>bump this sh</p>

<p>yeah me too
bump</p>

<p>I sent in my ED app for Cornell yesterday, and then my parents freaked even though we already talked about it...I hope they offer some good need based aid for <90,000 income families...</p>

<p>bumpbbumpbump</p>