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<p>If financial aid is an issue, you do not want to apply anywhere ED. Too risky to get locked in with that as a variable. I don't know this as a fact but my common sense says that if you are so attractive the school will pay more for you, you will be accepted RD, and you will have some room to negotiate. If you are that attractive, your chances are not necessarily increased if you apply ED.<br>
There are many threads on this topic. Search this forum for Early Decision. (I know there's definitely lots of talk about it on the Brown forum.)</p>
<p>Your acceptance into a private university under the Early Decision plan doesn't affect your financial aid entirely, it affects the scholarships you receive from the school itself, but that's not including the Pell Grants. </p>
<p>Financial aid is only affected under the ED plan with the institutional scholarships.</p>
<p>Would NOT encourage applying ED unless your family is prepared & able to pay with NO aid. As was posted above, you have much more leverage in comparing FAid packages & merit aid if you apply RD or even EA than if you apply ED. ED is a seroius commitment--think it through carefully with your family before you go that route.</p>
<p>As was said, there are numerous threads about ED & financial consequences.</p>
<p>What there seems to be no way of knowing is packaging. Say you're prepared to pay your EFC, but that leaves $15K in need. Will you be given the same composition of grants vs. loans, or will it be entirely loans because they already have you committed? That's one of the problems with ED. It's only a safe option for the super-rich with EFC's above the cost of attendance.</p>
<p>Applying early (not ED) is only beneficial if you are applying for merit money as some schools do have deadlines in place by which you need to have your application in if you want to be considered for a scholarship.</p>
<p>IF money is any kind of issue for your parents you should not apply binding early decision anywhere as as other stated you basically are stating that you and your family are going to live and die by the package you are given because you are bound to attend. </p>
<p>You lose the ability to compare packages and request financial reviews of your package. Remember just because a schools states that they will meet 100% of demonstrated need it s no often all grant aid. Some schools are more heavy handed when it comes to distributing loans.</p>