Is the Early Admission Decisions Binding?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
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<p>If we apply during the Early Admission Decisions does it mean we have to go there? Or is it like some other schools where it’s just to know whether you got in sooner? </p>

<p>On the website it says “Students admitted under this plan and who accept the terms of admission may be released only for compelling medical or financial reasons.” So can you be admitted and not “accept the terms of admission”? The wording has me confused… </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>If you apply to SLO Early Decision and are admitted you must attend unless you get sick or it turns out you can’t afford it.</p>

<p>Some other schools have an Early Action program where attendance is not required if admitted.</p>

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<p>If you accept Cal Poly’s offer of admission under the Early Decision program, you are making a commitment to attend Cal Poly in the fall quarter. If you have a legit reason for not being able to attend (ie. health or financial reason), Cal Poly may allow you to defer your acceptance for a later quarter. But if you later get accepted to a UC and decide you want to go there instead, Cal Poly can not prevent you from going. You would just suck in that case for breaking your commitment. And you may have to forfeit any deposits that you have made.</p>

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<p>Not binding. It’s just messed up for others who got wanted early decisions, but couldn’t. In my honest opinion you have to look out for YOUR own interests first–and not the university’s. If you get a better deal elsewhere, go ahead and take it, as “breaching” this contract is not legally binding and will not affect your chances at any other CSU or UC campus. What are they going to do? Put a gun to your head and force you to attend?</p>

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<p>It is binding! You have an obligation to attend. If you like other schools and think you’ll be accepted to them then don’t apply ED to Cal-Poly SLO.</p>

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<p>Vonlost –

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<p>CEinCali –

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<p>PAGRock –

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<p>CEinCali and PAGRock are both correct, just through different sides of the prism. And the word “must” is misleading.</p>

<p>ED is a non-binding agreement. There is no legal (or “gun to your head”) ramification for not fulfilling the agreement.</p>

<p>My understanding, though, is that once admission is granted under ED, your application is removed from other schools. So you would have to re-apply (either late or after a year) to one’s other choices.</p>

<p>Therefore, at the very least, there is a large inconvenience for not going through with an ED acceptance.</p>

<p>Moral of the story - Think very hard before applying to any school via Early Decision.</p>

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<p>For the record, here is the Common Application ED FA rule:

<a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/ED_Agreement.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/ED_Agreement.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>There can be consequences for not following the rules (e.g., our high school was prohibited from submitting ED applications after another ED rule was broken), but none are “legal.”</p>

<p>These may be of interest:</p>

<p>[The</a> Case for Early Decision - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/the-case-for-early-decision/]The”>The Case for Early Decision - The New York Times)
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/education/edlife/strategy.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/education/edlife/strategy.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>

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<p>Exactly. Thank you.</p>

<p>It is one of my pet peeves. 99.9% of the college guide books and web sites don’t state what ED really means. They just resort to buzz words like “commit,” “binding.” One well-known book states “you can’t change your mind.” Words are important. I hate lazy writing. It just annoys the heck out of me.</p>

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<p>You’re welcome, but it’s still binding, it’s just not legally binding. It’s binding as an honor-system agreement, with possible consequences. </p>

<p>Inaccuracies annoy me! ;)</p>

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<p>Ohh. Okay, I understand alot better now! Thanks everyone, and esp. for the article. I’m definitely reconsidering ED now since I’m OOS so who knows if it’ll be the best financial decision when it comes time. Hopefully though… I really want to go here. Haha.</p>

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<p>@thezhu</p>

<p>Oh, cool OP. :smiley: Good luck in your decision.</p>

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<p>Re possible consequences, in addition our HS being banned from ED (a case of applying to TWO schools ED), I know from personal experience that some college adcom deans talk with some others about applicants, so dishonesty can get around. Beyond that, it’s about what CAN go wrong when adcoms talk with each other to expose ED dishonesty. When adcoms talk, they can discover that other applications were not withdrawn after an ED acceptance. An ED financial aid offer can be too low to support attendance (such offers can be declined without consequence), but turning down a full ride, or when no FA was needed, can get around and prevent RD acceptances when adcoms talk (this is about what CAN go wrong, not that I know it has happened).</p>

<p>The bottom line is: stay honest with your ED dealings. If you have a dream school and need FA, you can apply ED without the danger of being trapped into something you can’t afford, but use the calculators to see if you have a decent chance. Apply ED to only one school, and withdraw your other apps if you get a FA offer that’s affordable (or if you pay list price or get a free ride). Remember that you cannot compare FA offers when applying ED; you have to take it or leave it.</p>

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<p>This is the bottom line:</p>

<p>No university can force you to attend if you don’t want to.</p>

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<p>No they can’t. But they share info and the other universities will not admit you when they find out</p>