<p>I've found a school that I would LOVE to go to. I think I have a chance at getting in, but it is by no means a sure thing. However, this school is a small, private college and there is NO way that I can pay tuition. Is it bad to apply ED and just <em>hope</em> for a good finaid/merit package?</p>
<p>A lot will depend on when you would get your financial aid offer. Will it be in time to make RD applications to other colleges if the offer is not sufficient?</p>
<p>Don't apply ED unless you are sure you can pay for it.</p>
<p>remember the school decides what is adequate financial aid based on the your family's income and asset. basically when you apply ED you are stating that if admitted, you will commit to attending regardless of the aid package offered. If you need to compare packages, which you give up when applying ED it is best not to do so</p>
<p>but i'm very, very sure i will get a good finaid package. this price for one year is more than my mom makes in two...and the school says they meet 100% of demonstrated need, so is it still a risk a shouldn't be willing to take?</p>
<p>bump please</p>
<p>what the school defines as "demonstrated need" might be different than what you consider to be actual need.</p>
<p>What Just_browsing said is true. The financial aid also may include far more in loans than you'd be comfortable taking out.</p>
<p>Even though a school will meet 100% of your demonstrated need, you don't know how that need will be met.</p>
<p>You have no idea what percentage of your package will consist of scholarships/grants, which don't have to be repaid and what percentage of your package will be in the form of loans (yes, a college can literally give you all loans and they will still have met your need because loans are considered financial aid).</p>
<p>well, 65% of the need will be made up of grants... does that change your opinion at all?</p>
<p>65% is quite low. I would not apply ED, they could end up giving you a huge loan, since your saying you cant really pay it off</p>
<p>Run the online calculator and find out your EFC. Next ask your parents if they can actually give you that kind of money.</p>
<p>Call the financial aid office and discuss your predicament with them.</p>
<p>IF you get accepted, you have a period of about 2-3 weeks to make your final decision. So go ahead and apply. You will be able to turn them down if it doesn't work out.</p>
<p>Do NOT follow jimbob's advice. You only get to back out of ED if there is somethng like a family emergency that causes you to turn it down. Even that can be difficult to prove.</p>
<p>Backing out for financial reasons is more difficult because as we've said, the college -- not your family -- determines your financial need, and the college can chose to fill your need by high loans. Not liking your loan package isn't what colleges accept as a valid reason for rejecting ED.</p>
<p>By applying ED, you also are missing out on the chance to compare aid packages, which means you can't negotiate either. </p>
<p>If you're good enough to be applying to a decent college, you're probably good enough to probably qualify for some college's merit aid. You may even qualify for a full ride at some colleges such as some of your state's public colleges. </p>
<p>Since finances are important, expand your options by not applying ED, but by applying to colleges where you have great shots for financial aid and merit aid. You can still apply to RD to your dreamcollege, but since finances are important to you, this method will allow you to have the best options of going to college. After all, your top concern is being able to afford college, not getting into a college.</p>
<p>In looking at your back posts, it seems that you have a low income, disabled single parent and you're first generation college. It also seems that Davidson may be the school you're considering applying ED to with Elon and UNC other schools you were considering. I also notice that you appear to have gone to Discover Davidson day.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest that you not apply ED. First, as a low income person, you don't need any tip from ED. Being low income is a tip anyway for elite colleges. RD is not only fine, but very wise for reasons that I've stated earlier -- reasons that the colleges are well aware of and also respect.</p>
<p>Davidson also is known as attracting a well off, preppy type of student body. It may be that you'd be happy there, but my advice would be to put yourself in a situation where you can compare college offers, and then to visit Davidson again at a time that is not some kind of special recruitment day. Those special days can give very warped pictures of what typical life is like at a college. </p>
<p>I also suggest that you consider places like Wofford, which has Bonnors Scholarships, wonderful community-service based merit aid. One has to qualify for financial aid to get this. I met someone who had that aid from Wofford and also was funded by Wofford to do community service abroad. She was first gen college, low income, and loved Wofford.</p>
<p>Check this out: <a href="http://www.wofford.edu/bonnerScholars/content.aspx?id=13778%5B/url%5D">http://www.wofford.edu/bonnerScholars/content.aspx?id=13778</a></p>
<p>I also think that Vanderbilt and Rhodes offer those kind of scholarships, so also check out those colleges and consider applying there. What I like about Bonners Scholarships is that one gets to do community service (based on what you've posted elsewhere, it seems you like community service), and you also get a support group of like-minded students, which is a huge plus.</p>
<p>NSM may be right in most respects in terms of your overalkl situation, but--and this is a relatively small point--I believe there are also Bonners Scholars at Davidson.</p>
<p>well, the thing is.. (and good research skills NSM!) davidson is my dream school. that's it. i have to go there. there's really no question about it. i haven't only been during the DD days, i've been at least five times at random times throughout the year just to observe people and things of that nature. (i live less than an hour away) i really appreciate your advice, but i don't want to compare loan offers...i'm applying to UNC in-state but, if i got into davidson, there's about a .2% chance i'd go to unc even if it were completely free. the ED admit rate is 50% and the RD admit rate is ~27%. i really don't want to take my chances at not getting accepted, ya know?</p>
<p>oh, i want to BUMP this one more time. hopefully you see this again!</p>
<p>Sadly, Davidson is one of "those" schools where ED is a distinct advantage (although I have to wonder how many of those ED admits are recruited athletes). Ask yourself what you will do if Davidson accepts you ED, but does not give you a sufficient aid package - what options will you have? How would you be able to pay for tuition? Would you be able to apply to other schools in time to be accepted and receive aid?</p>