@txserenity – I am very happy for you – it sounds like it was handled with great care on your end as well as MHC’s end.
@momneeds2no – thanks for the link…sounds like a great program!
Can you give any advice to those who need merit aid, but would like to apply early? My D would just like to get the application process done early, but we would need a scholarship for her to attend. Thanks.
@VAOptimist – that is not a course of action that I would recommend to anyone. Two years ago, my son wanted to apply ED at his top choice LAC without knowing if he would receive merit. Since we didn’t want to be a full pay, we told him that he would have to wait for RD. I called the admissions office and was told that they would not make any estimates for merit ahead of time. I also called a friend who is a college consultant and she recommended NOT doing this.
His safety school, the College of Wooster, actually had a merit estimator on its site (I don’t know if this is still the case). That would be the only time that I think it could make sense to apply ED. The merit estimator was right on the money.
@VAOptimist I totally agree with @thinmints . My daughter applied ED as she was told the school awards merit in ED just the same as RD and we thought it was show her strong level of interest and love in the school. Instead she was first offered merit aid that was too low for her to even consider being able to go. The offer was far less than most previous year applicants I spoke to who had lower stats than my daughter. The only difference was that we applied ED.
It ended up working out because they raised her merit award after an appeal, but it was a very stressful process and made me a little sad since she put her heart and soul into her app, explaining why she loved the school so much. It felt like that didn’t count for much…even though I know now it was likely just how merit is done in ED rounds.
In hindsight, I wish she would have applied Regular Decision. The wait would have been worth it to save the stress.
If your kid has a strong enough app to be considered for merit aid, they likely will get in as an RD applicant. Wanting to be done with the application process is not a good reason to apply ED. Plus, ED applicants still should keep working in their other applications anyway – the student might not get into the ED school, or might find it unaffordable, so they really need to keep working on applications anyway.
My suggestion instead is to find an EA school or two (or rolling admissions) that your kid likes and is a match, and see if they can get an EA acceptance in hand to take some pressure off. A couple LACs that I know have EA rounds are Dickinson and Lawrence, but I am sure there are more.
N.B. Many colleges (e.g. Smith) do not award merit aid to ED admits.
Thanks for sharing your experience @txserenity - this is very helpful to future applicants!