<p>^ There’s no legal (binding contract) issue, 18 or not, parents’ signature or not. ED is an honor system, with possible consequences for not honoring the commitment.</p>
<p>Rasta, you need to talk to your parents immediamento! There is a huge disconnect if you applied for ED, need aid, and your parents are refusing to fill out the forms. Absolutely you should switch your ED to RD until you have this disconnect straighted out so you do not cut yourself off from the opportunity other very good schools might present financially. There is no magic “finaid fairy”…as much as every parent and student wishes there were.</p>
<p>Unless I missed something, I don’t think there’s a practical problem here. If Duke is interested, they’ll ask for the forms, and make no offer until they’re submitted. If parents then relent and submit forms, and if Duke admits but doesn’t offer a full ride with the ED acceptance, rasta will decline the offer and it’s forgotten. A full ride offer is another possibility. RD to other schools comes next.</p>
<p>But as others have pointed out, if he waits until he finds out about his ED application (mid-Dec.), it will already be too late for applying for financial aid at many schools that have early deadlines for merit aid.</p>
<p>True; I didn’t mean he (?) should wait (he shouldn’t), just that he doesn’t need to do anything about Duke.</p>
<p>The OP is MIA, probably doesn’t like hearing what we’re saying. Hopefully he didn’t phone and tell them he doesn’t need aid.</p>
<p>Well, even if the ED is not a “binding legal contract,” the fact that there could be negative consequences for breaking the “honor system,” is reason enough that a parent’s signature should be required. Minors do not have the discernment to singularly decide to agree to an “honor system” where there could be such negative consequences.</p>
<p>I do think the OP should change to RD, and apply to schools that will give him merit money since his parents won’t pay.</p>