<p>OP admitted in another thread that he/she wan’t interested in Cornell that it was more of an “Ivy shot” if a more preferred school didn’t come through… The advice was to drop back to RD.</p>
<p>*I’m having doubts about my decision to apply to Cornell ED. My primary reason for applying there was because of their US news rankings…I wanted to get into an ivy and because I thought I had a high chance of being accepted early decision. *</p>
<p>So when the Ivy, in fact, did admit OP, now the ED rules come into play.</p>
<p>First off, I am a guy.
Secondly, I realize this situation is my fault. I’ve said it before and I am not blaming anyone else, including congress.
I take full responsibility.
Third, I have contacted my gc, Cornell, and numerous others about this. I’ve stated my situation and tried to be as transparent as possible.
Fourth, I have not done anything unethical so far. Applying to EA and ED is perfectly ethical. I’m not lying to anyone in this situation. I did not deliberately game the system by sending my tax forms late. It was an accident.
Fifth, maybe I exaggerated when I said I had no reason for Cornell ED. I applied there ED yes, because of the admissions boost, but also because of their good science programs. I thought I had little to no chance of getting into Chicago, and I wanted a surer chance of getting into a good school, so I chose Cornell ED. It was a mistake, yes, but it wasn’t completely unfounded.
Lastly, remember this thread was created as a source of advice for this situation.</p>
<p>Regardless of OP’s motivations/mistakes/change of mind/etc., and regardless of whether U of Chicago’s aggressive EA process makes it possible for these types of circumstances to occur, after 80+ posts it seems evident that: A) OP has not yet broken any rules; and B) a simple phone call to Cornell tomorrow could quite possibly wrap all this up. </p>
<p>If OP elects not to call, it would seem to indicate that OP is either: A) avoidant, and would rather cast his/her fate to the wind rather than dealing with this situation in an adult manner; or B) has been disingenuous all along and really is trying to game the system. I for one am willing to give OP the benefit of the doubt, but he/she really must take some action.</p>
<p>No…when say “contact” Cornell, I mean to decline your acceptance there. You have not done that. </p>
<p>You don’t want to attend the school, right? You shouldn’t need to wait for a financial aid package from Cornell to help you make a decision…for over a month, you have been saying you really do NOT want to attend Cornell.</p>
<p>Contact them and simply say, you cannot accept their ED offer. Then this will all be done and in the last.</p>
<p>Why are you waiting? To see if Cornell gives you more money than Chicago? </p>
<p>You say you do NOt want to attend Cornell. So call them and decline the ED admissions spot…and then find out how you put that in writing to them also.</p>
<p>OP, what you said at 11:31 p.m. on Friday night was, “What I’m planning on doing is waiting for Cornell’s FA package and going from there.” (Post number 20) Are you now saying that you actually talked to someone Saturday morning? I’m just not following it . . .</p>
<p>Edit: OK, I’m now seeing your 2:36 post since writing this and since writing my previous post. </p>
<p>In a way, your Cornell ED application is still in process because they did not have all of your financial info. So, to be specific, I would call them tomorrow and say something like: “I appreciate incredibly your offer for admission; I apologize for not getting all my financial into you on time; in the meantime I have received a nonrestrictive EA admission from another university with a good aid package; would you be willing to release me so that I can accept that offer (and if so, could you email a confirmation of that to me)?”</p>
<p>They will say yes or they will say no. Unless I’m missing something, you really might be able to wrap this up in 5 minutes or less.</p>
<p>This is early decision. I can’t simply decline their offer because I don’t want to go. You need a valid reason. The only thing I can do is relay to them my financial situation. </p>
<p>Putting in an EA app after submitting an ED at another school isn’t violating any rules if both colleges allow it. However, if my understanding of the ED process is correct, comparing financial aid packages and taking the better deal when both are within the parameters set by the family is, and that seems to be exactly what OP is doing. UChicago isn’t forcing anyone to “weasel out” of an ED offer to attend their college. This is a problem of the OP’s making, not the colleges’.</p>
<p>The best thing OP can do to preserve the chances for future ED applicants from his school is to wait for Cornell’s financial aid offer then turn it down based on unreliable income from a family business (leaving out the part about acts of Congress). I don’t believe OP handled this well, but damage control to protect future students may be the only decent thing to come out of it. </p>
<p>@austinmshauri Re “comparing financial aid packages and taking the better deal when both are within the parameters set by the family,” I think the difference here is that he doesn’t yet know what Cornell’s actual offer will be.</p>
<p>Since he doesn’t have the offer yet, I don’t see why he can’t just call Cornell and say, “I have an EA offer; I don’t yet have your the aid portion of your ED offer; can I take their’s?” He is not taking a unilateral action here; he is trying to work it out. The worst they can say is, no, we’re going to calculate the aid and you have to wait the two weeks to see whether our package is legitimately beyond your family’s reach. The best they can say is, sure, we’ll pull your app and rescind the offer. </p>
<p>Yes, I do realize this is completely against the spirit of ED. But Cornell hasn’t made their aid offer yet, and he is being completely transparent in making this request. He could tell the rep that he in no way wants to stigmatize others at his h.s., and would rather accept Cornell if that would be the outcome. </p>
<p>But I would say that an email isn’t sufficient. OP really does have to talk to a live person.</p>
<p>This student created his own problems. Neither school created the issues. This student never had Cornell as a clear first choice…and this student had plenty of time to change the Cornell application to a RD application, and chose not to.</p>
<p>The student here made the mistake. </p>
<p>Sorry, but I DO think Cornell will just say bye bye…if the student calls and says he regrets he cannot accept the offer of admission. </p>
<p>And what will,happen if the Cornell offer turns out to have a net Constance of less than U of Chicago? What then? And if the school meets full need for,this student, there will NEVER be an issue of finances. Not now, and not in two weeks.</p>
<p>BTW, I think that calling Cornell now is a bad idea.</p>
<p>The best idea is to get the fin aid package, then determine whether Cornell is affordable. If it is, go. If it isn’t, try to get Cornell to release you.</p>
<p>This whole dream school idea is ridiculous. Right now, the OP has almost zero clue what being a student at either Cornell or UChicago is like. He could go to UChicago and be miserable. He could go to Cornell and love it.</p>
<p>Purple Titan, in my previous thread I said that weather and rigor were minor concerns. The key distinction Chicago had was its discussion based atmosphere.</p>
<p>Sorool, what are you going to do if Cornell fully meets your need? If they do that, you have NO financial basis for declining their ED offer. none.</p>
<p>You can’t say “gee…University of Chicago gave me more money and less loans”.</p>
<p>@PurpleTitan I don’t really see what OP has to lose by calling tomorrow. The worst they can say is, no you have to wait for our aid offer. But they may just release him. This looks to me like a case where being proactive could be beneficial all the way around.</p>
<p>If your financial situation has worsened, isn’t the correct thing to do, to ask for an appeal of FA award based on the changed situation and then respond to the new award? Won’t they suggest that route if you try to decline offer based on changed finances? Or not? I have no experience, just guessing what they might say.</p>
<p>Is the financial line item you think may save you in that package Congress sent to Obama to sign? If it is an extension of a tax break, it may well be there, and since Obama is likely to sign it any day, then your hope for changed financial circumstances may not be realized in any case.</p>
<p>The things Chicago really has going for it over Cornell are an accessible airport and vibrant large city nearby. In terms of education, it’s pretty much a wash, not worth going through all this angst. Now it is possible, knowing the 2 institutions, that Chicago will in fact offer a better aid package. How much that means to your family I don’t know. But as you don’t have the Cornell FA info yet, I don’t see what there is to say to them at this point. “Chicago offered $XXX and we are really hoping you can match that to make your school affordable for us so we don’t have to back out of the ED agreement”?? </p>