<p>I want to apply to Cornell's AEM program (College of Agriculture and life sciences) through early decision. I believe the school is the perfect fit for me and at the same time I'm pretty anxious to hear a decision from a college (is this a bad factor in determining an early decision school, lol?).</p>
<p>My parents don't want me to apply early decision because they believe I should wait and see what kind of financial aid packages I would recieve through the rest of my regular decision schools. In particular, they would rather have me go to UC Berkeley because it is cheaper and "ranked" higher in terms of undergraduate business schools. </p>
<p>It sucks because I'd rather go to Cornell over any UC, and especially be able to be done with worrying about college by December.</p>
<p>If your parents are going to help pay for college, I think they have a right to tell you “hey, let’s see all the financial aid offers before you agree to go to one specific place”. It’s not like they’re telling you where you can and can’t apply.</p>
<p>Do I have this right? You, a 17 year old dependent on parental support, want to make a $200,000 decision that binds your parents, and you resent that they want to be involved in the decision.</p>
<p>As other parents replying to you have said, since they seem to be the writers of your tuition checks, ED seems an unwise choice. If my kids were HS seniors today, I couldn’t allow them to apply anywhere ED – it’d be irresponsible for our family finances.</p>
<p>I didn’t allow my kids to apply ED because of finances. This is the case with lots of people whose finances are not unlimited. Far better for your parents to do this than for you to get into Cornell ED and not be able to afford to go.</p>
<p>Yeah, I am generally a big advocate for students and their being allowed to make choices independent of their parents on here, but regarding the ED thing, I don’t think you have a leg to stand on. Your desire to be done with worrying about college by December is not terribly compelling, not in the way that wanting to choose where you spend the next four years or what you major in would be. Just wait the extra few months to find out. You’ll live.</p>
<p>It’s only your decision of you’re paying the tuition. Your parents have a right to require you apply regular decision…unless of course the loans will be in your name alone with no co-signers.</p>
<p>OP: I wish there was a way for you to automatically send a link to this thread to yourself in thirty years when your kids are in their late HS years. Unless career or powerball or inheritance have been generous to you, you’ll just shake your head at the current scenario.</p>
<p>Regardless, best of luck to you. Obviously you’ve achieved quite a bit given that you expect a Cornell early accept. Congratulations.</p>
<p>Today’s students have no conception of how excessive student loans will destroy them financially (perhaps a good argument for economics being a requirement to graduate from high school but I digress). The days of easy credit are over and will be for decades. No longer will it be possible to get a mortgage if you are saddled with high five or even six-figure college loans. And it may not even be possible to get those loans without a co-signer with suitable credit, i.e. mom and dad, who may not be willing to cosign as they approach retirement years.</p>
<p>And before any of you would be borrowers say that it won’t be five to six figures, don’t forget to multiply the amount of your loans by two unless you plan to remain single or marry well.</p>
<p>I didn’t let my kids apply ED either, due to finances also. Two in college and one more left to go …</p>
<p>OP, how would you respond if in fifteen years your parents came to you with a request for $250,000 (in after-tax cash) so they could make a down payment on an expensive retirement condo?</p>
<p>Not to be rude OP, but you’re sounding really selfish in the fact that you’re upset at your parents for not allowing you to bind yourself to a college w/o a guaranteed chance of good financial aid. Just fill out everything by December, and apply RD everywhere. Its not your choice to risk your parents shelling out more money than they have.</p>
<p>What should you do? Be grateful for all of the emotional and financial support your parents give you and try to listen to what they’re saying. Kudos to your folks, you’ll thank them someday.</p>