<p>You can get your applications in early to all of your colleges, even if your status is RD. Get them all in at the same time. You won't hear back from the RD schools until later. If Penn accepts you ED and gives you a financial aid package that your family REALLY CANNOT WORK WITH, you can be excused from accepting the admission offer. Of course, colleges don't like you to do this, but you do have a couple of weeks to let your ED college know if you really can't accept their offer of admission for financial reasons. If you do accept their offer of admission, you have to immediately withdraw your other applications. If you do not get admitted into Penn, or cannot attend for financial reasons, you will not be under pressure at the last minute to get the additional applications in. That's my advice.</p>
<p>Newz, so what you're saying is even after I apply to Penn ED, I can still send in all other apps for RD, say beginning of December, since I hear from the ED mid December, right? If I get accepted, I just merely withdraw my RD applications?</p>
<p>I had to get a summer job and save up to pay for my application fees (and AP tests and club dues and everything else you have to pay for at school) because my parents are poor. A mixture of a job and waivers will probably help.</p>
<p>Regarding fee waivers: don't worry about it. The College Board runs fee waivers, the NACAC does waivers (which you can see when you sign up for the Common App, in the 'payment' section), and each college does its own fee waivers. It's definitely a non-issue for you.</p>
<p>Yes, eloquence, you can apply RD as early as you wish. Don't wait to hear from Penn's ED acceptance. If you get in to Penn ED and the aid package works for you, you accept Penn's offer and withdraw your other RD apps. If you don't get into Penn, you won't be under pressure to get the other apps in at the last minute. If you get into Penn, but the aid package really won't work for you, you do have the right to turn down Penn's ED admission offer -- but the colleges really don't like it when students do this. They do give you a couple of weeks to let them know if you want to decline, though. In your case, if you truly have considerable financial need, you will hopefully receive a decent aid package so you shouldn't have too much of a problem if you get in. Good luck!!</p>
<p>I really think I'd get a decent aid package from Penn and I guess they could just get over it if they don't give me the help I need, I still have my RD apps too right? :P</p>
<p>Is it smart to do a combo of Questbridge/regular apps?</p>