<p>I know people are gonna hate on me for posting this, but I'm curious.
So say I find out in march Harvard has accepted me and I decide to go there instead.
Can I tell NU I won't be attending their school and get out of binding without any trouble?
Also, is there an absolute date I have to reply to NU to confirm my enrollment as an ED?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Aren’t you legally bound to withdraw your applications to other colleges now?</p>
<p>From the website:</p>
<p>*What is Early Decision?</p>
<p>If you are certain that Northwestern is where you want to enroll, we encourage you to apply under our Early Decision plan. As with all traditional Early Decision plans, you agree to withdraw all applications at other colleges and enroll at Northwestern if admitted. Students interested in the Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME) must apply under the Regular Decision plan.</p>
<p>Applicants who choose Early Decision send a strong, positive message to Northwestern. Given their high level of interest and overall academic and personal strength, Early Decision applicants enjoy a higher rate of admission.</p>
<p>If you are admitted under Early Decision and apply for financial aid, you will be notified of your aid decision around the time of your acceptance, provided your family has filed the College Scholarship Service Financial Aid Profile (CSS Profile) by December 1. Students admitted under Early Decision may be released from the commitment to enroll at Northwestern only for demonstrated financial hardship.</p>
<p>I have to admit I find the OP’s username rather ironic under the circumstances.</p>
<p>You entered into a contract.
If you breach it, yes, you should expect it to engender “trouble” for you (and it would be well deserved).</p>
<p>You can write them a letter saying that your FA is not sufficient and you can’t afford it but you would have to do that sooner than Harvard admissions come out…</p>
<p>so basically I can’t just sit here and wait until my harvard decision comes out? I have to confirm my enrollment within a certain time period?</p>
<p>Not only can you not wait for your Harvard decision, you have to withdraw your Harvard application…you can’t enjoy the benefits of a higher ED acceptance rate and wait to see if something better comes along. But I think you already knew that…when you, your parents and your GC signed the contract…
Oh and Feb 1 is deposit deadline for ED…</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you can’t. You chose early decision for a reason, and I’m sure you were well aware of the strings attached. </p>
<p>Also, Harvard is sort of a crapshoot - I mean, if it were like, UChicago I might understand, but I wouldn’t wait on Harvard.</p>
<p>If you accept NU’s offer you won’t get an offer from Harvard. If you decline NU’s offer there’s no point in Harvard’s making you the same (net) financial aid offer; you couldn’t afford Harvard either (and Harvard is more selective).</p>
<p>[The</a> Daily Northwestern : In Focus: Why early action doesn’t apply to Northwestern](<a href=“http://dailynorthwestern.com/2012/02/02/campus/campusarchived/in-focus-why-early-action-doesnt-apply-to-northwestern/]The”>http://dailynorthwestern.com/2012/02/02/campus/campusarchived/in-focus-why-early-action-doesnt-apply-to-northwestern/)</p>
<p>I just read this article and I’m assuming NU allows their ED kids to get out trouble-free. And yeah I understand the chances of me getting into Harvard through ED is slim but this is all hypothetical. Thanks for the help anyways.</p>
<p>I get that there’s the whole “to each his own” thing and that everyone has the right school for themselves, but I honestly don’t understand how you couldn’t be perfectly happy at NU (especially since it was clearly your first choice at some point). From the perspective of an applicant whose odds of getting in are minimal, I find it kind of sad that you are taking such a fortunate opportunity and wishing to discard it. I also don’t really understand the logic that you expect to get into Harvard? But, having said that, I hope it all works our for you.</p>
<p>“trouble free” in the case that the student applied for FA and did not get what was needed to attend without financial hardship.</p>
<p>This does not apply to students who just want to take advantage of the ED higher acceptance rates without making the commitment.</p>
<p>I think you know that what you wish to do is not play by the rules.</p>
<p>“You entered into a contract.”</p>
<p>It’s actually an honor-system agreement, with possible consequences. There are no legal issues.</p>
<p>If Harvard finds out, it will rescind its admission offer. So will Northwestern. Don’t do it!</p>
<p>^^^agree with the above. NU is well within rights to let Harvard know that you have reneged on the ED agreement. OP never said that he couldn’t afford to attend NU. Someone else suggested that he try that! Schools let kids out if the FA offer really doesn’t work, and will be happy to let you out of your agreement so that you can attend a lower cost state university.</p>
<p>Your guidance counselor should also be rip-roaringly angry with you if you pulled this stunt for no good reason other than just to see/hope that you get into Harvard. Most guidance counselors who are ethical would not help you further with requested paperwork from any college if you decided to try to wriggle out of your ED agreement. </p>
<p>OP, you have been admitted to one of the top universities in the country. At some point you were thinking clearly. Try to remember that.</p>
<p>I heard from somewhere that unless you have a legitimate excuse for not being able to attend the ED institution, you have to pay Northwestern’s first year tuition, around $46,000, to get out of the ED contract.</p>
<p>I also know of someone who EA’d to Princeton and Georgetown, and Princeton found out and called him and basically said he was an idiot over the phone lol.</p>
<p>^What you heard is not true and doesn’t make any sense anyway.</p>
<p>^^ That is so silly. There isn’t any contract; ED is an honor-system agreement. Breaking the agreement could indeed be idiocy (but for financial aid reasons is legitimate).</p>
<p>You have a very short window to fully accept NU offer. It is much before March. Or you can reject for financial reasons. You are required to pull all pending applications immediately upon receipt of the acceptance you can’t get the benefit of ED and still shop offers. Understand it’s not uncommon for admissions offices to communicate with each other.</p>