Questions post-Early Decision acceptance?

<p>Hey! So I was awesomely accepted ED to my top choice! These are probably obvious questions, but a quick Google search didn't answer them, so:
1. If I was accepted to another school before my Early Decision acceptance came, am I allowed to keep that acceptance "pending" -- as in, accept my spot in my ED school but not send a notification to the other school notifying them that I won't be attending? I'm worried that I'll be left high and dry if FA doesn't work out, which is unlikely, but you never really know how things will play out, and I got a pretty nice scholarship at the first school that responded so I just want to make sure I'll have something to fall back on. Is this okay, or should I contact the admissions office of the first school and notify them that I cannot attend?
2. How do I withdraw my application for another school I applied to that doesn't respond until January? Should I just email the admissions office and tell them that I've been accepted ED at another school?</p>

<p>Thanks for your help, guys! :)</p>

<p>In my mind, until the FA package is solidified, you withdraw nothing for the very reasons you stated. And your ED school understands this - if they are unable to offer you an acceptable FA package, they hardly expect you to go nowhere. Most of the time they are able to work something out, but if not, you should know fairly quickly.</p>

<p>@MrMom62 That’s what I thought, but what if my school is need-based aid only and I won’t be able to find out until the FAFSA is filled out? Do I still have to withdraw the applications now? Or can I wait until the spring, when I know I can afford it?</p>

<p>You need to figure it out sooner than that. In fact, for most schools, you should have filled out a preliminary FAFSA when you submitted your ED application. You might need to contact the FA office of your ED school immediately to figure this out - you certainly can’t wait until spring on this.</p>

<p>Did you submit financial information needed for need based financial aid to the ED college when you applied? Though FAFSA is not something that can be submitted until after the calendar year is over, colleges that have ED typically require the submission of financial information needed to determine aid at time of application for ED so they can make financial aid awards at the time you are accepted ED. They will either require the CSS Financial Aid Profile form put out by the College Board or provide their own form for doing so. If, in fact, that information was needed to be submitted and you did not do so, then your ED college is likely assuming you need no financial aid and you need to be contacting it immediately to determine your options. You mention the ED college has only need based financial aid, which indicates to me it is one of the high ranked colleges with ED, and all of those as far as I am aware require financial aid information as part of the ED application and make preliminary aid determinations provided at time of ED admission or shortly thereafter.</p>

<p>@drusba Ah, yes, I did! Thank you for the reminder. I feel a bit ditzy for forgetting about the CSS Profile now.
Thanks for sorting out my questions, guys! I will decline my spots in the other schools as FA info comes. :)</p>