<p>[California</a> Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Admissions Information - CollegeData College Profile](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=666]California”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=666) indicates that SLO does not consider “level of applicant’s interest”, which is presumably what applying ED indicates.</p>
<p>Have you run net price calculators on each of the schools in question? Berkeley’s net price calculator gives an EFC of $9,000 to $10,000 and an ESC of $8,500 (student loan and work) for a net price of $17,500 to $18,500 based on $115,000 income and 2 college students. The CSU net price calculator indicates no financial aid for the same situation, for a net price equal to list price of $24,285 at SLO. In other words, it looks like your assumptions about affordability may be incorrect.</p>
<p>SLO is good, but if you are not sure that it is your first choice, or are unsure of affordability, it would not be a good idea to apply ED.</p>
<p>Berkeley net price calculator: [Financial</a> Aid Estimator - UC Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships Office](<a href=“Financial Aid Estimator - UC Berkeley Financial Aid and Scholarships Office”>http://calculator.berkeley.edu/)
Other UC net price calculators are at campus web sites.
CSU net price calculator: <a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU;