Still afraid to apply ED

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Pennsylvania
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<p>I’m considering applying to Penn CAS ED, but I’m worried about whether I’ll receive a substantial financial aid package without being able to compare offers. Does anyone know how well the financial aid program at Penn compares to other Ivy’s like HYP, Borwn, and Columbia? Also what would my chances be if I applied RD as opposed to ED?</p>

<p>Profile: African-American Male, Upstate NY Public High School of approx. 900 students.</p>

<p>SAT I: 2160 (690 CR, 750 MA, 720 WR, 11 essay)</p>

<p>SAT IIs: Biology-730, Math IIC-720, US History-670</p>

<p>APs: Biology-5, English Literature-4, US History-4, I am taking Government, English Language, Chemistry, and Calculus BC this year.</p>

<p>GPA: Unweighted-98.2/100, Weighted-100.1. All my grades have been A’s or A+'s.</p>

<p>Class Rank: Top 5/~190
Courseload: Taken highest level courses at my school whenever possible.</p>

<p>ECs (I changed schools after 9th grade)-Cross-Country (9th), Basketball (9th), Jazz Ensemble (Saxophone-9th), Internship at local radio station (9th), JV Basketball (10th), JV Baseball (10th, 11th), Worked as a sportswriter for a local newspaper (summer before 11th), Harvard Model Congress (11th, 12th), Amnesty International (11th, 12th), Summer Academy at Cape Town (this summer), Varsity Baseball (12th), National Honor Society (12th).</p>

<p>Awards-Academic Awards-English, Science, Social Studies, Math (10th), English, Science, Social Studies, Math, Spanish (11th), Harvard Model Congress Award of Excellence, National Achievement Semi-Finalist, National Honor Society President.</p>

<p>My recommendations and essay are all outstanding.</p>

<p>Additionally: I’m an aspiring Hip Hop artist-still looking for a producer and studio (myspace.com/ryanjobson), I skipped a grade so I’ll be 17 when I enter college.</p>

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<p>you are in</p>

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<p>If Penn is your dream school, then apply ED, if not, then Id say apply RD, because you have a great chance of getting in either way. You also have a great chance of getting into the other top schools. With your stats, you have a lot of flexibility, Id say apply RD.</p>

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<p>with URM status and those stats, you have an extremely good chance of getting into at least one of the HYP...but if penn is your 1st choice school, definitely do penn ED...you're in for sure</p>

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<p>You're not totally bound to go there...there is a period of like 2 weeks where you can still turn down Penn if you get in. After that 2 weeks (it might be 3) you have to make a decision and when you do you are bound to it.</p>

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<p>5 students with 100 pt. GPAs or higher? That's what I call grade inflation!</p>

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<p>i wish i was a you are em applying to college</p>

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<p>If aid is the concern then dont apply Penn ED. Apply Harvard EA because they have nice aid and apply Penn and Princeton RD because you must like Penn and Princeton gives the best aid. Look at other schools with good merit aid because once you get out of ivy level schools the aid decreases for people with some, but not alot of, money. I would say Penn may steal you if you apply ED because you are a strong URM with great stats is what top colleges are looking for.</p>

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<p>WOAH. Mallomar Cookie: please clarify, you mean to say that if he applied ED, and was accepted he has 2-3 weeks to "decide" if he wants to go there??</p>

<p>SOmebody clarify please.</p>

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<p>Yes, that is how it is, einnoc. There is a final decision period of 3 weeks during which the family can make the final decision. After that you're bound to whatever decision you made. I learned this from an admissions officer in case you were wondering (not at Penn, but one who is familiar with many Ivy admissions officers)</p>

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<p>ok i see. altho doesn't that defeat the purpose of ED?
if the family makes a decision, it can't be based on money, since Penn will not tell you your aid package during those 3 weeks, correct? therefore, it would be just be based on if their kid has suddenly lost interest.</p>

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<p>
[QUOTE]
There is a final decision period of 3 weeks during which the family can make the final decision.

[/QUOTE]
</p>

<p>Is this true even you applied ED and made it that you have a choice?</p>

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<p>ED is binding, meaning if you get in, you must go. The only way you can get out of the contract is if you absolutely can't afford to go (insufficient aid). I don't believe there is a 3 week consideration period to decide (possibly a 3 week pd to decide if the aid is sufficient, but not to decide on the basis of lost interest and other reasons), cause like einnoc07 pointed out, it defeats the purpose of ED.</p>

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<p>odin64x:</p>

<p>I always thought that ED means binding. The only way you can get out of the contract is if you absolutely can't afford to go (insufficient aid</p>

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<p>Sorry Yankswinner and mallormarcookie please forgive me for quoting and highjacking your thread. </p>

<p>I put the link on the parents thread as this ED answer was new to my knowledge as I am trying to learn this college admission process which is so confusing.</p>

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<p>I dont think you are taking much of a chance not applying ED. With your credentials, I would think you could apply RD to HYP, Penn CAS, Brown,etc. and do pretty well. Then you can weigh all your financial offers, maybe negotiate a little and then choose your school.</p>

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<p>If person is admitted ED into Penn and backs out, there chances of getting into another ivy pretty close to nil.</p>

<p>Joint Statement for Candidates on Common Ivy Group Admission Procedure</p>

<p>Under December Notification, an applicant may be notified that he or she has been granted or denied admission or that a final decision has been deferred until the early April notification date. Two plans are offered according to individual institutional policy:</p>

<p>a. The College Board-approved Early Decision Plan, which is offered by Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton, requires a prior commitment to matriculate; thus a student may not file more than one Early Decision application among these or any other institutions. Financial aid awards for those qualifying for financial assistance will normally be announced in full detail at the same time as the admission decisions. An applicant receiving admission and an adequate financial award under the Early Decision Plan will be required to accept that offer of admission and withdraw all applications to other colleges or
universities. All Ivy institutions will honor any required commitment to matriculate which has been made to another college under this plan.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/utilities/faq/Common_Ivy_Statement.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/utilities/faq/Common_Ivy_Statement.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Remember it is the school, not you or your family that determines what is adequate financial aid. If money is going to be an issue, do not apply ED.</p>