<p>I am having second thoughts about applying early decision to a college. What would happen if I decide not to go if I am accepted?</p>
<p>You can't "decide" not to go. Technically, by applying ED, you sign a binding contract. By not going, you are breaching that contract, and that ED school will most likely call your counselor, find where you are applying RD, and notify them of your ED dilemma. The best advice I can give you is that if the school is NOT your clear cut #1, then DON'T apply early.</p>
<p>If you have any doubts (including about finances), don't apply ED.</p>
<p>IF you get in ED and decide not to go because of any reason except dire , documented financial circumstances or something like a family emergency (such as if your parent has a fatal illness, and you decide to go to college in your hometown to be near them), then there's a good chance that you will not get into any colleges that are as good as or better than your ED one because colleges share lists of ED admits. Your h.s. peers and GCs also will be ticked at you because the ED college probably will take revenge by chewing out your GC and rejecting anyone else who applies from your school -- including those who apply several years after you rejected your ED school.</p>
<p>Your GC also probably will not at all go out of her/his way to help you with your other college apps.</p>
<p>Now -- do you think it's worth it to reject an ED school?</p>
<p>I believe under certain circumstances you can negate your ED contract without reprecussions (and I have read of such cases on this site). I am applying to EDII to a university that I would really like to attend, but is rather-understatement- expensive. My EFC is zero, so if the university only offers $2,000 in financial aid, there is no way I will be able to attend despite how much I love the college.</p>
<p>If your EFC is zero, shouldn't you be targetting schools that offer 100% need-based aid, rather than applying ED? I have not done ED anywhere because I learnt on this forum that if financial aid is your main worry then you shouldn't apply ED which is binding! Isn't that correct?</p>
<p>So, you are saying that ED, which drastically improves one's chances of being admitted, should be limited and exclusive to affluent applicants? Seems rather discriminatory to me. Generally, on this forum they do recommend that, but only because you cannot compare offers.</p>
<p>"So, you are saying that ED, which drastically improves one's chances of being admitted, should be limited and exclusive to affluent applicants? Seems rather discriminatory to me. Generally, on this forum they do recommend that, but only because you cannot compare offers."</p>
<p>It shouldn't be this way, but the reality is that students who depend on financial aid should not apply ED, especially to an expensive private school. Even schools that guarantee to meet 100% of your need don't always do so.</p>
<p>"Even schools that guarantee to meet 100% of your need don't always do so."</p>
<p>Remember, too, that the "need" is determined by the college, not by what your family feels they can afford. The need also could be heavily met in loans. </p>
<p>Anyone who's also good enough to get into a school ED may be able to get excellent merit and other perks (internships, international travel, laptops) from equivalent or lesser colleges. ED prevents your comparing aid offers.</p>
<p>"It shouldn't be this way, but the reality is that students who depend on financial aid should not apply ED, especially to an expensive private school."</p>
<p>If I applied to every school regular decision and received little to no aid, which is what I might receive through ED, it would not disuade me from attending college altogether. I would find a way. I would appeal the decisions, I would find a job, I would obtain loans from private banks. I will do the same if the university that I applied to via ED, only offers a limited financial aid package.</p>
<p>"from equivalent or lesser colleges"
Yes, destitute students should settle for whatever college they can afford and abdicate their position at a university that they deserve to attend.</p>
<p>^^^ I understand your point. But the reality is that the colleges need income from tuition so they will admit certain number of students with money and 'reasonable' merit from the ED pool thus reducing spots in the RD round. As a student I must consder this reality and not get into the ED contract without having finances lined up.</p>
<p>I also understand your points, but I'm not as quick to resign.</p>
<p>"reducing spots in the RD round"</p>
<p>That is the issue. If a college admits a large ED pool, which often occurs, only a select few regular decision spots are available; subsequently, an applicant will have to compete with the best of the best students; students whom might not even want to attend. </p>
<p>"so they will admit certain number of students with money and 'reasonable' merit from the ED pool"</p>
<p>Quite a few unviersities are need-blind, so financial matters should not even be a factor while considering candidates for Early Decision. Also, that statement fosters the attitude that a person can buy their way into college.</p>
<p>I think a person applying ED is in a way trying to buy his/her way into the particular college. Yes, the colleges may be need-blind, but when they admit you ED they essentially force you to bring the difference money to the table, may be by asking you to take loans! As Northstarmom pointed out if they ask you take 20K loans, they consder it as their financial aid!!!</p>
<p>A person shouldn't be able to buy their way into a college: not in a utopian world not even in a realistic world. Yes, they are expecting an applicant to pay the rest, which is essentially what I intend to do. If I receive $10,000 in grants and scholarships, $8000 for federal work study, $7000 for demonstrated need, and $10,000 in loans, then I would be set. I would be $40,000 in debt by graduation, but I don't mind taking a couple of years off to reimburse the student loans before law school.</p>
<p>qwilde, the situation you posited (that the school gives you only $2000 in aid) is precisely the one in which an ED contract might be voided. However, you're still taking a risk.
[quote]
If I receive $10,000 in grants and scholarships, $8000 for federal work study, $7000 for demonstrated need, and $10,000 in loans, then I would be set.
[/quote]
Your ED school could easily give you that $10,000 in grants and scholarships as loans, which will put you at $80,000 in debt. And once they give you that, your contract is binding.</p>
<p>Additionally, in your example, in what form is the "$7000 for demonstrated need"? There are 3 kinds of aid: grants and scholarships, work study and loans. You have other amounts listed for those three types; that $7000 could also be in loans. That's a lot of debt.</p>
<p>Yes, but I am too much of a risk to loan that obscene amount of money to. My mother barely makes double digits and our assests are valued at around $200,000. No institution in their right mind would provide me with those types of loans and student loans cap out. Point being is that if I really can't attend, then I can negate the contract because I really won't be able to pay.</p>
<p>qwilde and B407, the obvious advantage toward affluent students is one factor in schools' decisions to eliminate ED/EA entirely. Harvard, UVA, and another major school did that this fall, sparking loads of media attention.</p>
<p>Yes, I actually followed the articles. I wasn't aware that UVA had eliminated ED as well though.</p>
<p>"Yes, destitute students should settle for whatever college they can afford and abdicate their position at a university that they deserve to attend."{</p>
<p>In our capitalist society, why should colllege choice be any different than the brand of clothes one wears, the type of house one lives in or the type of car one drives? I feel that I deserve a castle, but my income won't support that. Gosh, guess I have to settle for what I can afford.</p>
<p>I don't necessarily think that's true. People buy what they can't afford all the time without even batting an eyelash and just rack up more debt. Why should college be any different?</p>
<p>wow harvard took off EA? i didn't know that...</p>