<p>I'm not applying ED, but I'm just curious...what happens if you get accepted ED but aren't able to pay the tuition?</p>
<p>No school can force you to matriculate there. If the bottom line is you cannot pay, after discussing the situation with the school, then you request to be released from your ED contract. Hopefully, you do this before your name on the Accepted ED list is circulated. And hopefully the college is diligent about removing your name from that list. Hopefully your guidance counselor is supportive about all of this. Hopefully when you get your RD acceptances and packages, you can afford them. If your name is already circulated, you and your GC should notify each RD school and explain the situation so that they don't dump you upon seeing your name on the ED accept list. You also hope that the adcoms at those RD schools don't take a dim view of what you have done, (and many of them do), and that your admissions decisions are not affected adversely from this.</p>
<p>That is why ED is not for those who need financial aid.</p>
<p>When you apply ED, you are not supposed to have any other applications out there, except you can apply to rolling admissions schools. Once accepted ED, you are supposed to withdraw all other applications and acceptances (even from those rolling schools). And some schools do not send the finaid package with the ED admission. SO...you may not even know that you can't afford it until well after the applications are due at other schools. Bottom line..and this advice is given every year over and over....if finances are even a small consideration do NOT apply ED. Just don't. The other thing that happens sometimes is that if you pull out of an ED acceptance, it will affect future applicants from your high school applying to that college. AND remember too, the finaid package is made by the colleges, not you. Some schools give great need based packages and the schools are affordable for those who are accepted. Other schools do not guarantee to meet your full need, or what the school thinks you can pay and what YOU think you can pay are different. Many of us think that the EFC computed by the schools or based on the FAFSA is MUCH more than we can really afford.</p>
<p>Every private school we have spoken with has indicated that if the student needs financial aid to attend they should NOT apply ED.</p>
<p>I agree with all that has been posted--if $$$ is even a small consideration in choosing your college, do NOT apply ED. I second everything Thumper said. Many HSs will require you to withdraw your apps as soon as you are accepted ED as well & colleges definitely DO communicate which students they accepted ED.</p>
<p>It also depends on where you are applying. The ivies have a joint statement where they say upfront that they will not admit a student who was admitted at another school and did not go through on their commitment. Fom reading some of your post, it looks like you are interested in steinhard at NYU. As a current Steinhard grad student I will tell you first hand it is not wise to apply ED to NYU (if money is a big issue, you will also likely have to turn down an RD admission because financially it will be out of reach)</p>
<p>what about the ivies? do they give good financial aid early?</p>
<p>the ivys generally give fa early.</p>