<p>If you get in binding ED somewhere but the financial aid isn't sufficient, what happens? Do you find out your aid award in time to apply RD somewhere else (if they allow that)? I really hope that doesn't happen to me, but it seems likely. I really need to know! I'm speaking about Vassar in particular, if that helps.</p>
<p>Why don't you just call them and ask?</p>
<p>It would probably be better to apply RD to several colleges so that you can compare aid packages. If you ED, you're commited to attend. If financial aid is insufficent, you might be able to get out of your commitment, but usually to go to a lesser school.</p>
<p>I'd just be careful. Vassar guarentees to meet need, but it may package ED aid differently.</p>
<p>I was just hoping I could get the small boost from applying ED and still be able to back out if I can absolutely not handle the FA. I think I'm a little too idealistic. I guess I'll call or e-mail and find out.</p>
<p>I'd try not to game the system by doing that. Some of the competitive colleges share lists of ED acceptances. If the schools find out, you'll get admissions rescinded fro both.</p>
<p>Concentrate on your recs and essays instead.</p>
<p>Just an opinion.
IB</p>
<p>No, I'm not saying I'd apply ED to more than one place. I'm saying I'd apply with the intent to attend, but if we couldn't afford it after hearing the financial aid offer, be able to decline the ED admission if it happened. I don't know how things will go, but I would only intend to go to Vassar, my top choice. I'm just not sure about the money side of it.</p>
<p>I think that in that case, you'd be released--but it's probably not a good idea to apply ED if you think that might be an issue.</p>
<p>I had the same problem with Bowdoin, but with EDII. They released me from the contract.</p>
<p>Don't, don't, don't apply ED if you are concerned about ability to pay. </p>
<p>It is very possible that you may not get your award in time to apply to other colleges RD - but that isn't so much of a problem, as you can go ahead and submit the RD applications before you get the ED decision. The bigger problem is that you will have nothing to compare the financial aid award letter with -- you won't even know if it is a good offer, and you won't have any way to negotiate for a better offer (such as being able to show an award from a different school).</p>
<p>I don't think the ED advantage is really what they say it is. I know that ED admit rates are generally higher, but I think the ED applicant pools at most colleges probably include a lot of recruited athletes who account for a big share of the admitted students. </p>
<p>If you feel that your application is borderline and you need the boost, then the most likely result of applying ED is that you will be rejected or deferred, because there is no particular reason for the ad com to accept you. I mean, if I were a college admissions director, I would use ED to grab all the students that I was absolutely sure that I wanted; I'd pass on the borderline applicants, knowing that there I would have plenty of students to choose from during the RD round. I would also want to use ED as a way to help keep my school's stats up -- since I would know for sure that ED applicants were bound to apply, I would want to lock in the ones with really high test scores so that they would keep the reported averages for the school up. I would know that with a higher average score in the ED round, I'd have more flexibility in the RD round. (Hint: read "The Gatekeepers" for an idea of how the admissions people keep track of stats along the way)</p>
<p>i didnt ED at all as fin aid is a HUGe thing fpr me. Try for EA if u want to know aearly, but skip the contract business</p>
<p>i don't understand how kids can be so smart yet so stup**. sorry for my language, but the ED process is not meant to be taken as a joke. </p>
<p>Before you even apply to ED you have to take into consideration what you're doing. Would your financial aid package be different if you had applied RD, probably not? You obviously knew you didn't have the money to pay for the school, why would you even do ED, even if it boost your chances of getting in?</p>
<p>It's retarded you know? You probably took the spot of someone else who could pay just by doing that.</p>
<p>I'm sorry for being so angry, but seriously, it's logical. You know. If you can't pay for it, why even touch it?</p>
<p>liek, I think those comments are uncalled for. Jackson is a high school junior who is asking questions to plan for next year -- pretty obvious from the opening post. So she hasn't "taken" anyone else's spot -- she is just asking for advice about the ED process.</p>
<p>calmom's post is the best answer to this one. and yes, liek0806, you were overboard towards someone who just wants to know stuffs.</p>
<p>Thanks, calmom. I probably wouldn't be any more competitive in the ED pool; since I'm not sure about the FA yet, I'll wait for RD. I guess it would be nice to have other colleges as well in case I changed my mind about anything. I think I was pretty much going to do RD anyway, but junior year is ending and I'm just trying to figure out a plan and all my options. Your advice is definitely appreciated!</p>
<p>liek-
I have no way of knowing what kind of aid I would receive from any school, so it's not that I know I "can't pay". It depends how they interpret our financial information and decide what to offer. This would happen in either ED or RD. The point of this post is to decide whether ED is worth it since I am SKEPTICAL about FA.</p>