What to consider in deciding ED?

Applying to College
1

<p>I have heard that ED gives a boost in chance of admission; and conversely that it torpedoes your Financial Aid package and does not allow the discovery process to unfold which could result in finding a better match. I have also heard it has no real impact on admission, it just seems so since the pool is a more concentrated, self-selecting one.</p>

<p>What are your experiences with ED?</p>

<p>What things did you take into account?</p>

<p>How do you select your ED college (or even if there should be an ED or EA or EARC or whatever)?</p>

<p>I found this 13-year-old article from "The Atlantic Monthly" VERY interesting, but ended up with less of an idea of a good strategy than before I read it. Comments?</p>

<p><a href="https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/%7Ebmayes/pdf/The_Early_Decision_Racket.pdf"&gt;https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~bmayes/pdf/The_Early_Decision_Racket.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>What strategy should we be adopting?</p>

2

<p>If you read the article, you’ll note around the top of page 3 that it states that at the time, ED was worth 100 extra points on the CR+M SAT score. That’s not insignificant, and I’m not sure the benefit is still that large, but there is still an advantage. As for FA, there’s no evidence that you are short-changed by going ED, as you can simply walk away if the numbers don’t add up. They almost always add up if you look at the matriculation numbers vs. the number admitted. They don’t achieve that by force. No, you can’t look for a better deal, but if you’re looking for deals, you shouldn’t be doing ED.</p>

<p>How to pick:

  1. Have a very clear #1 or #2 college and no regrets if you get in or at the very least, you’re willing to accept getting into a school you really like and will defer the pipe dream of a school you have little chance at.
  2. I highly advise you have a realistic shot at getting in. This usually means your test scores are at least at the bottom of the 25-75% range. ED is usually not going to get you in if you’re lower than that, and if you’re scraping that 25% number, it may tip the scale in your favor.
  3. Really understand what you’re getting into financially. Yes, there are occasional surprises, but run the EFC and talk to the schools FA office. If you need to shop around, don’t do ED. If you are wary of the numbers you are seeing, don’t do ED. If you can live with the anticipated cost, do ED.</p>