I don’t know why I can’t find discussions or thoughts on this subject, please feel free to point me in the right direction if I am missing it.
So if D is going to apply ED to a very selective school (has stats to get in but we are realists) WHEN does she apply to all of the other RD schools on her list?
Does she wait to hear from the selective ED school? And then if she is rejected scramble quickly to apply RD to all of the others on her list? (saving time and money if she is accepted?)
Or does she just go ahead and apply ED and RD early to all of her choices. I of course would say apply to all but we are on a fairly tight budget (but not low income). Would love to save all the application money if she is accepted ED but not sure what the smartest thing to do is.
My D did file a couple of rolling/EA applications early on but held off on the RD applications until she got the ED decision.
One thing your D can do is to prepare (or at least start to prepare) the other applications/supplements in advance so she won’t have to scramble if she doesn’t get into the ED school. Then she can wait until she hears from the ED school and file/pay for the other applications only if she doesn’t get in ED (or if the ED school is not affordable). My D had supplements for a number of schools ready to go in case she didn’t get into her ED school – happily, for her it was a wasted effort, but none of us was upset by that.
From one Sunny to another…You can save the money by waiting for the ED result, but D needs to work on all the RD apps and have them ready to go upon an ED deferral or rejection or if financial aid is not as expected. Look at it as an insurance policy or an umbrella. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Plus, students often are down emotionally after an ED deferral or rejection and the RD apps will suffer unless they are 99% done in advance.
Make sure to check the websites for the RD schools if you are looking for scholarships at those schools. Many have an earlier deadline to be considered for scholarships. (I’m referring to merit scholarships.)
