<p>Let's say I ED'ed for a college. Are there any other colleges that I can apply to? I know that normally, if you ED, you aren't allowed to apply to other colleges. But are there exceptions?</p>
<p>It depends on whether the early decision school allows you to apply to any other schools while the decision is pending. If the ED school do allow you to apply to other schools, you can usually apply to rolling admissions, early action schools, but not to single-choice early action schools. It depends on which college in particular you’re looking at.</p>
<p>For instance, for Columbia early decision:</p>
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</p>
<p>[Early</a> Decision | Columbia University Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/applications/firstyear/earlydecision]Early”>http://www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/admissions/applications/firstyear/earlydecision)</p>
<p>you can apply to any EA program but not SCEA (because SCEA dictates that you apply to no other early programs, and ED would violate that). You also cannot apply to two ED programs (because then what happens if you get into 2 ED programs?) so its pretty intuitive. </p>
<p>but you can apply to EA and rolling programs.</p>
<p>You ARE allowed to apply to others, but if the ED college accepts you, you have to withdraw your other applications. If the ED college and another college accept you at the same time, you have to reject the other college and go to the ED college. </p>
<p>Yes, it is possible for people to cheat, and yes, it is possible to get out of the agreement fairly or unfairly because of financial need. There are many other threads that get deeply, painfully into those topics. The preceding paragraph is just my understanding of the official rule.</p>
<p>I’d recommend working on your apps for the other schools so you don’t have to do the apps while recovering from a possible ED rejection from your favorite school. But I’d recommend not <em>actually applying</em> to any RD schools unless you are rejected or deferred (or the deadline comes up first) just so you don’t waste the application fees. I recommend applying to EA wherever possible (except SCEA) because EA is your friend.</p>
<p>You can always apply to your rolling admissions state school, because, if you can’t take the finaid package an ED acceptance offers you, this will be the school they will “allow” you to attend without making a big deal out of it.</p>
<p>But, too, you can apply anywhere you want when you apply ED, but if accepted, if! accepted, you must withdraw all applications.</p>
<p>Given the timing and dates, and the Jan 1st deadline of most schools, and the rolling admissions preferences given to early applicants at state schools, it would be a big mistake to wait the application process on a yes/no answer from ONE school in mid-december.</p>
<p>I believe for many ED programs, you can also apply to UChicago also. I know one kid who did that and ED UPenn and eventually got into UPenn and then found out later UChicago.</p>