<p>I would ask northstarmom to say which schools have made life miserable for applicants in this situation; it sounds like rumors (except for American University, which says that it sends a letter of reprimand to ED applicants (and to their GCs) who decline for financial reasons if AU doesn’t offer enough FA to support attendance). </p>
<p>For schools that use the Common Application, here is the ED financial aid rule:
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<p>Some schools do compare notes, and if you decline an ED FA offer, other schools that offer the same FA may not admit you because you declined, but it’s moot, since you couldn’t afford the others either.</p>