<p>Does anyone know what would happen if a student withdraws her/his early decision application (before decisions are sent out) and asks it to be considered for regular decision? My D has sent an ED application to what was her first choice school. She has a very reasonable chance of getting in but now wants to apply to some other schools she hadn't considered, and have her ED application put in with the regular decision applications.</p>
<p>It's usually no problem at all. Just call or email the admissions office and ask that the application be considered in the regular decision round. Most schools won't have a problem with that, and would probably prefer to know now rather than later after they've already accepted her. </p>
<p>Back in September, my daughter was also set to apply to a "first choice" school ED. By mid-October, however, she'd changed her mind.
She wasn't ready to let go of several other schools in order to apply ED. Ironically, at this point what was a "first choice" school in September has now trickled down her list somewhat. While she may have lessened her chances of acceptance there by not applying ED, I'd hate to see her feel locked into a school she wasn't 100% sure was the best and only school for her.</p>
<p>Thanks Carolyn, you don't think the admissions people would look negatively on her application and think she was indecisive and perhaps not a good candidate?</p>
<p>Others may disagree, but I think it won't matter much in the scheme of things. Her file will simply be moved to the RD pile. Even if it does have some effect, it's a calculated risk worth taking if she's not sure she is ready to commit. She should, of course, continue to show demonstrated interest over the next few months (phone calls, emails, perhaps a visit)</p>
<p>I would think, however, that you'll need to move fairly quickly on this: ED decisions are probably already in the works at some schools and you certainly want to make sure she doesn't get an acceptance letter that she's not ready to be thrilled about.</p>
<p>I would tend to agree with carolyn. We are all tempted to picture the adcoms carefully examining every inch of our kids' apps from the moment the envelope first arrives. :)</p>
<p>More likely, this will be a purely administrative task, moving the app from one "pile" to another, unchecking a box or two by a clerical person, and never seen by the actual application reviewers. That's my guess.</p>
<p>I think adcoms know more than we want about adolesents, the decision process (and indecision process), parents, and financial realities. At this point you are making their ED decision process one appllication simpler and decreasing the liklihood that they would have someone less than elated in mid-December. A matter-of-fact request saying you have reconsidered and need to move your application to the RD round if that is at all possible will probably, as others have said, be a purely clerical process.</p>
<p>This worried me too, when my daughter was doing some last minute fretting - but then I thought about it and developed some perspective, 10000 applications to look at and they are going to remember in the spring that this is the ONE that got moved from pile A to pile B? I don't think so. She stuck with her original decision, so I don't know what would have happened, but my guess is Mmaah is correct - these people have seen it all when it comes to adolescent indecision, and they don't hold that against the kids.</p>