Withdraw ED application from Kenyon? Help!!!

<p>Hi Guys, I am sincerely seeking your advice here.</p>

<p>Kenyon is a great college and I spent substantial amount of time researching on it.You cannot imagine that I even downloaded all pictures of Kenyon College I found online.For a long time I believe Kenyon is the best fit for me, and up to date, I still feel that I d be really blessed if Kenyon accepts me.</p>

<p>However I am having second thoughts now. Not because Kenyon is not great or anything else, but I just want to keep my options open.</p>

<p>It is only 2 weeks away from Dec 15 by when the ED results will be known. If I pull out at the last minute, will my act affect my chances of admissions during RD? I know there must be some opportunity cost and the admissions officers may think i m not committed to Kenyon enough so they'd rather turn me down during RD.</p>

<p>so what's your opinion? Thanks a lot a lot.</p>

<p>I think your best option is to call the admissions office and speak with the admissions counselor for your area. The decisions will be mailed in less than 2 weeks, so it is likely that they have already read and reread your application, and made a decision. I’m sure you are not the first person to apply ED1 and have second thoughts, but just know that if you are accepted, you are pretty much committed to attend with few exceptions. I would call the office on Monday and see what they have to say. They are few accommodating and I’m sure you’ll get this sorted out.</p>

<p>Just call or email them and let them know that you wish to switch your application from ED to RD. I think you can do that…</p>

<p>Hi thanks.The problem is not how to do that but whether or not should I do it.
Certainly I know this matter can be settled by a phone or an e-mail.</p>

<p>I guess I will just stick to my plan at the moment. There have been a lot of thoughts in my mind lately and I just want to let myself cool off.
I am going for Kenyon, for whatever reason. Thank you guys.</p>

<p>I think that there are several reasons why people may pull out of their ED application. Perhaps financial issues? I’m sure it happens, and I doubt you even need to explain yourself. If you would feel more comfortable moving your application to RD because you don’t think Kenyon is the school for you anymore then do it. However, it is possible that it will affect your admittance due to what could possibly appear to be a lack of commitment since the notifications go out in only two weeks. I wish you luck! Kenyon may not like it, but you should not feel tied down to a school you are not entirely positive about. Let us know what you decide.</p>

<p>1) quit assuming you even got into kenyon</p>

<p>2) it’s people like you who should NOT apply ED. if you were not 100% committed you should have held off and waited for RD.</p>

<p>Hey Wawa,I am aware of the fact about a lack of commitment and that’s why I hesitated withdrawing my ED application.
The reason for me NOT to withdraw ED application, in addition to I have done a lot of research on Kenyon and feel it is a good fit, is the financial factor. I need a substantial amount of financial aid and as far as i v known, Kenyon is generous is this respect. It may sound weird ,like you said people pull out because of financial issues (they find the sch too expensive to afford so they withdraw) but for me, it is quite the opposite. We all have to be realistic here.You cannot even get into a college without sufficient financial support,right?</p>

<p>hi nothingcompares, though your words sound rather bitter, I appreciate your advice.
However,

  1. once you get admitted under ED, there is no way you can withdraw, unless you really cannot afford the school
  2. ED increases your chances of admission and,as circumstances/family backgrounds/financial situations vary from one applicant to another,sometimes one has to make some sacrifice. Afterall, I like Kenyon and it’s a great college per se.</p>

<p>Thank you all the same!</p>

<p>Yes, Kenyon is a great school but you are focused on the fact that it doesn’t offer the opportunities you look for. You have the numbers that are good for every school that could serve your needs. I think it would be better to switch to RD, see the acceptances in April and if Kenyon is the best fit among them, go for it. Otherwise, you will be miserable there. I suppose you have read the “Ask the Dean” section on KC website: “Interestingly, of the small number of students who transfer from Kenyon, a larger percentage than expected are ED students. Perhaps, in applying ED, they short-circuited the college decision-making process.”</p>

<p>hey ADIADNA, you really know me! I am so glad to read your response.
Yes I did pay attention to that particular line, but i suppose transferring is a common practice in the US.
As much I have wanted to try more schools, I think I might have a better shot at Kenyon. You said my scores are good enough, but I will say they are just reasonable, not extremely competitive. Hence what credentials do I have if I were to compete with other super high scorers for a place in ,say, Columbia? No way…and the fact that I need substantial Financial Aid is killing me. I have left myself with few choices because of my financial hardship. Hence, under the current circumstances, Kenyon is the No.1 choice.
Going through Uni application is an excruciating process. I think I d be happy to end up in Kenyon.Whether I will transfer or not, that is something I need to consider only in later days.
Thank you!</p>

<p>If your chief concern is the financial factor, why not keep the ED and decline their acceptance comes December on grounds of insufficient financial aid. I doubt that you would get more aid asking to join the RD pool, unless you are some prodigy that they want to lure in.</p>

<p>And I don’t think Kenyon is that generous with financial aid (for intl students at least).</p>

<p>hi that is what i am going to do at the moment. Of course if they have accepted under ED and given me sufficient financial aid,there is no reason for me to decline their offer and I will certainly be going to Kenyon.</p>

<p>Well, as far as i v known, kenyon admits very few intl students, but for those who are admitted, Kenyon’s financial aid package is comparable to that offered by Harvard, Yale and the alike.Hence you could say Kenyon is very generous to those who are admitted and who are really in need, like me.
thank you for your info!</p>

<p>^ The same thing applies to most of the top 20 LACs</p>

<p>What made you apply ED to Kenyon in the first place?</p>

<p>This is exactly why I counseled my D last year to avoid ED and EA, and apply RD to every college on her list. No ED apps didn’t hurt her, IMO. She was admitted to several excellent colleges, all RD, and is now a happy frosh with a merit scholarship at Oberlin.</p>

<p>I’ve read that Harvard and some other top schools are contemplating dropping ED. They should. The whole thing is ridiculous. It just creates unnecessary anxieties in students like jeremy2014.</p>

<p>Avoid ED/EA, that’s my advice to high schoolers.</p>

<p>^ First of all congratulations on your D being admitted to Oberlin among other fine schools; it’s really great that she could have the option to pick the best school for her out of those accepted her. </p>

<p>I agree with you on avoiding ED IF financial aid is an issue. However, some schools do meet 100% of an international student’s financial need*; granted, admission to the school in the first place is need-aware (which Kenyon is for intl student). I’m not sure Kenyon will meet 100% of need, and the website for international student gives out fairly vague information. Therefore, it is the OP’s responsibility to contact the admission officer before committing to ED to ask whether the school will meet his financial need. </p>

<p>All I’m saying is if you apply ED to let’s say Ohio Wesleyan where they do not guarantee to meet 100% need, it is a REALLY bad idea. However, for schools with this kind of guarantee, I don’t see how one could worry about whether he could afford to enroll.</p>

<p>And I disagree with avoiding EA. Since the decision is not binding, you are not forced to attend the school if you are not able to afford it. If you could finish your application in time for the deadline (I didn’t), I think it’s a great way to get some assurance that you will go to some college comes Fall, esp. by applying to multiple safeties.</p>

<p>I don’t think Harvard has ED anymore.</p>

<ul>
<li>Of course I am aware that there is a difference between the family contribution put down by the student and one calculated from the school itself. Again, one should inquire about financial aid matters with the fin. aid office before applying ED.</li>
</ul>

<p>hi Plainsman,
thank you for your info and I am really happy for your daughter.
Your info might be a bit outdated. For your information, Harvard and Princeton have already removed ED choice since last year (not sure about this).
Well on the other hand if you are admitted under ED, it actually eliminates a lot of anxieties because you have no more worries for college application. Anyway there are certain merits of ED too.
I have made the decision and I shall be responsible for my action. I think I will be happy if I end up in Kenyon, which is as great as many other schools out there.</p>

<p>hi mcpheevn, do you know that a student can decline his offer (ED) ONLY when the financial aid offered still does not make him attending the college possible? This is WRITTEN very clearly in the ED agreement form. </p>

<p>Yes I have done a lot of research and comparison on Kenyon as well as discussed Financial aid issue with admissions office. I guess most of you guys do not understand why I am applying ED given that I require substantial financial aid. You guys think that all the more I should avoid ED and just apply RD because the risk of being rejected (due to huge financial aid inquiry) is lower. I do not want to explain that in detail but rest assured, if Kenyon’s financial aid is insufficient, I have no choice but to decline the offer.And I won’t be penalized under such circumstance, like I v explained earlier on.</p>

<p>You’re all way too harsh. Good luck getting in. Kenyon’s a great school, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time if you end up here. Seriously though, contracts and stuff aside, while the admissions office only wants people who know they are going to attend to apply ED, if you get down the road and realize you want something different, they’ll probably work with you. You might have to pay some penalty or something if the issue isn’t financial or a matter of family crisis, but the admissions office isn’t going to make friends by trying to force kids to come to Kenyon if they’ve realized they don’t want to. While Kenyon guarantees accepted applicant adequate aid, that doesn’t necessarily mean that their definition of adequate and yours are going to match. If you don’t get enough aid, you are, as you clearly know, free to back out. Good luck!</p>

<p>Jeremy, what happened? Are you in?</p>