<p>I know that EA is non-binding, so I don’t have to, but ethically I feel slightly guilty…</p>
<p>I didn’t imagine at all that I’d be accepted. It was such a surprise and honor, but because I didn’t even plan for it, I paid and applied to all my other schools already. The issue now is that I know I want to go to Harvard more than anything, so even if I get accepted to the other schools, I won’t go (unless my admissions is rescinded). I’ve just been agonizing; what if I do get lucky enough to be accepted to the other schools as well? Some are more competitive and would probably only take two students from a school like mine, so what if I got in? Would I be taking somebody else’s spot?</p>
<p>A friend told me that she’d be really mad at me if I got into MIT and she didn’t. She applied EA and was deferred and I already applied, paid, sent in all the supplemental material, and had my interview. She wants me to withdraw my application, and I want to to help her…but then again it struck me as a little unfair that she would make this sort of demand, especially when I did have to work to get all of this done and when I like MIT as well.</p>
<p>Am I being selfish not having yet withdrawn my applications to other schools? I heard that getting financial aid and then comparing it is effective for getting more aid from the school of your choice, so that’s a reason I want to see if I’ll get accepted to other schools. But I don’t want to take friends’ spots…then again, don’t I have a right to apply to different schools and have more options?</p>
<p>Sorry, long and redundant post, but this is really tearing me up inside.</p>
<p>.....you'll be taking someone else's spot that really wants to go to that college. You're already accepted to your dream school, why take away someone's spot from THEIR dream school</p>
<p>it's EA not ED... you have every right. You're not even taking away somebody's spot. If that situation were to happen, the person would be waitlisted. You would decide not to go, and the person would be admitted.</p>
<p>You've worked this hard, and you have every right to apply to any school that you want to. The financial aid issue is certainly a reason to not withdraw your apps, but based on personal experience, Harvard's financial aid is superior to many of the other schools that you're probably applying to. </p>
<p>If your friend was meant to get in, she will. It will NOT be your fault if she doesn't and you do, just like it's not the Class of 2009's "fault" that everyone else didn't get accepted. No one takes anyone else's spot away (except in cases of dishonesty)...ppl take their own spots away.</p>
<p>EDIT: that last statement was a bit harsh, but I get annoyed when ppl accuse others of hurting their own chances.</p>
<p>I disagree with you, slic. Getting into a school isn't "taking the spot" of someone else, no matter where else you were admitted. If you get in, it's because you deserve to be there; the admissions officers WANT you to be there. If your friend doesn't get in, it's not her fault, and it's not yours. It's a bit selfish of your friend to expect you to refrain from applying to MIT--after all, your situation could change between now and early may. What if Harvard doesn't offer enough money, or if you decide, after visiting and reflecting some more, that Harvard isn't for you? </p>
<p>You've done the apps. You've paid. The envelopes are addressed and stamped; your four years have been condensed into an assortment of 8-page applications. You deserve, Chatter, to have the freedom to apply other places, regardless of Harvard and your acceptance there.</p>
<p>And congratulations--I hope you DO choose Harvard, in the end!</p>
<p>just a quick, kind-of-related question: if we've already sent in parts of apps and we don't want to go there anymore, do we just let them sit there and hope that admissions sees that we don't want to apply when we've missed the deadline? of should we call them? for example, I've sent in Stanford and Columbia part 1 and recs, but I'm not considering them anymore...</p>
<p>navy_blue, you will get a reject letter if you don't withdraw. Some schools like Tulane will ignore your request to withdraw your application and send you a reject letter in April. They lower their acceptance rate that way.</p>
<p>I don't understand. If you would go to Harvard even if you got in everywhere else, why wouldn't you withdraw your applications to other universities? Although it may not be your friend, in order for you to be accepted (let's say to MIT) that school would have to reject another very qualified applicant. I too was accepted to Harvard EA and knowing that's where I want to go more than anywhere else, I am withdrawing my other applications except to one of the UCs just in case. I think another CCer put it best when they said trophy hunting is something to be looked down upon. Anyway, I hope you make the right decision.</p>
<p>It's not trophy hunting...it's making sure you have all your options available come decision time. Last summer I was accepted into a really good summer research program, only to find out two months later that through administrative error, they had given my position to other people. Because I had been accepted, I didn't apply to other programs...I was able to scramble and get an even better opportunity at the last minute, but that was pure luck. Lesson learned: never, ever leave yourself with just one option on the table.</p>
<p>Well put, Asterstar. You're exactly right. What happens between now and May 1 can't be predicted--it's always good to have your "just in case" options on the table. </p>
<p>And Davidrune says: "You're not even taking away somebody's spot. If that situation were to happen, the person would be waitlisted. You would decide not to go, and the person would be admitted." </p>
<p>That's exactly how it works. It's not "taking someone's spot." The spot will always be there. If you don't fill it, someone else will.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the replies, and no slim and watson, trophy-hunting is honestly not my intention at all! I won't tell anybody about any other acceptances if I do get them. I do want to keep my options open, because situations change and asterstar's story about the administrative error really scares me. I might just withdraw MIT's...but I guess I'll keep the rest in. I've already booked a flight for Washington University anyways and I'm excited to go see the campus.</p>
<p>yea, wtf... definitely DO NOT withdraw, any of your apps. If you've already finished their app, you might as well wait until april....otherwise it's just a waste of time and money...</p>
<p>ur friend (the MIT applicant) is pretty stupid, what makes her think that she is entitled to that MIT spot anyways? even if you withdraw, how will that affect HER chances? Bottom line: if ur friend deserves to get into MIT, she will; and if she doesnt deserve it, no matter how many fewer people apply to MIT, she will be rejected. man...what a stupid thing to ask of a friend...</p>
<p>I applied EA to Stanford, and not expecting to get in, I stupidly applied to 9 other schools:</p>
<p>Duke, Princeton, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Wash U, Wake, Vanderbilt, Emory, and UNC</p>
<p>I definitely want to keep my Duke and Princeton apps. But the others? None are Stanford. I wouldn't want to spend 4 years in Hanover and I made the mistake of applying to Northwestern's journalism program, which I woudn't want to do. The others give merit scholarships, but the chances of getting a full-ride at Wash U are slim, and Emory, Vandy, Wake, and UNC don't even compare to Stanford. I can't see me going to an interview and lying about why I wanted to go to their college when I wanted to go to Stanford.</p>
<p>My point: I know how you feel. I've decided to withdraw, because, particularly with scholarships, I would be taking someone else's spot. My advice is to think about it like this: Let's say you hadn't yet applied to other places. Would you still send out these apps? I wouldn't. That's why I'm withdrawing.</p>
<p>You have the right, of course, to apply to the other schools. But if you are sure that you will end up at Harvard, then you will do your friend and others a great service by withdrawing your application. For your friend, that will mean that she doesn't have to be compared with you at MIT, as well as others from your school. For the rest of the world, it means that one less person has to wait for the agony of the waitlist.</p>
<p>However, you should probably keep a couple of your top choices on the list anyways. There is a chance that you will change your mind, it happens. It would be a shame if you found yourself liking another school that you then had no chance of attending.</p>
<p>It is a balance between personal sacrifice and a small chance of change, but that is the argument that I have presented. Of course, the choice is yours, and either way will be a postive choice.</p>
<p>Chatterjoy,
You really should keep ur MIT app. After all, you worked hard for it, and if your friend deserves to get in, she will be waitlisted or whatnot. But if not, you wont be taking her spot either, because there will be a more qualified person that will get in should she not deserve. I know that is a little harsh, but thats the fact of life.</p>
<p>this is completely stupid...there is no guarantee that chatterjoy will want to go to harvard come april even if its his top choice now...what happens between now and 5 months down the road can't be predicted...harvard is one of the best schools in the country, but there are other schools that r on the same level...he could decide that he wants to go to MIT or another ivy league later on...why should he limit himself after all the hard work hes done because some people are not relying on stats to get in, but on politics...dont punish yourself for success...keep those apps...</p>
<p>You should not rescind your application until you are 100% sure about Harvard, which might be in late April! You might have big problems with financial aid, and being able to tell them "MIT gave me $5,000 more!" is really powerful. If you get into MIT, just don't brag about it to your friend. If you do decide on Harvard, I'll see ya there :p</p>