Withdrawing from ED before decisions are mailed?

<p>I applied EDII to an expensive school that I'm not sure that I'll be able to afford to go to and I'm also no longer sure it's my first choice. I got a full scholarship (accepted RD) to a good school that I'm seriously considering. The admissions office just got back to me and said that switching my application status was "no problem." Will this hurt my chances of acceptance under RD? The school I originally applied EDII to is still one of my top choices, just not my #1 choice. Sorry if this is a dumb question, I was just wondering.</p>

<p>It might have an impact on your chances depending on which school it is. Some schools use the same criteria for ED as for the RD round. Others don’t. At some schools there is a difference even between EDI and EDII. It isn’t possible to tell you what impact this might have without knowing which school it is. The only generalization I can make is that if you are an athlete with a coach supporting you, your chances would have been higher in the ED round.</p>

<p>If they say that it is no problem, it is no administrative problem. You will now be in the RD round.</p>

<p>Whether or not being in the RD pool of candidates as opposed to the ED pool will affect your admission could be a different story entirely. However, since it is not your absolutely clear first choice, that doesn’t matter. ED is only for when you are absolutely positively certain that the college/university is far and away your first choice. If a college/university is merely near the top of the heap with other reasonable contenders and/or you are looking for the best aid package, then ED is not the way that you want to go. </p>

<p>You are doing the right thing by moving yourself into the RD group.</p>

<p>I had a very similar situation, and it did not hurt my chances. Actually, I believe that it might have helped me as the ED school answered positively to the change, and kept on updating me about possible scholarships to “rival” the other school. I was accepted shortly thereafter. </p>

<p>After all, you did send a clear message that you liked the school enough to make it an ED choice, and are now having worries about the financial issues, and have to weigh the ED school against a “full ride” school. In so many words, with a juicy offer from a different school, you have now become a more attractive student in the eyes of the adcoms.</p>