sure they are - those that tell kids they have a much better chance of acceptance by applying ED. </p>
<p>One major difference between ED and a mortgage is the mortgage contract specifically outlines the penalites should one not adhere to the contract.</p>
<p>I have yet to see an ED agreement (contract) that lists specific penalites. To me - thinly veiled threats - such as “we compare names with other schools” - is not a spelled out penalty.
Seriously, there is no recourse if a student breaks the ED agreement (contract) and enrolls in another school.</p>
<p>Broethcen, I personally know of zero cases where the colleges were anything but professional and sympathetic if a kid needed to back out of their ED obligation. In one instance, the head of admissions phoned a week after the kid backed out to tell the kid to phone him directly if his situation changed, and that the school would expedite his application if at all possible to allow him to attend. A very nice, gracious, kind phone call.</p>
<p>So I don’t think the issue is that the colleges drag 18 year old kids screaming and kicking into court to enforce the agreement. The issue is more around the ethics of the GC’s who sometimes encourage, allow, facilitate, or just turn a blind eye to kids dealing dirty… i.e. putting in multiple applications to other schools “just to see” even after getting a binding ED offer. I think adcoms are rightfully suspicious of kids in future years from those HS. </p>
<p>At my kids HS the administration made it clear that no violations of ED would be allowed. No applications would be accepted to any school after an ED acceptance unless the kid produced, in writing, the statement that the ED school had been notified that the kid was withdrawing. Parents complained and whined and moaned but the school held firm- play by the rules or don’t play, i.e. if you need to see multiple FA awards to make a decision, don’t apply ED. Plain and simple. If you are sure that Betty or Tommy’s first choice is JHU except if Betty or Tommy get a full ride to Duke then don’t apply ED to JHU.</p>
<p>It was irritating to hear about other schools which were happy to play the game- but ours wasn’t, and in the end, it created a much better environment for everyone. Once in a blue moon a kid had to turn down an ED offer for a compelling family reason (not money) i.e. a mom starting chemo and needing the college kid close to home, parents divorcing and the non-custodial parent not wanting the kid out of state, etc. In those cases, as I mentioned, the colleges always seemed to bend over backwards to be gracious and understanding- hey, stuff happens.</p>
<p>“The colleges aren’t twisting these kids’ arms.”
“sure they are - those that tell kids they have a much better chance of acceptance by applying ED.”</p>
<p>If it is true, that is simply offering a benefit for giving up your opportunity to prefer other schools.</p>
<p>What power does the college hold? The power of a massive marketing department selling the kid a product (starting when that first psat is taken) through glossy brochures telling them over and over and over how perfect Happy College is, how perfect a fit kid is for Happy College and how financial aid and merit money makes if possible for virtually any kid to afford Happy College!</p>
<p>I see it as a slightly diluted version of the same power balance between that exists General Foods and a 5 year old TV viewer.</p>
<p>An 18 year old (presumably with his parents acquiescence) makes a deal, gets the benefit of the deal and now wants to get out of the deal. Boo hoo. I’m sad. Poor baby. His problem is he is suffering from severe LD–little darling syndrome.</p>
<p>I knew it was a mistake to get involved in this thread again. This time I’m really out.</p>
<p>Deirdre- interesting analogy. Given that most 5 year olds don’t drive or have enough money for bus fare to get to the grocery store, in order to fulfill that desire for yummy sugar coated cereal, kid must talk to parent to fulfill that goal. Presumably parents know enough to say, “hey you are already overweight for your height and age. You can’t eat sugar coated cereal every day”. Just like parents can say to their kid, “Hey, we need to evaluate several FA offers in order to figure out where you can go to college. You can’t apply ED much as you’d like it all to be over by mid-December.”</p>
<p>Does everyone suspend normal judgement and skepticism when their kid reaches the age of 16???</p>
<p>True, I am in charge of the cereal purchase-- But that doesn’t mean that I think the direct advertising to the 5 year old is ethical or defensible. Yes, the high schooler isn’t as dependent or niave, but neither is he nearly equal in sophistication or resources to the school’s marketing department. I do not know how involved parents must be for ED, never having seriously considered it in our household. My understanding from the thread is that the parent is just witnessing the signature of the child, not agreeing to the terms.</p>
<p>Parents sign the form. I don’t sign anything that I don’t read. What adult does? That being said I (as the adult) have committed my child to attend that university if accepted. I’ve had 2 children both do ED to the college that they “fell in love with”. I spoke with both of them so that they clearly understood the commitment they were making prior to not only them signing but myself as well. The GC also spoke with them to make sure that they understood completely. Financially we were able to do this. We have saved a fair amount since they were born. </p>
<p>These are young adults. They need to learn that. A commitment is a commitment. You need to think it through prior to making that commitment. </p>
<p>Personally I’m for ED. It’s not for everyone and some people have reasons why it won’t work for them. For us it has worked.</p>
<p>I can’t believe we are comparing an 18 year old who can vote and serve in the military with a 5 year old. Do we really believe they are comparable? An 18 year old should be held to their decisions, ED included.</p>
<p>Are they typically 18? Mine turned 17 at the end of October his senior year, I know he is young, but most of his senior friends are turning 18 over the course of the year.</p>
Given the stories I have heard this summary is about right … but those consequences are the worst case for the majority of folks who most CC posters would criticize for backing out of ED. If a family has financial issues and wants to back out of an ED agreeement to go to the local StateU no one typically raises a a fuse. It the kid who got into elite school A ED and then gets into even more elite school B regular admissions and wants to switch that creates the main issue … School A is not going to force the student to attend School A; but the odds school B also will rescind their admission offer seems to be quite real … and that consequence defeats the whole purpose of backing out of the ED agreement.</p>
<p>Thanks, 3 – this confirms my sense that the main thing the colleges want to avoid is trophy hunting and bargain shopping on the part of the student. And this is what the penalties seem to target. Not emergency, unforeseen disasters or change of circumstances. The OP seems to be somewhat in trophy hunting mode, as it is unlikely he will ultimately wish to attend a “lesser” school than Duke.</p>