<p>I have seen on other CC threads over the years that if you turn down an ED accpetance, you are supposedly limited to “more affordable options” such as one’s state school. Or is this an urban legend?</p>
<p>My question is – if you have to turn down the Ed, what if Harvard (should you be lucky enough to be accepted) is actually the most affordable option? Is it possible to apply?</p>
<p>NSM – agree that unless one is willing to live with whatever FA one gets, ED may not be the best route to go. We are big EA fans at our house.</p>
<p>"
My question is – if you have to turn down the Ed, what if Harvard (should you be lucky enough to be accepted) is actually the most affordable option? Is it possible to apply?"</p>
<p>If the ED college released you from your ED obligation because it couldn’t meet 100% of your documented financial need or because of something like your needing to remain in the Boston area due to a parent’s illness, as long as you hadn’t missed Harvard’s deadline, you still could apply.</p>
<p>The whole ED vs FA thing is the reason Princeton (and I think Harvard?) have eliminated ED - the ED kids tend to be the kids who don’t need FA. I think the belief was that ED was giving wealthy kids an unfair advantage. </p>
<p>We fall into the “don’t make enough to be rich but make too much to qualify for FA” band, so I didn’t worry about FA when D applied. I knew she wouldn’t get much if anything anyway. </p>
<p>I think each school’s ED agreement may vary regarding FA. Dream U was pretty clear that ED obliges you to attend regardless of your FA offer, so you’d better be ok with that if you apply ED. But I’ve heard other schools say that if they can’t meet your EFC then you’re excused from your ED agreement.</p>
<p>BTW, for those of you who asked - it was the head of the Guidance office who told me it didn’t matter if we withdrew the other apps. Like I said, these were mostly OOS Flagship U’s that weren’t going to be counting how many kids came from our large public hs in their admittances. But I just thought of another reason Guidance might not care if D withdraws the other apps - our HS just got Naviance, and is trying to build up Naviance data. Knowing where D did and did not get admitted would have given them more data points which would be helpful for next year’s class (especially to her one reach-ish school). Now they’ll only have one data point from D. Oh well.</p>
<p>After yesterday’s withdrawl emails, which included the words “Withdraw Application” and D’s assigned ID number from each school in the subject line, so far we only have 2 responses (out of 4). OOS Flagship said, “Thank you for notifying us, we will withdraw your app right away.” In-State Flagship sent an auto-reply that said, “Thank you for your interest in In-State Flagship. Many questions can be answered by viewing our website… if your question cannot be answered on our website, you will receive a reply from us via email.” I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up getting a decision from them anyway, ha ha.</p>
<p>I totally agree that someone accepted ED needs to withdraw (and personally, I’d document that withdrawal to cover all butts). In the RD process, I can see notifying other colleges that you won’t be attending, but is it really necessary to tell them where you’re attending?</p>
<p>Lafalum, I don’t think Princeton and Harvard ever had ED, just non-binding EA, which I believe they argued also favored wealthy, admissions-savvy families.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your D’s admission to the fine college, and on making the right decision. </p>
<p>I agree with Hunt- it is better, for the rest of your life, to think “I could have been admitted to all my other colleges too” than to think either 1) I was rejected by the others or 2) I was accepted but I can’t attend.</p>
<p>As for the withdrawal emails, why not say “The competition for my tuition dollars was particularly intense this year. Please do not take this withdrawal as a rejection of your fine institution. Good luck in your quest for another suitable candidate”.</p>
<p>Post #84–“In the RD process, I can see notifying other colleges that you won’t be attending, but is it really necessary to tell them where you’re attending?” </p>
<p>No, it’s not necessary, but when my D notified the colleges she was declining pretty much all of them emailed her back asking where she would be attending and in most cases asking her to complete a survey about her admissions outcomes and decisions, etc. So, it’s basically a personal choice and a courtesy to those schools.</p>
<p>Anyone who is accepted ED should (or must) withdrawal from the other institutions immediately. This is not only a contractual issue but an ethical one. Your son/daughter needs to learn to honor their promises and be mindful of others. What better way then to insist they withdrawal their applications elsewhere due to the ED recieved. If she won’t do it voluntarily than perhaps mention that because of her ethical breach, your financial contribution to her will be $0 over the next four years. Remember the adage “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? If she takes another persons spot she knows she cannot accept, then somewhere out there an eager, anxious student is going to be either wait-listed or rejected. How would she feel if that happened to her? We often are so short-sighted or self-focused that we forget how our actions effect others. Satisfying her curiousity is not a reason to cause another person’s suffering, in fact it is sad, a bit greedy and bordering on cruel.</p>
<p>Lafalum: I’m with you on that bet: two years ago, my daughter withdrew her app from two large publics and we still received decisions from them…and this had nothing to do with an ED issue…</p>
<p>major congrats to your D on acceptance to Dream U! it’s a great accomplishment and a difficult process to get here…and now the outcome that she wanted.</p>
<p>My son is applying ED and we will be hoping for good news too. if so, he will withdraw his 10 other applications since this is the place that he has dreamt about attending. it’s not an HYP or even tier1. but it’s a good fit for him and where he sees himself. He been wearing this college’s logo tee-shirt all last year. his friends and hs know that this is the school for him.</p>
<p>It seems that there might be many students/families in this situation and quandary. A recent article in Washington Post indicated that ED applications are up double digits this year - American - 46%, GWU - 24% from last year, 70% over 2 years, 15% at William & Mary, 10% John Hopkins and 33% Duke.</p>
<p>So, this is a very timely discussion with many people that might be faced with similar situation. Actually, it really isn’t a question - Early Decision is a binding agreement and outstanding and other acceptances must be withdrawn.</p>
<p>As far as other schools knowing that you’ve been accepted ED, several years ago, my daughter was accepted ED at one school and we did not notify our schools immediately (2-3 weeks). shortly after our ED notification, we received a letter from one of her RD schools saying, “thanks for applying but learned that you were accepted ED. We’re withdrawing your application and good luck in your future studies!” </p>
<p>Yes, the schools seem to know - sharing ED admitted students lists or something like that. First, it’s important live up to your word and honor obligations. Also, it isn’t worth jeopardizing everything that you’ve worked hard for. You got the brass ring and time to move forward and enjoy!</p>
<p>beagalGal1, my fingers are crossed for your son!</p>
<p>I do think that there are more kids going ED and EA than I remember when my son applied 3 years ago. He finished his apps in early December and seemed to be at the same place on the timeline as most of his friends. But virtually all of D’s friends this year applied EA, and many are now hearing results. Perhaps my sample size is too small, but the trend I’ve seen matches your Washington Post article.</p>
<p>Much thanks, lafalum84! and GL to all others who are awaiting their news.</p>
<p>during this anxious and stressful time, i’m reminded of the thread, “experience of a Ivy reject”. from the sound of it, we’ve traveled this road before and know that it turns out in the end, whatever the decisions are.</p>
<p>BTW, the schools that eliminated ED: Harvard, Princeton, and UVa, already have a very high yield, so they don’t worry about numbers like many other colleges. Afterall, ED is known to favor colleges more than the students. Talking about the advantages for students who are concerned about FA just makes them look good.</p>
<p>I guess I had really drilled into my S that if he decided to apply ED, he would have to withdraw his other applications, even though he said that he would be curious and want to know.</p>
<p>Within the first half hour of knowing about his acceptance from his ED school on Friday evening, he remembered and asked about how to withdraw his other applications. There were only 2 outstanding applications, since we were waiting on the ED news to submit to the other schools. I actually had to slow him down and said to wait until we get the actual written acceptance letter, since I’ve heard horror stories about students being emailed things incorrectly.</p>
<p>Congrats sacchi’s S, and great job sacchi.<br>
Agreed - make sure you have the ED sealed and then you and S can enjoy a reduced-stress half year.</p>
<p>We withdrew the other 4 apps via email, but since they were all EA I think they’re going to cross in the mail anyway. We received an acceptance envelope yesterday from the only school to actually respond to the email and tell us they were withdrawing D’s app, I’m sure that envelope was already sealed and ready to go when we notified them. I guess we have to respond again that D will not be enrolling. </p>
<p>D has friends who are still discussing where to apply, or who have applied to some of the same schools and are talking about how fun it would be if several of them went to the same college together. D’s sort of on her own so far with her ED school that’s 700 miles away. I’m thinking now that it’s good that it was a binding ED, because it’s a great school for her, the best of all she applied to, but as the reality of friends staying closer to home and going to college together begins to hit, I could see her chickening out to stay with her friends - if she had that option. Which she doesn’t, thanks to ED.</p>
<p>My daughter has a friend from her small school who was admitted to Stanford early action. She has accepted. She is applying to many of the same schools my daughter is and she is not withdrawing them because she wants to see if she gets in to these other schools for “bragging rights,” although she has no intention of going. She does not see the lack of integrity in this approach nor, apparently, do her parents. My daughter would like to convince her to withdraw applications. Does anyone know if her actions could affect her Stanford admission or any other reason greater than “it is the right thing to do”.</p>