| 8:12 adding that our child and our family had to sign agreements with our school re use of ED: you get in, you pull all other applications the next day, and you go there. It was also explained to us many times that reneging was forbidden and would damage the school’s reputation. So the school is doing everything right, as far as I can tell. And my child did have one friend who reportedly regretted his ED decision to a different school in the south but is currently attending there anyway and has come back around to thinking that it is a good fit. |
| To each his own. I’m glad my kid’s top choice Georgetown doesn’t have ED. Spared them a lot of agonizing and it was just as well because they didn’t get into Georgetown. |
Agreed like the contract between the parents, student, and counselor should agree transcripts won’t be sent anywhere else in a way that is legally binding. |
But maybe they would have if Georgetown had it. If you don’t get in ED, the binding agreement dissolves anyway. There is no harm. If you don’t have a true first choice, apply EA. I know plenty of kids who only applied EA with no ED choice and all are attending great schools. Parents need to take a breath here. |
| Do you even hear yourselves? “Boohoo! I paid $200k for private HS so my kid would have an unfair leg up in college admissions and now because I need to merit shop my kids can’t apply ED and I don’t get access to a second leg up in admissions!!!” |
+1 Why do some parents still not get this? T20 schools give little to no merit aid. Period. Use the NPC. If you cannot afford, move on and focus on public in-state universities or the schools that do give merit aid. We ran this calculator when DS was born and now facing the actual cost, it turned out to be pretty damn accurate. We knew that if we wanted him to be able to attend an Ivy, we would need to save agressively. There is no way we would be able to afford a private college on our salaries if we had not planned ahead and saved. I have zero patience for upper-middle class parents who claim they are blindsided by the cost of college and they start whining about ED being unfair. https://vanguardcollege.ssnc.cloud/csp.php |
| Or you could be like my sister in law who spent every last dollar they made and now because BIL was laid off their kids will get a full ride. Didn’t save a dollar and were rewarded. |
| The NPC calculator may be one way to address the inequities of ED. However, another non-financial issue is that the fact that ED can be an advantage at most schools compels some kids to hedge their bets and commit to elite schools that aren’t truly their first choice or that aren’t the best fits. Obviously, it’s on the kid to know themselves, do the research, etc., but that can be hard at age 16-17. That’s where the parents and CC need to have a serious discussion with the kid |
I don't think a lot of top students are coming from families like this. Paying for college is the least of their problems. |
I don’t see this as an issue at all. My DD applied to a very realistic ED that she was happy with. She did not apply to any super reach schools. Other students might not want that and it’s fine, but it’s hardly an “issue.” If you are hunting for the “best” (highest ranked) school period, then ED is not for you. And that doesn’t make ED bad or an “issue.” |
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We know someone that was accepted ED to a top 20 school but backed out when accepted to a service academy. Told the school his parents were getting a divorce and could no longer afford it, but given the excruciating process of getting admission to a service academy, I’m assuming the divorce was just the excuse.
No repercussions against his HS, that I’m aware of. |
I’d rather have a huge pile of money saved and need to pay for college than be completely broke and unemployed in my mid 40’s/50’s. That’s not aspirational even for free college. |
Yes, there is a top10 school that does not accept from my DC’s big3. Everyone knows the name of the school. Rumor has it that there were 2 students that backed out of ED over a period of 3 years. I am not sure if it is true, but no one gets into this school. No one. |
This. Schools below top 20 that give substantial merit money still do for ED (my child's school promises at least $25k). For top schools, there's no evidence that ED applicants get less need based financial aid. The students who are suing because they claim they thought they'd get more financial aid are delusional. |
I actually think this is allowed. |