Is Early Decision Just Volunteering to Give Away All the Cash You Have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Bolded is the problem. No, you cannot.

Yes you can. If you did not half-ass your NPC input data (i.e., you used your previous year's tax return, you were accurate on all the other financial numbers, and these numbers were consistent with the CSS you filed), you are allowed to get out of ED with no repercussions. This is well known and can be verified by a simple googling.

Please stop this misinformation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yup. That’s why ED is a rich kid’s game. Poor kids need to see the financial aid offer and can benefit by comparing packages.

I don't understand this. Say I'm a (relatively) poor family with only a 25k budget. I ran the NPC of my kid's favorite, need-blind school and the net price after need-based aid is 20k. Seeing that this estimate is within budget, my kid ED there and is fortunate to get in. If the actual offer is anything below 25k, we're done. If it's anything above, we can get out of the ED.

So why is ED a rich kid's game? Honest question because I've seen this way of thinking a lot on DCUM, and am afraid that there is something fundamental I just didn't know. (I understand that waitlist is mostly need-aware which is when rich families have advantages.)

Bolded is the problem. No, you cannot.

For someone so certain, you sure are wrong. 100% wrong. You can get out of the ED agreement if the actual offer is less than the NPC number, with no penalty to you or the high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ED is really for full pay families and gives kids a leg up on admissions at selective schools. As others mentioned there’s a net price calculator to use before applying. Unfortunately this puts many kids at a significant disadvantage in college admissions if they can’t afford it. ED admission rates are significantly higher at many schools. People love to say admissions should be merit based but then the same people are ok with the highest bidder winning admission over someone more qualified. I know my opinion will be unpopular but I think they should eliminate it.

Tell me how a college which is not affordable in ED is somehow affordable in RD, please.

[Anonymous]

People ranting against ED are just annoyed that they can’t afford to pay full price at all these colleges that they covet. They also are delusional when they assume rich kids that can afford full pay are not smart or deserving. Many kids are rich because their parents are super successful and high IQ. Guess what? Successful, smart, rich people usually raise really interesting, smart, driven kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People ranting against ED are just annoyed that they can’t afford to pay full price at all these colleges that they covet. They also are delusional when they assume rich kids that can afford full pay are not smart or deserving. Many kids are rich because their parents are super successful and high IQ. Guess what? Successful, smart, rich people usually raise really interesting, smart, driven kids.

Wow!

[Anonymous]

OP, it is not some sort of scam because the colleges are pretty upfront with the advice. The colleges are not taking your money, as you seem to imply, but you are volunteering the fact that you do not need to comparison shop. Do not apply ED unless you are sure you want to attend AND can afford it. The schools with the better endowment still give great FA for their ED students, but not all schools can afford to do this. And your kid does not need to get into your first choice school to be happy and successful.

[Anonymous]

OP has a some sort of obsession with ED. Multiple posts about it.

Get off of DCUrbanmom. Stop being a victim. Look at schools that actually give merit aid or are instate. Or just work harder to earn more or spend your time applying for scholarships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it is not some sort of scam because the colleges are pretty upfront with the advice. The colleges are not taking your money, as you seem to imply, but you are volunteering the fact that you do not need to comparison shop. Do not apply ED unless you are sure you want to attend AND can afford it. The schools with the better endowment still give great FA for their ED students, but not all schools can afford to do this. And your kid does not need to get into your first choice school to be happy and successful.

The above is all incredibly basic information that OP should already know.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Early decision is only for the rich and keeps the poors out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Early decision is only for the rich and keeps the poors out.

Except it doesn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Early decision is only for the rich and keeps the poors out.

Except it doesn’t.

So then why does everyone agree that you should only apply ED if you are sure you can afford it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Early decision is only for the rich and keeps the poors out.

Except it doesn’t.

So then why does everyone agree that you should only apply ED if you are sure you can afford it?

Because families that can afford to spend $80k/year per child for college are simply "middle class" in DCUM world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Early decision is only for the rich and keeps the poors out.

Except it doesn’t.

So then why does everyone agree that you should only apply ED if you are sure you can afford it?

No. Everyone agrees you should not apply to ANY COLLEGE at ANY TIME unless you can afford it.

[Anonymous]

While we are able to be full pay at any university, my child decided to trade-off higher admission probability with overall cost. She ended up declining two T25 acceptances that were full pay to accept full tuition merit award a lower ranked (but still strong) school.

It just depends on your priorities. If you don't mind being full pay, ED is a great way to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Early decision is only for the rich and keeps the poors out.

If the system is designed to keep the poors out it is doing a terrible job. Look at % of first gen and Pell grant eligible kids at elite colleges. Give me a break and take the whining elsewhere. Your kids are not going to be destitute because they didn’t get into their dream school.