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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If your ability to attend is contingent on receiving merit aid, you cannot apply early decision.

You might, but might not, get merit money, and regardless, once accepted, you are obligated to enroll.[/quote]

My understanding is that [b]if you don't get the FA package that you need[/b] you are allowed to not enroll based on finances. I've read this multiple places. [/quote]

That understanding is not quite right.... if you don't get essentially the same level of FA package that the NPC suggested you would receive when you ran the NPC before applying to the school only then you are allowed to break the ED agreement.

On the other hand, if you ran the NPC before applying, saw an unaffordable EFC number, and yet applied ED anyway then you have no valid basis to break the ED agreement.  [/quote]

The NPC is only an estimate. Does it say "run the NPC before applying ED" on the ED contract? Many things can change. Maybe the student is hoping to get a scholarship from somewhere else or merit aid. Maybe the parent is going to get a raise, but doesn't. If you think you can swing it but find out you can't, you need to break the contract. I don't think the contract is based on the NPC. The "valid reason" is you don't have the money you thought you would, wherever it might have come from.[/quote]

Every college financial aid office suggests in writing on their website pages that you run the NPC before you apply so you know what to expect in Financial Aid.

A loss of a job is a change in financial circumstances that would justify breaking an ED agreement.

ED agreement says you have to withdraw other applications immediately when you get in ED -- so I don't see how you can wait to find out about merit aid offers from elsewhere without violating the agreement.

Finally, "I did not get a merit scholarship from the ED school" is not a valid reason for breaking the ED agreement.  It is particularly invalid at a school that does not offer any merit money to begin with.  [/quote]

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