Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

OP here. I agree with that; however, the way the system is set up, there is really no other way.

Service Academy appointments are extremely hard to come by, in case you didn't know. They run on their own, parallel track with the general college application process, but are not executed in the same way.

Yes, "I got a better offer" is what it amounts to. But, as anyone pursuing the service academy route knows, you'd darn well better have a backup plan. Because the odds of getting in are very much not in your favor.

There are plenty of schools where the odds aren't in applicants favor. Let's say my imaginary kid's first choice is MIT, or they have their heart set on Banneker-Key two options that have lower acceptance rates than any military academy. Should they apply ED somewhere else and argue that that's OK because the odds aren't in their favor?

Anonymous wrote:This should be your source for all things Military Academy related. They address this

https://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/early-decision-and-usna-a-definitive-answer.65108/

Good link.

"If you want to attend USNA, do NOT apply Early Decision to a civilian school. The reason is that, if you are accepted to that civilian school under the ED program, USNA will require you to withdraw your application from USNA.

It does not matter what the civilian school says. USNA is a member of the NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) and must abide by their rules, which require you to commit to your ED school and withdraw applications from all other colleges. There is apparently no exception for SAs. This situation occurred with a candidate this year and the above was USNA's position; they would no longer consider that candidate's application and required it to be withdrawn."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

This may be the out that students use for Service Academy appointments.

It's not about comparing offers. It's about the package being affordable, period. You have a short time to determine whether the package offered is affordable. Use the Net Price Calculator. If it's affordable per the NPC and the package corresponds to the NPC estimate, you can't simply say, oh I got merit elsewhere.

The only ethical way that getting out of ED works in this situation would be if the student found out they got into the service academy prior to ED decision release and withdrew their ED app before actually finding out if they were admitted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

This may be the out that students use for Service Academy appointments.

It's an out if you ran the NPC and it said you would receive X dollars but for some reason the ED university is only now offering Y dollars.

You can't claim because the alternative is so much cheaper.

This should be your source for all things Military Academy related. They address this

https://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/early-decision-and-usna-a-definitive-answer.65108/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

OP here. I agree with that; however, the way the system is set up, there is really no other way.

Service Academy appointments are extremely hard to come by, in case you didn't know. They run on their own, parallel track with the general college application process, but are not executed in the same way.

Yes, "I got a better offer" is what it amounts to. But, as anyone pursuing the service academy route knows, you'd darn well better have a backup plan. Because the odds of getting in are very much not in your favor.

You can apply to REA places or simply a myriad of EA options. You have hundreds of "back-up plan" options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

OP here. I agree with that; however, the way the system is set up, there is really no other way.

Service Academy appointments are extremely hard to come by, in case you didn't know. They run on their own, parallel track with the general college application process, but are not executed in the same way.

Yes, "I got a better offer" is what it amounts to. But, as anyone pursuing the service academy route knows, you'd darn well better have a backup plan. Because the odds of getting in are very much not in your favor.

Of course you need a backup plan, but no one is forced to apply ED.

I have had five kids apply to college; only one ended up applying ED somewhere. Amazingly, they all went to college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

OP here. I agree with that; however, the way the system is set up, there is really no other way.

Service Academy appointments are extremely hard to come by, in case you didn't know. They run on their own, parallel track with the general college application process, but are not executed in the same way.

Yes, "I got a better offer" is what it amounts to. But, as anyone pursuing the service academy route knows, you'd darn well better have a backup plan. Because the odds of getting in are very much not in your favor.

The backup plan is called Early Action (not early decision) or RD. Sorry if you don't like the answer.

The back up plan would be EA and RD applications

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience or knowledge about this? I plan to ask DC's college counselor when school reopens, but just curious now.

DC has an ED1 choice, but the real preference is one of the service academies.

What happens if DC goes ahead with the first ED and then receives an appointment? We're thinking that's a reasonable reason to break the ED commitment.

Acadamies will not offer you if you are ED somewhere else. Please confirm with the Academy before you do.

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

This may be the out that students use for Service Academy appointments.

Anonymous wrote:When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

OP here. I agree with that; however, the way the system is set up, there is really no other way.

Service Academy appointments are extremely hard to come by, in case you didn't know. They run on their own, parallel track with the general college application process, but are not executed in the same way.

Yes, "I got a better offer" is what it amounts to. But, as anyone pursuing the service academy route knows, you'd darn well better have a backup plan. Because the odds of getting in are very much not in your favor.

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience or knowledge about this? I plan to ask DC's college counselor when school reopens, but just curious now.

DC has an ED1 choice, but the real preference is one of the service academies.

What happens if DC goes ahead with the first ED and then receives an appointment? We're thinking that's a reasonable reason to break the ED commitment.

Of course it isn't. Can you help me understand why this would even cross your mind as a possible excuse?

When you are accepted ED, you agree to withdraw all other applications.

You can be released from the ED agreement only if the financial aid package is unaffordable. "I got a better offer" is not an ethical reason to break the agreement.

Unethical behavior is not a great way to start a military career.

Does anyone have experience or knowledge about this? I plan to ask DC's college counselor when school reopens, but just curious now.

DC has an ED1 choice, but the real preference is one of the service academies.

What happens if DC goes ahead with the first ED and then receives an appointment? We're thinking that's a reasonable reason to break the ED commitment.