Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:45     Subject: Getting out of ED
It is an unfair system for kids applying. Coaches, essay writers, pay to play culminating in a lottery. One parent looses job, ED excused and now happily in RD school.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:41     Subject: Getting out of ED
Many kids who apply ED get the benefit of higher acceptance odds and everyone who applies ED and is accepted get the benefit of knowing their college destination earlier …the trade off is having to commit to the school. An ED agreement may not have “teeth” from a purely legal standpoint but something doesn’t sit right from an ethical standpoint, if someone signs on to advantage of something but won’t accept the trade off or consequences.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:40     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:Tulane blackballed high schools over this. Maybe the counselors will be more assertive about things at the high schools if this is the result?

https://tulanehullabaloo.com/71792/news/admissions-under-fire-tulane-responds-to-scrutiny-of-controversial-admissions-policy/

After one senior at Colorado Academy, a private high school in Denver, backed out of the early decision commitment for non-financial reasons, Tulane banned the entire class the following year from applying early decision. Colorado Academy’s students are still able to apply to Tulane through early action and regular decision admissions cycles.

The student at Colorado Academy has not been identified, and Colorado Academy declined to comment to The Hullabaloo.

Three other high schools — which Tulane did not identify — also had temporary bans placed on the following year’s class following “rare instances of unexplained last-minute [early decision] withdrawals that were not based on financial reasons,” according to Tulane spokesperson Mike Strecker.


I hope students can stay away from Tulane!
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:40     Subject: Getting out of ED
Easiest fix is just to outlaw ED, which exists only to benefit schools at the expense of students, especially the ones whose parents can't just stroke the tuition check.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:38     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:I suspect colleges are going to start asking for enormous deposits to hold the ED spot.

I hope they do that instead of penalizing the schools, which end up hurting kids who have nothing to do with it.

People who do this strategically are just terrible.


Why? It's a game. And typically an unfair lottery based system. Why can't the kids play too? Why are people who do this strategically terrible?
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:35     Subject: Re:Getting out of ED
What’s the point of forcing a kid to attend your “elite/top” school if they’re not happy doing that, knowing there’s a better option that accepts them?

Reneging on the ED is as moral as making parents sign the binding contract with zero legal basis (and retaliating against them)!
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:28     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So the counselors sent transcripts to other schools even though the kid got an ED offer?


Kids apply ED and EA simultaneously. Counselors send transcripts to EA schools. Students get into ED and EA schools and prefer EA school. Students should withdraw EA apps as they promised. Counselor cannot withdraw student apps.


Then they should have applied ED to the EA school. God damn it. I hate entitled brats who ruin things for everyone else.


Most schools have either EA or ED, not both.

Schools that have both: UVA, Michigan, Chicago, Tulane

Schools that have ED or EA, but not both: just about every other school in the country


Then they shouldn't apply ED to another school if an EA school is their top choice. Ass wipes.


Sorry, but that's the way the game is played now. I have no problem with this. The schools have set this up so that students have no choice but look out for themselves first.


How have the schools set this up? Students have a choice. They can boost their chance of getting in by applying ED, but then they give up the opportunity to pursue other offers. That's life. There are tradeoffs. Maturity means accepting them and not being a dildo.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:22     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So the counselors sent transcripts to other schools even though the kid got an ED offer?


Kids apply ED and EA simultaneously. Counselors send transcripts to EA schools. Students get into ED and EA schools and prefer EA school. Students should withdraw EA apps as they promised. Counselor cannot withdraw student apps.


Do schools (both colleges side and high school) track the individual who does this? This is punishing honest students


Privates track these students down and ensure that they withdraw their EA applications. I'm sure some even contact the schools.
Private school college counselors knows who needs aid and who doesn't as this is part of the conversation from early on "are you applying for aid?". If you don't need aid there is zero reason to keep an EA app in following an ED acceptance. It just screws over your classmates.
Even in this case it's rare that a state school (UVA and certainly Michigan) will give better aid than an Ivy or other higher-ranked ED/SCEA school.


Oh no, they don't.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:22     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:Tulane blackballed high schools over this. Maybe the counselors will be more assertive about things at the high schools if this is the result?

https://tulanehullabaloo.com/71792/news/admissions-under-fire-tulane-responds-to-scrutiny-of-controversial-admissions-policy/

After one senior at Colorado Academy, a private high school in Denver, backed out of the early decision commitment for non-financial reasons, Tulane banned the entire class the following year from applying early decision. Colorado Academy’s students are still able to apply to Tulane through early action and regular decision admissions cycles.

The student at Colorado Academy has not been identified, and Colorado Academy declined to comment to The Hullabaloo.

Three other high schools — which Tulane did not identify — also had temporary bans placed on the following year’s class following “rare instances of unexplained last-minute [early decision] withdrawals that were not based on financial reasons,” according to Tulane spokesperson Mike Strecker.



The school should release the financial aid information at the same time as the ED decision. Then the school should require the applicant to decide whether to accept before other schools release their decisions.

If the student decides to accept, and even if the applicant does not withdraw applications from other schools as they are supposed to, the high school should notify the other colleges the student applied to that the student was admitted through ED.

This way, it could prevent other students from being punished because of an irresponsible student who unnecessarily broke the rules.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:21     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So the counselors sent transcripts to other schools even though the kid got an ED offer?


Kids apply ED and EA simultaneously. Counselors send transcripts to EA schools. Students get into ED and EA schools and prefer EA school. Students should withdraw EA apps as they promised. Counselor cannot withdraw student apps.


Then they should have applied ED to the EA school. God damn it. I hate entitled brats who ruin things for everyone else.


Most schools have either EA or ED, not both.

Schools that have both: UVA, Michigan, Chicago, Tulane

Schools that have ED or EA, but not both: just about every other school in the country


Then they shouldn't apply ED to another school if an EA school is their top choice. Ass wipes.


Sorry, but that's the way the game is played now. I have no problem with this. The schools have set this up so that students have no choice but look out for themselves first.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:20     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yes, you can get out of it. Simple: Your money situation has changed. You are no longer legally bound. It is a conversation. Not a legal battle. It is being done more and more. Crazy times. Happening at our school when a shinier accept comes in.

I would think the school would ask for some verification that your financial situation had changed.


Please. You can't be serious.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:17     Subject: Getting out of ED
I don’t know how a busy, public school guidance counselor can keep up with each and every ED student. One final requirement is the school must send the final transcript to the college (ensures the student has actually graduated). Does the GC handle this or an administrative person? This is a good question to ask if your school.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:11     Subject: Getting out of ED
Tulane blackballed high schools over this. Maybe the counselors will be more assertive about things at the high schools if this is the result?

https://tulanehullabaloo.com/71792/news/admissions-under-fire-tulane-responds-to-scrutiny-of-controversial-admissions-policy/

After one senior at Colorado Academy, a private high school in Denver, backed out of the early decision commitment for non-financial reasons, Tulane banned the entire class the following year from applying early decision. Colorado Academy’s students are still able to apply to Tulane through early action and regular decision admissions cycles.

The student at Colorado Academy has not been identified, and Colorado Academy declined to comment to The Hullabaloo.

Three other high schools — which Tulane did not identify — also had temporary bans placed on the following year’s class following “rare instances of unexplained last-minute [early decision] withdrawals that were not based on financial reasons,” according to Tulane spokesperson Mike Strecker.

Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:03     Subject: Getting out of ED
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So the counselors sent transcripts to other schools even though the kid got an ED offer?


Kids apply ED and EA simultaneously. Counselors send transcripts to EA schools. Students get into ED and EA schools and prefer EA school. Students should withdraw EA apps as they promised. Counselor cannot withdraw student apps.


Do schools (both colleges side and high school) track the individual who does this? This is punishing honest students


Privates track these students down and ensure that they withdraw their EA applications. I'm sure some even contact the schools.
Private school college counselors knows who needs aid and who doesn't as this is part of the conversation from early on "are you applying for aid?". If you don't need aid there is zero reason to keep an EA app in following an ED acceptance. It just screws over your classmates.
Even in this case it's rare that a state school (UVA and certainly Michigan) will give better aid than an Ivy or other higher-ranked ED/SCEA school.
Anonymous
Post 03/11/2026 12:01     Subject: Getting out of ED
It's pretty simple: if you apply ED anywhere, be prepared to go through with the commitment. ED to your #1 school only.

If legitimate finances/family issues emerge, that's a separate matter to discuss with the school in the hopes of making it work out.

But if you "get a better offer" and want out and use excuses to do so, that's just unethical and fundamentally dishonest. Not the way to teach kids how to make decisions.