<p>In my experience, Reed’s financial aid office is very open to discussing their financial aid policies with prospective students and their parents, especially students who are thinking about applying ED. A student of mine last year strongly felt that Reed was her top choice, but, because she was eligible for serious merit money at some other colleges, and was also being heavily recruited by some LACs that no longer include loans, she and her mother were hesitating. At my suggestion, they talked with Reed’s financial aid office, which was very upfront about the amount of loans that she could expect, not just in the first year, but in subsequent years as well. It was a number they felt they could live with, so she went the ED route. Reed’s offer was very close to what they had indicated (although in the end, she also received a Gates Millenium Scholarship, so the loans were a mute point). I do think that before anyone who needs financial aid decides to go ED that they and their parents should talk to the financial aid office of the school being considered.</p>