<p>“Finally, if you’re planning on applying ED or EDII (I applied EDII), it’s even less likely you’ll get merit aid because it’s binding, so the college knows you will attend.”</p>
<p>But if the money offered (aid + merit) is not to the applicant’s liking, she will decline the ED offer and apply RD elsewhere. For a school that offers merit money to the applicants it wants the most, it’s especially important for the sweetener to be offered at ED time!</p>