<p>When my son was accepted ED to Columbia, there was no opportunity to “decline” the offer. The offer made by my son to Columbia, i.e., to attend if accepted, was accepted by Columbia the moment they notified him of his admission. The contract was created. Columbia’s instruction to him was to provide the deposit by the deadline, not to “accept” or “decline” the contract that had already been created.</p>
<p>In legal parlance, the difference between ED and RD is that the offer in ED comes from the applicant, and the offer in RD comes from the school. Once the offer is accepted, regardless of which party makes the offer, the contract is made. The primary condition precedent to the obligation of the ED student to perform the contract (i.e., attend Columbia) is that Columbia provide enough financial assistance to permit the student to pay the freight while a student. If that condition fails, the student is permitted to cancel or void the contract through a negotiation with the university. (Other implicit conditions that I assume would permit the voiding of the contract include a drastic change in the home situation, such as the death of the parent(s), health issues for the student, drastic non-performance by the student in high school post-admission, etc.) Otherwise, the student is expected to perform the contract.</p>