<p>She can always say that on the college app – the “why this college” section would be a good place to put that, and an email to the admissions rep wouldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>But it may not be a good idea to tell a college that in terms of financial aid, at least for colleges that leverage their aid or use preferential packaging, as explained in that excellent Muhlenberg college link you posted above. If the college figures you are dead set on coming, there’s no particular reason to entice you with a lot of aid. </p>
<p>My son told a college in the application that it was his top choice, and they admitted him with no aid whatsoever. After dealing with their financial aid department, I’m convinced that they misjudged us as the type of family with hidden assets or resources that would be able to muster the tuition. (Parents are lawyers, self-employed – the finaid people had asked a lot of probing questions and kept me busy providing extra documentation). So in hindsight it might have been better for him to play coy.</p>
<p>My daughter opted to mention that a certain reach was “one of her top choices” rather than “the” top choice – partly because at the time she wrote that it was the truth, as she was wavering somewhat in her top choice opinion – and partly because we learned the hard way with her brother that its better to play hard-to-get. </p>
<p>I realize that there is a sense that you have to do everything possible to increase “chances” with a coveted reach college – but its no fun to have to turn down a top choice college for financial reasons. I honestly think that a waitlist or rejection is easier - with the money issue there will always be that nagging “what if” doubt, especially if things don’t work out well at whatever college the student does attend.</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this. Unfortunately as you have seen, some posters here have a hidden or not so hidden agenda against the colleges and the ED process. They call the colleges liars who engage in highly deceptive practices. They do not like ED and accordingly are doing their best to advocate that everyone game the system</p>
<p>Vossron, the ED rules are set in part by the NACAC agreement, which Brown is party to. </p>
<p>Brown has worded its ED agreement in a way that does not disclose the financial aid provision – but no matter how they word it, it’s still there. </p>
<p>Again - legally they can’t force attendance, and the NACAC standards specify implicitly that ED is subject to a satisfactory financial aid award.</p>
<p>I refer you to the previous 1888 posts on this thread :)</p>
<p>Seriously, my perspective has been laid out in numerous posts and if at this time you still don’t get it, you are right, you probably never will</p>
<p>It is indeed. You apparently do not understand how the common app works. many schools require their own supplements and amendments to it. As long as Brown is clearly spelling out their policy regarding ED, there is nothing unethical about it</p>
<p>Is there a difference between a kid who has a clear first favorite choice but who decide not to apply ED because he is unsure of his finances and doesn’t want to be put in the position of reneging on his commitment, and a kid who knows the same, but applies ED, taking his chances on FA and thinking that if they are not to his liking he can drop out?
yes, there is a difference between these two kids.</p>
<p>“Seriously, my perspective has been laid out in numerous posts and if at this time you still don’t get it, you are right, you probably never will”</p>
<p>Good thing the schools that support declining an ED FA offer don’t get it either!</p>
<p>I agree, but since there is no way around the need for FA and the complications it creates for ED applicants, I would prefer that the system go back to all RD, as it used to be. ED was created for the benefit of the schools, not the students.</p>
<p>Is there proof of this? Numbers, hard numbers? </p>
<p>Until I came to CC, I thought ED was for kids who had a first-choice school. I had no idea that it was exclusively for the rich. As 'rentof2 said: “I guess I’m only posting this to say I’m not so cynical about ED for FA kids as many others are. It really depends on the school, on their openess about how aid awards are determined, and on the simplicity or complexity of the family’s finances.”</p>
<p>So, I’ll ask again: where is the proof that the majority of ED applicants and/or acceptees are wealthy?</p>
<p>OK, more progress. Yippee !!! I think it is apparent now where calmom gets some of her deep seated hatred of colleges and the FA process. Her first child rec’d no FA - and when she questioned it, the big bad college “misjudged us as the type of family with hidden assets or resources” and oh my, that big bad college “asked a lot of probing questions and kept me busy providing extra documentation”. </p>
<p>So calmom chooses to come here - blast the ED and FA process and the big bad colleges. And to make it worse she gives out incorrect advice to others on FA and on how to game the ED system. This is just so wrong on so many levels</p>
<p>Id point out that if people are concerned about what is “fair” - then ED by definition is unfair, in that it creates a separate class of students evaluated against a different and smaller applicant pool. The “fair” thing is that everyone competes equally in the same RD pool.</p>
<p>I’ve actually asked this question twice already. Not only is Brown a Common Ap school, it is now a Questbridge School (which has an agreement that states students can back out of ED for financial reasons) and it is part of the Ivy group, which also says in its agreement that students can back out of ED for financial reasons. </p>
<p>I understand that Calmom believes that no matter what Brown specifically does or does not say in its ED agreement, that provision is there implicitly. And berryberry argues that if it’s not in the Brown supplement, it doesn’t exist.</p>
<p>But it DOES exist for Questbridge students. So why, for those who disagree with calmom, should there be two different standards?</p>
<p>“a. The College Board-approved Early Decision Plan, which is
offered by Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University,
Dartmouth College, and the University of Pennsylvania, requires
a prior commitment to matriculate. Financial aid awards for those
qualifying for financial assistance will normally be announced in full
detail at the same time as the admission decisions. An applicant
receiving admission and an adequate financial award under the Early
Decision Plan will be required to accept that offer of admission and
withdraw all applications to other colleges or universities.”</p>
<p>dstark, you are quoting from the Princeton website. That language does not appear to exist anywhere on the Brown site, on its supplement, etc. I actually quoted that language in an earlier post – I find it puzzling that Brown does not use that language anywhere.</p>
<p>Also, while this is OT I’m feel like responding to this comment, too.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Actually, I have firsthand knowledge of a situation just like this, and it did not turn out the way you think. A highly recruited athlete got into an Ivy, then after 4 weeks there changed his mind and decided he wanted an athletic scholarship at a different school instead. The team coach did everything to try to get this kid to stay, including sending him into a one-on-one meeting with the school president. The president called financial aid, asking what could be done. And financial aid said there was nothing to be done. Kid left Ivy.</p>
<p>Thanks, I’m pleased to be called a babe, but you left off the most relevant part of my statement:
</p>
<p>And I stand by this. There is no way to determine now “ethical” a student is who chooses to decline since you will never know the whole story, unless you are condemning all applicants who choose this option for any reason. Do you believe it is always unethical to decline ED for financial reasons?</p>
<p>"What would be more fair to me is for all kids to be able to apply ED if they have a clear #1 choice. "</p>
<p>I agree that many kids have a clear #1 choice. All kids can tell a school it is their first choice. However, I think the family should do careful research before they choose to commit to ED. Some do. Some just do it willy-nilly. (funny phrase). And if any student thinks ED unfair, I’d urge them to try to change the policy, or choose not to accept the ED offer.</p>