We are considering ED 2 but concerned that it will shut out any chance of merit. Does anyone know if this is true, or if colleges give the same merit to a student regardless of RD or ED? I know this is a very general question that may vary from school to school, but appreciate any insights from others’ experience. Thanks!
That’s the answer.
If you want the broadstrokes answer that doesn’t cover every permutation, then merit is often used as an incentive to attend. Unless the university has an automatic merit formula, there is zero reason for it to offer an incentive to ED applicants, since they are commiting to attend if accepted.
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If you need merit I would not ed2.
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Something to think about even if not representative of most schools.
https://dailyorange.com/2025/09/sus-post-decision-date-merit-offers-frustrate-families/
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School dependent - some assure it, for example.
In general, and while schools don’t break it out, so it’s anecdotal but the answer has to be no.
ED is binding. You run an NPC. You know in advance what the expectation is that you will pay.
Why would they give you a cent?
Merit aid is marketing money, designed to entice someone to attend their program. Some schools give to everyone because no one is paying sticker - but those schools likely have few ED applicants, short of hooked kids. Others, often publics, give based on stats - buying higher profile kids in, but most publics don’t offer ED.
If you ED, no enticement to you is needed. You’ve made the decision.
Now some will come out and say they applied ED and maybe schools invest in a few kids so the word gets out there that yes, ED kids are considered for merit too. Are they giving as much and to as high a percentage? I highly doubt it. I think that is planted and shrewd marketing - but it’s just my opinion.
But if you need/want merit and yes it’s anecdotal, but short of a St. Olaf or WPI that seem to guarantee it, why would one ever ED?
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depending on the timing, you child could write their regional AO and ask if merit is considered with ed2. if not, or if your child does not receive it with an acceptance - can you still afford the school? it would be helpful if you named the school, as you would get personal responses.
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Thanks @coffeeat3. Weighing ED2 at Holy Cross.
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I would say heck no.
They don’t have a 2024/25 CDS yet so two years back they had 79 merit scholarships, averaging nearly $25K. That’s of 903 first years. They also gave merit aid to 64 athletes.
ED has a high acceptance rate at HC - but we don’t have if that’s ED2 or hooked, etc.
But I would not expect merit.
I did look on the last two years of HC pages on the CC - and the school is lightly discussed and nothing like this came up.
I’d also add from a need POV - they are not generous - 295 of 903 who applied got any need - so - given the amount of merit and need kids there, you can argue it’s a wealthy kid’s school. Doesn’t mean you won’t get merit - but if you need it, I can’t imagine ED is the way to go.
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Also, do you want to afford the school (even if you could).
Just an anecdata point, but Conn College’s dean of admissions has publicly stated that they try to give similar merit amounts in ED as in RD. This is mostly because if they get a reputation as a school that only gives merit in RD or gives less merit in ED, then their reputation will suffer, and they’ll get even fewer ED apps the next year. They tend to get students that know the school and/or they get lots of apps from high schools that know the school.
I’m not sure if Holy Cross is similar, but if your student’s high school is well known to them, they might also worry about their reputation with your school.
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I would only ED2 if it is your student’s current top choice school and it is affordable based on the NPC.
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And they’ll almost surely say yes, and that ED2 applicants get the same consideration as RD applicants. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll actually provide merit aid. As Ski and others pointed out, what’s the incentive for them?
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Great info here. Thanks to all of you for your help. Happy New Year!
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I guess I think better for people and presume they would be honest - call me naive.
Our daughters had/have 529 funds and one didn’t want to use it all on undergrad and fell in love with a school that offered merit. She wrote the AO and said she would love to ED (the school was considered a match not reach for her) and inquired about merit aid. The AO told her if accepted she would receive a specific amount in merit. She applied, got in, received the max amount of merit - graduated with 529 funds for grad school/Roth IRA contribution - so it paid for her to ask.
I just never think it hurts to ask, but from a previous post in this thread it sounds like Holy Cross is not a big merit school 
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Not really an incentive, but I have heard the same as @beefeater re Conn College. They feel there is a check on them not providing equivalent or similar ED merit aid. I tend to think the Conn College admissions director (or financial aid, I forget which one was making the public statements on it) was not lying about this, but understand that some may not believe him. I don’t know if there is a good way for OP to find out if the same is true for Holy Cross or not (I agree with you that just asking is not likely to give an answer I’d have as much confidence in).
As said elsewhere, I know a no-need family of a recruited athlete who was proactively offered significant merit to apply ED at Conn College. So it does happen. Worth asking HC, as others have said.
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I understand this.
I don’t know the school.
There are some that discount everyone - maybe it was one of those.
I guess if you asked as you did, then didn’t get that. Then what ? You still signed a contract.
Assuming everyone at Holy Cross was separate (no duplication) - i.e no one getting need and merit, then per the 23/24 CDs, of 903 kids, 48.5% got something.
In 2024/25, CC gave a much higher percent of kids need aid than Holy Cross - 57% vs 33%. Their grants were richer ($51k vs $48k). And 46% got merit aid at CC vs 16% at HC. So if this was all separate, one could argue every CC student gets something.
Add need/merit together, 103% of kids at CC get something vs less than half at HC
I’m not sure CC would be a good comparator for HC. I suspect CC is a school few, if any, would pay full pop ($90k) for where clearly HC is one many will pay for (about $86k).
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I realize this is a stressful time. If you need merit I would wait it out and compare offers.
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I don’t read OP’s post as saying they “need” merit aid as some seem to be implying or assuming. They said they are concerned about being shut out from it, which could be a situation where merit is ideal, but not needed to attend the school. If Holy Cross does not provide a ton of merit as some suggest, then they may have already been prepared for the possibility of getting none in RD and going, but just want to limit chances. We don’t know if they need it or not absent them saying so.
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I’m not sure any college would be. Conn College is doing what is right for them. HC does what is right for them.
I’d make no assumption on what HC does. As I see it, the OP has 2 options - apply RD or ask HC their policy (and either believe them or not).
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