Illegal... but strategic???

[cafe_martin]

<p>I have a friend who is planning on applying for Cornell, NYU, and JHU this fall. All of them are great schools with HIGH ED ADMIT RATES.
Therefore, he claims that he plans on applying for all of them ED, regardless of the "binding" rules to increase his chances of getting in. I understand that this is highly unethical, however, if there are no consequences for not attending ED accepted schools, wouldn't this be strategic?</p>

<p>*note: I am afraid that some of you may suspect ME as the "friend" I mentioned about. Please refrain from thinking that way, since I have already set myself to go to Baylor (with no second thoughts). Just like you guys, I'm also upset with my "friend".</p>

[ohio_mom]

<p>To do so, he would have to have his GC collude with him - only likely if the GC hasn't a clue what's going on. If the colleges find out (much more likely) he will be blackballed. Not worth the risk.</p>

[reeses414]

<p>He'll just screw himself over if he does that. There actually are consequences for students that do this. These colleges DO have the ability to share ED admit lists, and if some of the admittees are on more than one list, they'll get blacklisted (meaning all of the schools will rescind their admissions for those students). Plus, once the kids try to withdraw from ED, the colleges will want to know WHY. Usually, the only way to legally withdraw from ED is through financial reasons (normally with proof of it as well).</p>

[Northstarmom]

<p>The consequences are that if he gets into more than one, those admissions will be rescinded because the colleges share ED lists. The adcoms also will call the GC and heatedly blame her, meaning she will not be inclined to go out of her way to help him when he applies RD in a desperate bid to get an acceptance. In addition, other students at his school will be angry at him because adcoms at the affected colleges will probably punish the entire school by not accepting students even though the students have outstanding backgrounds and really want to attend the colleges.</p>

[sybbie719]

<p>Based on post # 5, I would ask you friend to stand up in front of his senior class and his GC and pose his scenario. Fully disclose how this can impact all of them. If they give him their blessing being fully aware of the consequences, I'd say go for it.</p>

<p>Having attended 2 or the 3 schools he is considering and working professionally with both of those schools, I can tell you first hand that the Admissions directors and the adcoms from each school know each know each other because I meet with reps from both schools from time to time. </p>

<p>The world is much smaller than he thinks. Is he really willing to take that chance?</p>

[pjv80287]

<p>If he gets caught, which I bet he will, he'll be screwed. Colleges hate people who try to take advantage of the situation. I remember during Harvard EA for some graduate school a bunch of students found out a way to find out decisions early and Harvard found out and all accepted were blacklisted.</p>

[FlaviusAetius]

<p>A kid at my cousin's school (a very competitive prep school in CA that sends kids to all the ivies, stanford, MIT, etc) a few year's back rescinded his ED to Brown for some reason. I forget what, but it wasn't an "acceptable" reason. No one from my cousin's school has gotten into Brown since.</p>

[themegastud]

<p>A kid from my HS rescinded a Northwestern ED offer. According to the GC's, Northwestern no longer looks upon applicants from my high school favorably.</p>

<p>It's a pity that his decision affects forthcoming classes.</p>

[bluebayou]

<p>mega:</p>

<p>you are absolutely correct. The schools will hold it against the GC for poor counseling, and future kids from that school (cant' trust the GC)....</p>

[Dima343]

<p>If he gets accepted to more than one, they will find out, he will be rescinded, he and his school would be majorly screwed.</p>

[Variance2004]

<p>Is there a fine for declining an ED???</p>

<p>Ex. I apply to Duke ED and get in.. but i also apply to UNC EA and get in.. If I go to UNC instead of Duke, what will my consequences be??</p>

[sybbie719]

<p>
[quote]
Ex. I apply to Duke ED and get in.. but i also apply to UNC EA and get in.. If I go to UNC instead of Duke, what will my consequences be??

[/quote]
</p>

<p>IF this scenario is remotely in the back of yoru mind then you should not be applying ED. </p>

<p>When one applies ED, they are signing that if admitted they will attend. While Duke allows you to apply ED and a rolling school in your case UNC, if Duke admits you there is an expectation for you to attend. IF you cannot attend due to financial reasons, then the expectation is to release you in order to attend your local university in this case UNC. </p>

<p>Since your guidance counselor must also sign off on the form, you really are not doing your peers, GC and those that come after you any favors by trying to pullout of your ED commitment for the reasons that bluebayou stated. </p>

<p>Never burn your bridges as you may one day want to attend Duke for Graduate/Professional schools and one of the first questions in section one is * Have you ever applied to Duke. If yes, what schoo? What was the decision? * So while you maynot be giving this a lot of thought at 16/17 what you do today may come back to haunt you in the future.</p>

[_flamethrower]

<p>i HIGHLY doubt colleges cross check lists.</p>

<p>but getting your GC to sign the ED agreement for several schools will be difficult/idiotic/impossible?</p>

[wrider]

<p>Schools totally check. A short synopsis of my story: my guidance counselor called a school where he thought I would have gotten in but was waitlisted. The adcom told him that they knew I had applied ED to an ivy (deferred), and somehow from that they decided I would get in(or maybe they just hated me in the first place, but let's stick to the story) or that I wouldn't go there anyway, because I'd be looking at other, higher schools. So yes, they are definitely aware of where you apply ED and this wasn't even to check if I double-ED-ed or something, since I applied to the other school RD. [end of story: rejected from the ivy and still waitlisted at the other, so that just sucks]</p>

[lkf725]

<p>Wow, that seems so unfair wrider. And just to make their admission yield look better. From your story, one could conclude that you should never apply ED unless you have a really good shot as being admitted. Was your second college very selective/prestigeous?</p>

[dogs]

<p>I have friends who are adcoms and the schools share their ED lists with similar schools so the Ivy and other elite schools share each others lists since its likley thats where overlap would be. Adcoms feel strongly about not accepting a student who would behave so unethically as to try and manipulate the system this way. He will get caught and penalized. Its true.</p>

[irishforever]

<p>This student would find it very difficult to get his transcripts and counselor recommendation to the ED schools without the counselor knowing what he was doing. That GC will not risk professional misconduct to do something like that. If the student tried to forge those documents, all schools will rescind their acceptances, (if, in fact he were to get in). This student would be ruining his chances at getting into any college with that behavior! Very bad plan!!</p>

[eiffelguy87]

<p>What is the point of ED? It is for those students who know where they want to go absolutely; it is intended for such. ED is a more competitive pool and hence the higher acceptances. Plus, if this friend of yours gets caught, then he/she is really screwed.</p>

<p>EA on the other hand is a different matter. I applied EA to Georgetown but in the end decided I didn't want to go and I'm nowing going to Berkeley. There is no punishment from Georgetown (and I originally thought I was going there, but it was just way too expensive). Mind you, EA has the same applicable rules of not applying to other EA/ED programs.</p>

<p>It is not so strategic to do something illegal that would jepoardized your admission into a university.</p>

[undecided]

<p>No, eiffelguy87: EA does NOT have the same applicable rules about not applying to other EA/ED programs. There is an option called Single-Choice Early Action where you are required to apply EA only to that program and no other early notification programs (why, I wonder, do they have to make it as difficult for us as possible?).</p>

<p>I won't say anything about ED because I don't know, but I was under the impression that you were allowed to apply to EA programs (not SCEA programs) if you wanted, but that if you were accepted ED you would have to rescind all applications and, obviously, deny a place at the EA schools that accepted you.</p>

[eiffelguy87]

<p>Most schools are SCEA I believe (Stanford, Yale, and Harvard being the most prominent ones) but Georgetown does have restrictions on applying EA (you can't apply to SCEA and ED programs for obvious reasons).</p>