Rolling Schools/Safeties

fallenchemist
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:26:24 +0000

Erin’s Dad - Why I agree there might be a moral argument to following an ED arrangement that strict once you have signed it, it is not legally enforceable. However, IMO that is just nuts to say that one cannot apply EA to another school while waiting for an ED decision from Brown. That puts a student in the disadvantageous position of potentially getting turned down by Brown and having no decisions in hand. Sure, one can say “well, just don’t apply ED to Brown” but that is also disadvantageous to the student if you believe that ED enhances one’s chances of admission and Brown is the school you really want if you were to get in.

Besides the obvious observation of how would Brown possibly know, the more direct question is how is Brown possibly harmed by the student applying EA to another school? The simple answer is they are not. It is an onerous “requirement” that is completely one-sided and without merit. Personally, I would have no problem ignoring that. I can hear all the wailing and gnashing of teeth now, but there is an old legal principle that contracts have to be fair and there would have to be some potential of harm if a party violated a provision. I mean it isn’t like this was a negotiated contract, Brown holds all the power at this stage of the game. I don’t see how this passes muster on any of those counts.

Now I agree that SCEA is another matter. But I don’t understand where you say

I was looking at Brown’s ED agreement earlier and you are not allowed to apply to any other EA or ED schools.

followed by

You can apply to multiple EA schools if they are not SCEA.

I feel llike you left out a sentence.