<p>Miselism,</p>
<p>I would be careful about applying early decision to Newhouse with borderline acceptance grades. It’s a well known fact among the students at Syracuse, that many people are disappointed with the early decision process. I’m not sure how it works at certain schools, but many people, including a personal friend of mine have been done wrong by the school.</p>
<p>Here’s what I’m talking about: you may apply early decision to Newhouse (or Whitman, the business school), and not get accepted to that specific college, but still get accepted to Syracuse University. A good number of people will apply to Newhouse early decision, but get accepted into the Arts and Sciences English program. Broadcast journalism majors may get funneled into the “Television, Radio, Film” program in the school of Visual Performing Arts (VPA), and newspaper journalism students may be funneled into the English program.</p>
<p>Also, I know people who apply to Whitman early decision for a program say the Finance program, and they will be accepted into the Arts and Sciences Economics program. There was even an article in our school newspaper, The Daily Orange, about this. </p>
<p>To be more specific, but not spill all of my friends information, he had over an A- GPA, and over 2000 on the SAT and was also involved in journalism during highschool. Also, he brought in the maximum allowable amount of AP credits, 30 credits, or the equivalent of 10 AP classes. He applied to Newhouse early decision and was accepted to A&S English. He was also accepted to other very respectable communications programs, and would have went had he not been required to attend Syracuse U due to the contract. If you are accepted to other schools, they may reject if you dishonor an early decision contract. Don’t just take my word for it. Contact the admissions dept, or bring this up in your meeting with the dean. I feel like this is happening more at Syracuse U. than at other schools which just wouldn’t accept a student rather than accepting them into another program.</p>
<p>Sorry for ranting about this, you may have already known but I feel like Syracuse is just desperate to trick certain students into having to attend the school. Many of the people that I’ve talked to about this didn’t know they could be “accepted”, but not into the same program, or even the same college they applied to.</p>
<p>To answer your original question:
I’ve never heard of students receiving more aid because they are early decision. Aid is either need based, or merit based, or sports based. Your dad losing your job might actually be a good thing. The maximum financial aid package with Syracuse is about $20k per year. Then you can get $3000 for each sibling that is simultaneously in school. My father also lost his job right before I applied to schools, and this actually helped me because I got a lot aid, and even if he did keep his job, my parents didn’t have any money saved up for me anyway.</p>