<p>“Early Decision is often criticized as favoring the rich, because students who feel they need to compare financial aid offers often decide they can’t risk applying ED.”</p>
<p>This was our experience. My son was very interested in Hopkins, but we needed to see what they would offer. It’s good that he didn’t apply ED. He was accepted RD, but ultimately, their financial aid offer would have forced my son or me to take out tens of thousands of dollars of loans over four years.</p>
<p>The offer of aid from Harvard makes it possible, if we eat a little more rice and beans over the next four years, to pay for college with no loans.</p>
<p>He is looking forward with eager anticipation to his time in Cambridge.</p>
<p>Thank you, Harvard, for making a top-level education financially available to my son.</p>