To apply ED or not?

_rentof2
Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:17:54 +0000

My son applied ED a few years ago. It was a very good thing for him/for us.

In general the postives (assuming you’re accepted) are:
–only having to complete one application
–save on application fees to multiple schools
–getting accepted early and being able to relax and enjoy the rest of your senior year
–having more time to make plans, arrange finances, travel, etc.
–a possible boost in your chances of getting admitted (although this depends on the school and the apparent statistical boost can be skewed by athlete and legacy admits from the ED pool)

Negatives (all related to the binding nature of ED):
–you may have second thoughts later in the year when you see your friends choosing between options in the spring, or experience other regrets about your choice
–unable to compare financial aid awards
–if not accepted, very short time to submit other apps and that window of time usually overlaps significantly with winter break, so no access to school counselors, etc.