<p>That is an issue with ED: you cannot compare offers as well. We are in the same situation. Son got a number of great merit offers EA, but was tied to his ED school due to the signed ED contract. In our case, not an issue, because the school was his clear first choice regardless of the offers. We had determined we would pay what the school would cost knowing well that he was highly likely to get merit offers. And he did. </p>
<p>But it is something to consider. Say a student gets half cost award for a college. Is Columbia, or any other name college worth the $250K+? So a student goes to Tulane, U Denver, a SUNY, Fordham, and gets a check for $125K for graduation instead of the parents paying it to the college, think of what could be done with that money!</p>