The Cons of an Early Admissions Financial Aid Package
Applying for an early decision has cons regarding receiving educational financial aid, including college grant money and other free money for college.
The student has dreamed of going to a certain university for years. S/he has a bumper sticker on the car and pennants bearing the school’s name in her/his room. So it is an obvious decision to apply early decision to the institution. In this case, getting paper writing help is the best decision because you will have more time to weigh all pros and cons before applying for college. This action shows commitment, and enthusiasm and gives the college a fierce sense of flattery.
Before rushing around to find recommendations and hurrying to write that perfect admissions essay, take a second to pause and think about the consequences. Perhaps, to an overzealous student and her/his parents, there seem to be none. Wrong. Think again.
Goodbye College Scholarship Money
Yes, that is correct. Applying early decisions could and most likely will lessen a student’s chances of receiving a plethora of money. What happens with the early decision is when the college’s admissions office receives the student’s application in November, they see that the student wants to be accepted no matter what the cost.
To the college, the early decision says that the student does not have a lucrative financial aid package as a priority. Instead, it sends an unclear message that the student is willing to take out years and years of costly loans or whatever else s/he can do just to attend. From the viewpoint of admission officers, the applicant who waits until the regular deadline has funding as a priority. Thus, many times applying for the early decisions will increase a student’s chances of being accepted, but lessen her/his chances of receiving money.
The student should call or schedule an interview with an admissions officer at her/his top college to ask about funding given to early-decision candidates. The student should not be afraid to ask, or think it will jeopardize her/his chances of acceptance. Students have this right and admissions officers understand this and will answer honestly.
Pay Off Debt Quickly
It is enticing to apply for early decision, and if a student weighs all the financial options and still wants to go ahead and do so, that is fine. However, the other option is to put the student’s financial well-being first. Graduating with a massive amount of debt may not be that appealing five, ten or up to twenty-five years down the line when post-graduates are trying to buy a house, provide for their family or take a relaxing vacation. In addition, students should prepare for times of financial instability or a deep recession, such as in today’s economy.
Students should set their financial goals early instead. For example, does the student want to buy an apartment right out of college? Will the post graduate have to buy a car for her/his new career? When does s/he want to start a family, what is the ideal age? Do I need someone to write my essay for me while graduating? Once all the post-graduation financial factors are taken into consideration, it is time to make the best decision.
Applying early decision may not be the right choice financially, since those who do are often left behind when grants and low-interest Stafford loans are doled out. Instead, a student should think about life after college financially, and then go ahead and apply how s/he sees fit.
Summing Up
Applying to college early decision can be a great way to increase your chances of getting into your dream school. However, there are also some definite downsides to this strategy. First of all, early decision applications are binding, which means that if you are accepted, you are committed to attending that college. This can take away some of the flexibility that comes with the regular decision process. Additionally, applying early decision can be very stressful, as you only have one shot at getting into your top choice school. If you are rejected, you will have to scramble to put together a new application for the regular decision deadline. Finally, applying early decision can be expensive, as many schools require a non-refundable deposit if you are accepted. For all these reasons, it is important to carefully weigh the pros and cons of applying to college early decision before making a final decision.