Are early decisions really binding?

[chocoholic]

I'm really torn right now. I applied ED to my dream program, knowing that that is where I wanted to go, 100%. I was aware that the tuition is very steep, but I also was aware that there are many scholarships and assistantships available. At the same time that I submitted my application I submitted my applications for financial aid, assuming (wrongly I know, now) that they would only admit me if they were willing to give me the financial aid I desperately need. I recently found out that I was admitted, with a whopping assistantship amounting to...hold your breathe here....$2000 a year. This is a drop in the bucket compared to their tuition and would barely help me, as I have been barely getting by on 20K a year and have very little savings to speak of. Theoretically I could attend this program if I wanted to, but I would be looking at over 100K in student loans. When I applied I had no idea that the award amount was so low. If I had I would have never applied, and certainly not ED. Now, I could see getting into this kind of debt as a future doctor, or lawyer, or MBA, but I plan to become a psychotherapist. There's no conceivable way that I will get a job as a therapist in which I would make enough money to pay this back. I am wondering just how binding ED is. They state that if you are admitted, you agree to enroll and withdraw all other applications to other schools. At the same time, I am being given the option of whether I want to matriculate or not, by March 1st, so I am confused.

Now, I do take the blame for most of this. I should have done my research. I have never heard of the ED process before and didn't really understand what I was getting into by applying under ED. If I had done my research I would have applied regular decision, but it's too late now, and I can't even stomach the thought of going 100K into debt for a career that obviously will not enable me to realistically be able to pay this amount back. I have applied to several other schools (mostly public, in-state) that I know I have a good shot of gettiing into, where I would pay half of this price or less. I am also pretty crushed about not being able to go to my dream school. I've wanted it for the longest time but I just can't see any conceivable way of making this dream come true.

[ANDS!]

You are not legally obligated to attend - even if you accepted their offer.

[fes_alum]

You are not obligated to accept their offer. However, if you do accept their offer and later change your mind, you need to get the program/grad school to "release you" before you can accept another offer. If the grad school doesn't grant you a release, you're pretty much SOL for a year.

[Eigen]

I'm really torn right now. I applied ED to my dream program, knowing that that is where I wanted to go, 100%. I was aware that the tuition is very steep, but I also was aware that there are many scholarships and assistantships available. At the same time that I submitted my application I submitted my applications for financial aid, assuming (wrongly I know, now) that they would only admit me if they were willing to give me the financial aid I desperately need. I recently found out that I was admitted, with a whopping assistantship amounting to...hold your breathe here....$2000 a year. This is a drop in the bucket compared to their tuition and would barely help me, as I have been barely getting by on 20K a year and have very little savings to speak of. Theoretically I could attend this program if I wanted to, but I would be looking at over 100K in student loans. When I applied I had no idea that the award amount was so low. If I had I would have never applied, and certainly not ED. Now, I could see getting into this kind of debt as a future doctor, or lawyer, or MBA, but I plan to become a psychotherapist. There's no conceivable way that I will get a job as a therapist in which I would make enough money to pay this back. I am wondering just how binding ED is. They state that if you are admitted, you agree to enroll and withdraw all other applications to other schools. At the same time, I am being given the option of whether I want to matriculate or not, by March 1st, so I am confused.

Now, I do take the blame for most of this. I should have done my research. I have never heard of the ED process before and didn't really understand what I was getting into by applying under ED. If I had done my research I would have applied regular decision, but it's too late now, and I can't even stomach the thought of going 100K into debt for a career that obviously will not enable me to realistically be able to pay this amount back. I have applied to several other schools (mostly public, in-state) that I know I have a good shot of gettiing into, where I would pay half of this price or less. I am also pretty crushed about not being able to go to my dream school. I've wanted it for the longest time but I just can't see any conceivable way of making this dream come true.

You need to talk to the school. There's a definite reason you aren't able to attend, and they might well be willing to grant you a release. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to take this chance to ask about possibilities of other financial support, aid, etc.

As fes_alum said, however, if they won't grant you a realease, you're kinda SoL this year. You agreed, at the time you applied ED to enroll and withdraw all other applications if accepted, and I'm betting that was part of what your signature/digital signature on the application covered.

[chocoholic]

You need to talk to the school. There's a definite reason you aren't able to attend, and they might well be willing to grant you a release. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to take this chance to ask about possibilities of other financial support, aid, etc.

As fes_alum said, however, if they won't grant you a realease, you're kinda SoL this year. You agreed, at the time you applied ED to enroll and withdraw all other applications if accepted, and I'm betting that was part of what your signature/digital signature on the application covered.

With that said, how do I go about politely letting them know of my situation? I don't want to come off like I'm begging for money, but at the same time, I'm not really ready to give up on this program as a possibility. I know there are scholarships and assistantships available larger than the amount being offered to me, and I'm wondering if there's a way to ask (or imply) if I could get a larger award. At this point I don't have much to lose...the worst thing they will do is say no, in which case I would be prepared to decline their offer.

[Eigen]

Hmm, have you been in contact with anyone particular there?

I'd just phrase it something like "I am really excited by the admission, but in light of some recent financial realities there really isn't any way I can attend on such a small stipend with no tuition waiver. Is there any more financial aid that will open up later in the season, or perhaps opportunities for work-study programs? In the absence of any other sources of funding, I'm afraid that I will end up having to ask for a release to look elsewhere, and I would really hate to have that happen"

You want to keep the balance on the fact that (a) it *is* your dream school, and ( hit home that it's just a financial impossibility. That way you're not just choosing to go somewhere else, and it gives them a chance to see if they can dig up other funding/tuition waivers for you.