I've been trying my best to come up with a fun youtube explanation of the different EA/ED decisions like last year, but with so many copyright issues and videos unavailable, I've come up short. So, just a post will have to do.
There are three outcomes to any admission application: admit, defer/waitlist, and deny. Defer is what happens in an EA/ED round and waitlist is what happens in the regular round.
With an admit, for an ED school, the game is over. It means you will be enrolling at that school and you need to withdraw all of your other applications. There is no room for financial aid comparison and I can't, ethically, allow you to pursue any other schools if you have been given a spot via ED. To withdraw, you will most likely need to contact each of the other schools you have already submitted applications to, in writing, and say that you want to withdraw your application. No need to explain more, they know people apply ED. If you were smart and held off on pressing submit then your job is even easier, just clean up your Naviance account and send in your deposit.
If you were denied, this is a time to mourn. It is never fun to get bad news and I sympathize with how disappointed you must be. All you can do though is view it as a blessing in disguise. It means you were not meant to go to that school anyway and that you should focus your efforts on finding a better fit for you. At least you can go to bed knowing that you put your best foot forward, made your intentions clear, and gave yourself the best chance of being admitted.
Being deferred can be actually be more challenging than being denied, because it means you have to still cling to the hope that you could be admitted during regular. What you should do is be sure that you've emailed me about adding your name to the mid-year grade report list (so I will know to send your senior grades in January) and then focus your efforts on the rest of your applications. Next month, I also encourage you to contact the schools where you were deferred and send them a note letting them know of your continued interest (assuming that is that you have continued interest. If you were deferred from a school you really don't plan on going to anyway, this step is not necessary).
Tons of deadlines are coming in January, so the time is now to really get focused and finalize all essays and apps. Remember, if you need something sent in prior to break, get it to me asap. But yes, it is FINE to have me send something the week we are back even if the deadline was January 1. Deadlines are for students. School documents can come in during a short window after the deadline without penalty.
Remember, start gathering financial paperwork now, the FAFSA goes live January 1!
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