Consequences of Early Decision at Northeastern

I'm planning to apply Early Decision (ED) to Northeastern because it's my first choice, but I'm a bit worried. How binding is the commitment if I get accepted? Will I be able to compare financial aid packages with other colleges?

When you apply Early Decision to a university like Northeastern, you are entering a binding agreement. This means that if you get accepted, you are expected to enroll at that school and withdraw all other college applications.

With regards to financial aid, it's important to note that applying ED means you are committing to attend the school before you have all financial aid offers on the table from other colleges you might apply to regularly. It's for this reason you should ensure beforehand that Northeastern is a viable option financially for you and your family. I recommend you use Northeastern's net price calculator to generate an estimate of the financial aid you may receive: https://npc.collegeboard.org/app/northeastern.

However, there is an exception to the binding commitment if the financial aid package you're offered is inadequate and creates a circumstance where you genuinely cannot afford to attend the school. In such cases, you would need to communicate this to the school and they may release you from the agreement. However, this should definitely be seen as a last resort, not a standard part of the process.So, to summarize, while Early Decision can potentially increase your chances of getting into your first-choice university, it is a binding agreement and should be pursued only when you're absolutely certain that the university is your top choice and that it aligns with your financial considerations. It might be worth discussing this with family, teachers, or a guidance counselor before making the decision. Northeastern itself encourages ED applications, and you can read about why here: https://admissions.northeastern.edu/application-information/early-decision-benefits/. ED may or may not be the right choice for you, but it's a pretty serious decision, so you'll want to consider carefully before you make your choice.