Is Early Decision a Good Decision?

This weekend, The New York Times published “An Early Decision Student Backed Out of Tulane. Tulane Punished the High School,” by Kailyn Rhone. It tells the story of a student who broke an Early Decision agreement with Tulane — and the university’s surprising decision to penalize the student’s high school.

Early decision is the only truly binding admission plan - a formal commitment signed by the student, counselor, and parent. Any other admissions round, like early action and regular decision, are not binding; leaving students free to choose which school is the best fit academically, socially, and financially.

For families concerned about cost, Early Decision can be risky. Students admitted this way must commit before seeing their full aid package — and if the numbers don’t work, backing out can have consequences.

According to The College Navigator’s Instagram post on December 23, 2024, Tulane’s early decision acceptance rate was about 57% compared to a regular admission acceptance rate of 13%. 

Crimson Education notes that “ED acceptance rates can be two to three times higher than Regular Decision rates.” For a school with an overall acceptance rate of 13%, that means roughly 30% of Early Decision applicants may be admitted.

Tulane’s cost of attendance is listed at over $92,000 per year, and the university does not meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. These are major red flags for low-income students considering Early Decision.

As of 2017, the median family income of Tulane students was $180,700—nearly triple the U.S. median of $61,372 at that time. It’s worth considering what this says about how Early Decision policies can favor full-pay students, whether through family wealth or private loans.

It’s worth considering what this says about Tulane favoring full pay students, whether through wealth or outside loans. 

So how does one Early Decision applicant backing out of a non-legal contract affect Tulane? While the specifics are unclear, the university could have easily filled that spot with a student from Early Action, Regular Decision, or the waitlist. Given its ability to prioritize students who can pay full cost, the financial impact would likely be minimal. 

I found limited documentation of similar cases. While rumors of school-wide bans or disciplinary actions circulate, this may be one of the first publicly confirmed instances. In the 1 or 2 times I have students withdraw from Early Decision for financial reasons—such as insufficient aid or a sudden change in family circumstances—colleges respond with additional aid offers or simply release the student from the commitment.

It’s unclear what led Tulane to take such an extreme step. In most cases, colleges resolve these situations privately or with flexibility, especially when financial circumstances change.

If you’re weighing whether Early Decision is right for your Class of 2027 student, let’s talk. Together, we can explore strategies that balance opportunity with financial peace of mind.