Just realized all apps have mention of "binding commitment" Forum

[hardrive6]

I submitted an app ED and made a concerted effort to adjust each PS for each school, but totally missed that the end of one sentence says 'is why I decided to make a binding commitment to enroll'. Next steps?

[rinkrat19]

You mean, you had that line in your PS? (Why?)

Luckily for you, I don't think an otherwise non-binding ED agreement suddenly becomes binding just because you wrote that in your PS. Unluckily for you, it was a fairly silly thing to write and if the adcomm reading your PSes catches it, they may not be left with the best overall impression. But I don't think it would be any worse than a typo on the order of like a their/there mistake or something.

[hardrive6]

You mean, you had that line in your PS? (Why?)

Luckily for you, I don't think an otherwise non-binding ED agreement suddenly becomes binding just because you wrote that in your PS. Unluckily for you, it was a fairly silly thing to write and if the adcomm reading your PSes catches it, they may not be left with the best overall impression. But I don't think it would be any worse than a typo on the order of like a their/there mistake or something.

Yes, it was in my PS. Not concerned about whether I created a contractual obligation (I obviously did not) so much as I am disappointed that I didn't catch it when making the changes from my ED PS to the more cookie-cutter RD PS. I assume that there is no way to amend the applications, considering some are already marked "Complete" but either way, needed a forum to vent/pity myself. It's particularly disappointing because each RD PS was fairly well-tailored for each school, with individual details, etc. Unfortunately the mistake was in the ED/RD transfer and thus made it into every one of the RD essays so far. Oh well -- guess I have now become just another cautionary tale.

[rinkrat19]

You can email a replacement essay directly to the schools and most admissions offices will replace it in/add it to you file. But prevailing theory is that doing that just draws more attention to the screw-up. So unless the error is fairly catastrophic (missing a page, printed in comic sans, etc.) it's probably better to just leave it.

[northwood]

worst case scenario is that you wait a year and reapply. I see no big deal here.

[hardrive6]

You can email a replacement essay directly to the schools and most admissions offices will replace it in/add it to you file. But prevailing theory is that doing that just draws more attention to the screw-up. So unless the error is fairly catastrophic (missing a page, printed in comic sans, etc.) it's probably better to just leave it.

Appreciate the advice, may very well do just that. Would likely disclose that I have applied ED somewhere else but that the school to which I am sending an amended PS is still one of my top choices. Would personally prefer to acknowledge and correct the mistake, however minor, than leave as is and let adcomms think I was oblivious to the issue.

[northwood]

you do realize that if you are accepted ED, this is all a moot point anyways?

[hephaestus]

You can email a replacement essay directly to the schools and most admissions offices will replace it in/add it to you file. But prevailing theory is that doing that just draws more attention to the screw-up. So unless the error is fairly catastrophic (missing a page, printed in comic sans, etc.) it's probably better to just leave it.

Appreciate the advice, may very well do just that. Would likely disclose that I have applied ED somewhere else but that the school to which I am sending an amended PS is still one of my top choices. Would personally prefer to acknowledge and correct the mistake, however minor, than leave as is and let adcomms think I was oblivious to the issue.

Adcoms may just read this as you saying you would attend if accepted, which is a pretty common device in PSs. I would not worry too much, and I definitely would not send replacement essays.