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What Is Early Decision in College Admissions?
2024-07-25•49 minute read
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What Is Early Decision
Types of Early Decision
Schools With ED 1 and 2
Early Decision Acceptance Rates
Pros & Cons of Applying ED
Should You Apply ED?
Early Decision (ED) can impact your chance of getting into your dream university. This article explains the ins and outs of ED: what it is, the deadlines, the pros and cons of applying ED, and financial aid considerations. Whether you're a high school student navigating the college application journey or a parent seeking clarity, this guide will help you decide whether applying ED is right for you!
What Is Early Decision (ED)?
Early Decision (ED) is a college application process where you can submit your application to a preferred college early in your senior year — typically by November. Early Decision results are announced around mid-December.
Early Decision is distinct from other application routes, such as Regular Decision (RD) and Early Action (EA).
While EA allows applicants to apply early to multiple institutions and receive non-binding early responses, ED involves a binding agreement: if you're granted admission by the school, you agree to accept the offer and withdraw all of your other applications.
This contractual-type agreement to attend if admitted distinguishes Early Decision from Early Action. Because of the binding agreement, the ED option is not to be taken lightly, requiring thorough understanding and careful consideration.
An upside to Applying ED is that it typically means you're likely to benefit from a significantly higher acceptance rate, compared to acceptance rates for students applying RD to the same school.
With acceptance rates at the Ivy League schools and other top-ranked institutions at their lowest ever, applying early can be one compelling option as part of a comprehensive application strategy.
In a moment we'll take a closer look at ED acceptance rates and explore the pros and cons of applying ED, so keep reading!
Types of Early Decision
Many schools only offer Early Decision. However, some schools offer two Early Decision timelines, ED 1 and ED 2.
What you need to know about ED 1 and ED 2:
- Same Policy & Commitments: ED 1 and ED 2 typically involves the same policies, and whichever type you apply under, you're typically subject to the same binding agreement if admitted.
- Variations in Acceptance Rates: In most cases you're likely to discover that the ED 2 acceptance rate is slightly lower than the ED 1 rate at the same school, but still better than the Regular Decision acceptance rate.
- Different Timelines: ED 2 application timelines typically fall between ED 1 and Regular Decision timelines. While ED 1 application deadlines are typically in early November, ED 2 deadlines typically fall between January 1st and January 15th.
- Popularity: You'll find many schools offering only ED, and also many schools offering ED1/ED2. While more schools offer only one ED round, many popular, top-ranked schools do offer ED1/ED2.
Top Schools Offering ED 1 and 2
The following are some of the more popular, high-ranking schools offering both ED 1 and ED 2 options:
- American University
- Boston College
- Boston University
- Claremont McKenna College
- Emory University
- George Washington University
- Harvey Mudd College
- Johns Hopkins University
- New York University (NYU)
- Northeastern University
- Santa Clara University
- Smith College
- Swarthmore College
- Tufts University
- University of Miami
- Vanderbilt University
- Vassar College
- Washington University in St. Louis
Remember, admissions policies and offerings are subject to change and this represents only a partial list of ED 2 schools.
Application Timelines: ED 1 vs. ED 2
| Early Decision / Early Decision 1 | Early Decision 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Application Timeline* | Early November | Early January |
| Notification Timeline* | December or early January | Early to Late February |
*Deadlines and timelines can vary by institution and year to year, and are subject to change.
Check out Mark Your Calendars: Understanding Early Application Notification Dates to learn more.
Early Decision Acceptance Rates
Below you'll get a glimpse of just how high Early Decision acceptance rates can go at top schools, at the Ivy League schools that offer Early Decision, and at a select handful of top-ranked Non-Ivies.
Keep in mind that rates can change from year to year, not all schools report acceptance rate data or report it promptly, and typically the rates for ED 2 rounds specifically will not be as high as rates for ED 1 at the same the school.
Ivy League ED Acceptance Rates vs. Overall Acceptance Rates
| University | Number of ED Applicants | Admitted | Class of 2028 EARLY DECISION Rate | Class of 2028 OVERALL ACCEPTANCE Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | 6,770 | 879 | 14.4% | 5.16% |
| Columbia | 6,009 | 751* | 12.5%* | 3.85% |
| Dartmouth | 3,009 | 578 | 17% | 5.32% |
| Cornell | na | na | na | na |
| Penn | 8,500 | 1,190* | 14%* | 5.4% |
* Figures based on estimates
Non-Ivies ED Acceptance Rates vs. Overall Acceptance Rates
| University | Number of ED Applicants | Admitted | Class of 2028 ED ACCEPTANCE Rate | Class of 2028 OVERALL ACCEPTANCE Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke (ED) | 4,855 | 800 | 13% | 5.15% |
| Johns Hopkins (ED1) | 2,700 | 533 | 19.5% | 6.2% |
| Northeastern (ED) | 3,000 | 600 | 20% | 5% |
| Rice (ED) | 2,886 | 887 | 15.32% | 7.51% |
| Vanderbilt (ED1/2) | 5,835 | 886* | 15.2% | 5.09% |
| Emory (ED1) | 2,704 | 864 | 32% | 14.49% |
* Figures based on estimates
As you can see, Early Decision acceptance rates at top schools are very competitive but they typically offer applicants a significant statistical edge compared to overall acceptance rates, not to mention that Regular Decision rates are almost always the lowest of all.
In addition to this statistical advantage based on acceptance rates, ED applicants may also benefit from the interest most top schools have in boosting and predicting yield rates — the more students who choose to attend the school if admitted, the higher the school's yield rate. Higher yield rates can help schools maintain high rankings, putting ED applicants in a favorable light.
“Students who get admitted under Early Decision plans have to withdraw any other applications they made, so that offers colleges a lot of certainty around their yield rates and enrollment numbers. ”
- Fangzhou Jiang, Co-Founder, Crimson Education
Pros and Cons of Applying Early Decision
Pros of Early Decision
Increased Admission Chances: ED has the highest acceptance rate out of the three application deadline options (ED, EA, and RD). This is probably due to a smaller pool of applicants and very strong applications.
Demonstrated Interest: Schools like to see that you’re prioritizing them and have compelling reasons for attending their school. By meeting the early application deadline and committing to attending if accepted, you're clearly showing which school is your top choice.
“Acceptance rates for early rounds tend to be slightly higher than regular round, but a lot of times it's not because schools are evaluating applications differently. It's because, what we see, is that most of the time students who are applying early generally are more motivated to go to the school and this is reflected in the quality of their application and essay writing.”
- Steve Han, US Strategist, Crimson Education
Streamlined Process: ED accelerates the application process and gives you an early admission decision. You’ll know whether you were accepted by December of your senior year.
Yield Rate Coattails: Schools are often motivated to admit a high percentage of ED applicants, because higher yield rates can boost the school's rankings. Likewise, being able to predict yield rates can help schools manage enrollment numbers.
ED applicants offer the highest and most predictable yield rates — they have to accept if admitted. This yield rate factor can motivate schools to accept a greater percentage of ED applicants.
Potential Scholarship Opportunities: Some colleges award more substantial financial aid packages to ED applicants. This is not a general rule, though. Ask each school about available scholarships to know for sure.
Cons of Early Decision
Binding Commitment: If accepted through ED, you're obligated to attend that institution. This restricts your options to explore other potential offers or compare financial aid packages.
Pressure to Decide Early: The ED application deadline is earlier than the Regular Decision deadline. This can increase your stress if you’re not ready to commit by November of your senior year, for ED/ED1, or by early January for ED2.
Financial Implications: Given the binding nature of ED, families might face challenges if the financial aid package is not sufficient. Admissions officers expect that you have considered the financial implications of your application when you apply early.
Navigating Admissions Deferrals
If you are neither accepted nor denied outright, you will be deferred to the Regular Decision round. In this case, the college will reevaluate your application with the larger pool of applicants.
Some colleges release you from the binding agreement when you are deferred or waitlisted, enabling you to apply to other institutions.
Keep in mind, deferrals may entail other requirements, as the school may request more information about your senior year: about extracurriculars, grades, IB/AP scores, and so on.
If you are rejected after applying ED, you can’t apply again to the same school that academic year.
A Comprehensive List of ED Schools
Below is a complete alphabetical list of US universities that offer Early Decision with 2023’s Early Decision and Regular Decision acceptance rates.
Note that the following states do not have any schools that offer undergraduate Early Decision: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Early Decision Colleges and Acceptance Rates
| University | State | Early Decision Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Allegheny College | Pennsylvania | 79.9% |
| American University | Washington, D.C. | 65% |
| Amherst College | Massachusetts | 31% |
| Bard College | New York | 89% |
| Barnard College | New York | 26% |
| Bates College | Maine | 48% |
| Bennington College | Vermont | 54% |
| Bentley University | Massachusetts | 78% |
| Boston College | Massachusetts | 30% |
| Boston University | Massachusetts | 34% |
| Bowdoin College | Maine | 13.5% |
| Brandeis University | Massachusetts | 49% |
| Brown University | Rhode Island | 14.4% |
| Bryn Mawr College | Pennsylvania | 57% |
| Bucknell University | Pennsylvania | 63% |
| Carleton College | Minnesota | 32% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Pennsylvania | 12.5% |
| Case Western Reserve University | Ohio | 33% |
| Christopher Newport University | Virginia | 92% |
| Claremont McKenna College | California | 30% |
| Clarkson University | New York | 81% |
| Colby College | Maine | 42% |
| Colgate University | New York | 25% |
| College of the Atlantic | Maine | 80% |
| College of William and Mary | Virginia | 50% |
| Colorado College | Colorado | 44% |
| Columbia University | New York | 12.5% |
| Connecticut College | Connecticut | 49% |
| Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | New York | 33% |
| Cornell University | New York | N/A |
| Davidson College | North Carolina | 43% |
| Dartmouth College | New Hampshire | 17% |
| Denison University | Ohio | 31% |
| DePauw University | Indiana | 50% |
| Dickinson College | Pennsylvania | 58% |
| Drexel University | Pennsylvania | 92% |
| Drew University | New Jersey | 98% |
| Duke University | North Carolina | 13% |
| Elon University | North Carolina | 90% |
| Emory University | Georgia | 32% |
| Fairfield University | Connecticut | 83% |
| Flagler College | Florida | 70% |
| Florida Southern College | Florida | 72% |
| Fordham University | New York | 67% |
| Franklin & Marshall College | Pennsylvania | 58% |
| Furman University | South Carolina | 41% |
| George Washington University | District of Columbia | 66% |
| Gettysburg College | Pennsylvania | 55% |
| Grove City College | Pennsylvania | 95% |
| Hamilton College | New York | 34% |
| Harvey Mudd College | California | 19% |
| Haverford College | Pennsylvania | 41% |
| High Point University | North Carolina | 79% |
| Hillsdale College | Michigan | 33% |
| Hobart and William Smith Colleges | New York | 74% |
| Ithaca College | New York | 94% |
| Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 19.5% |
| Juniata College | Pennsylvania | 67% |
| Kalamazoo College | Michigan | 75% |
| Kenyon College | Ohio | 44% |
| Lafayette College | Pennsylvania | 43% |
| Lake Forest College | Illinois | 38% |
| Lawrence University | Wisconsin | 69% |
| Lehigh University | Pennsylvania | 66% |
| Lewis & Clark College | Oregon | 72% |
| Lynchburg College | Virginia | 81% |
| Macalester College | Minnesota | 53% |
| Manhattan College | New York | N/A |
| Marist College | New York | 77% |
| Merrimack College | Massachusetts | 47% |
| Miami University | Ohio | N/A |
| Middlebury College | Vermont | 42% |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Missouri | N/A |
| Muhlenberg College | Pennsylvania | 73% |
| Nazareth College | New York | 91% |
| New College of Florida | Florida | N/A |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | New Jersey | N/A |
| New York University | New York | N/A |
| Northeastern University | Massachusetts | 20% |
| Northwestern University | Illinois | 22% |
| Occidental College | California | 59% |
| Pitzer College | California | 40% |
| Pomona College | California | 17% |
| Providence College | Rhode Island | 87% |
| Purdue University | Indiana | N/A |
| Quinnipiac University | Connecticut | 89% |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey | New Jersey | 85% |
| Reed College | Oregon | 33% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | New York | 54% |
| Rhodes College | Tennessee | 58% |
| Rice University | Texas | 15.3% |
| Rollins College | Florida | 55% |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Indiana | N/A |
| Saint Mary's College | Indiana | 71% |
| Salisbury University | Maryland | 91% |
| Santa Clara University | California | 83% |
| Sarah Lawrence College | New York | 59% |
| Scripps College | California | 40% |
| Skidmore College | New York | 51% |
| Smith College | Massachusetts | 49% |
| Southern Methodist University | Texas | 71% |
| Southwestern University | Texas | 34% |
| Spelman College | Georgia | 29% |
| St. John Fisher College | New York | 76% |
| St. Lawrence University | New York | 73% |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | New Jersey | 59% |
| Stonehill College | Massachusetts | 89% |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | New York | 75% |
| Swarthmore College | Pennsylvania | 19% |
| Syracuse University | New York | 60% |
| Texas Christian University | Texas | 79% |
| The College of New Jersey | New Jersey | 97% |
| Trinity College | Connecticut | 54% |
| Tufts University | Massachusetts | N/A |
| Tulane University | Louisiana | 68% |
| Union College | New York | 69% |
| University of Delaware | Delaware | N/A |
| University of Denver | Colorado | 62% |
| University of Georgia | Georgia | N/A |
| University of Miami | Florida | 57% |
| University of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 14% |
| University of Puget Sound | Washington | 53% |
| University of Redlands | California | 100% |
| University of Richmond | Virginia | 44% |
| University of Rochester | New York | 43% |
| University of San Francisco | California | 62% |
| University of the South | Tennessee | 60% |
| University of Virginia | Virginia | 45% |
| Ursinus College | Pennsylvania | 98% |
| Vanderbilt University | Tennessee | 15.2% |
| Vassar College | New York | 39% |
| Villanova University | Pennsylvania | 55% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) | Virginia | 50% |
| Washington and Lee University | Virginia | 42% |
Note: Some figures are based on prior years' data, or on projections or estimates.
Early Decision and Financial Aid
Even if you’re fully committed to your top school choice, there are financial aid considerations to keep in mind.
- As mentioned earlier, if you are accepted ED but cannot afford to attend the school, you may be released from your legally binding commitment.
- You won’t be able to compare financial aid packages when you apply Early Decision. You must be willing to accept whatever financial aid package is offered by the school.
- You can still apply for federal aid if you apply ED. The FAFSA form opens October 1, and early decision deadlines are around November 1. So you should have a month to fill out the forms before your ED deadline.
- You may not receive a merit-based scholarship if you apply ED. Colleges typically use merit scholarships to entice great students to attend. But they don’t have incentive to offer scholarships to students who have already committed.
- If you have applied for other scholarships, you may not hear back from them until after your Early Decision results have been released.
Strategies for Successful Early Decision Applications
1. Thorough Research: Understand the institution's culture, programs, and offerings to ensure a genuine fit before committing.
2. Financial Preparation: Assess the college's financial aid policies thoroughly and discuss potential implications with your family or financial advisors.
3. Application Readiness: Complete all necessary components, such as essays, transcripts, and recommendations, well in advance to meet the early deadline effectively.
Should You Apply Early Decision?
Given the commitment you're making, you'll want to apply ED if you truly have one top school you really want to get into, you understand your commitment, and you've reviewed the financial aid implications.
Depending on the school, you might increase your chances of acceptance by applying ED. An ED application will also demonstrate your interest and commitment to your top-choice school — qualities admissions officers love to see.
Keep in mind that Early Decision alone doesn't give you a better chance of getting accepted. Crimson Education US admissions strategist Steve Han says that ED applicants he works with often succeed in large part because of the motivation they have to submit a really stellar application and well written essays.
In other words, even if you apply early, you still need to submit the strongest possible application, crafting a coherent narrative around a compelling profile, demonstrating a good fit for that school, and attending to each part of your application, including letters of recommendation.
For help with deciding whether to apply Early Decision and for crafting the kind of application submitted by top applicants, book a free consultation with one of our skilled academic advisers.
Final Thoughts
When applying to colleges, Early Decision is clearly distinguished from Early Action by the fact that you're committing to attend the school if admitted.
Given this kind of binding commitment, applying ED should be done with careful thought. That said, with higher acceptance rates and schools' efforts to manage yield rates in play, applying ED can put your application on a more favorable footing. With Regular Decision acceptance rates at top schools lower than ever, an ED strategy is worth considering.
If you want more insights for your decision making, speak with a Crimson strategist for personalized guidance and feedback. You'll be surprised how much more confident you'll feel about the next steps in your college journey as you uncover strategies used by top applicants!
About the Contributor
Steve Han
With over eight years of experience in college admissions, Steve holds a BA in biology from UChicago and has engaged in various roles such as teaching, advising, and performing music. A former Admissions Officer at UChicago, Steve now supports students in gaining admission to top universities.
