Why Should I Consider Early Decision 2 (ED2)?

 

Why is Early Decision 2 (ED2) right for you?

“Why should I consider ED2?”

Because you are so, so much more likely to get in when you apply Early Decision.

Depending on the selectivity of the school, applying EARLY can make it 5 TIMES EASIER to get accepted.

Take a look at these Ivy League ED/RD acceptance rate differences:

Ivy League Colleges Overall Accept. Rate Regular Decision Accept. Rate Early Decision / Action Accept. Rate
Brown 5.08% 3.88% 12.98%
Columbia 3.93% NYP NYP
Cornell NYP NYP NYP
Dartmouth 6.07% 4.54% 19.21%
Harvard 3.41% 2.34% 7.56%
Penn NYP NYP NYP
Princeton NYP NYP NYP
Yale 4.35% 3.22% 10.89%

Okay - I’m sold - ED is the right call. What are the deadlines for ED2?

The following colleges do ED2 - and here’s a list of the difference between ED and RD acceptance rates from last year. We’ve highlighted the following:

  • RED highlights are highly selective schools with ED2 deadlines

  • YELLOW highlights are colleges in which the difference between ED and RD admission rate is extremely high!

Institution ED Admission Rate RD Admission Rate Difference between ED/RD acceptance rates ED 2 Deadline
American University 87% 63% 24% January 15
Babson College 39% 24% 15% January 2
Bates College 60% 14% 46% January 10
Bennington College 50% 64% -14% January 15
Bentley University 70% 61% 9% January 15
Boston University 32% 18% 14% January 4
Bowdoin College 27% 7% 20% January 5
Brandeis University Not Reported 39% Not Reported January 3
Bryn Mawr College 57% 38% 19% January 1
Bucknell University 55% 33% 22% January 15
Carleton College 22% 17% 5% January 15
Case Western Reserve University Not Reported 30% Not Reported January 15
Claremont McKenna College Not Reported 11% Not Reported January 10
Colby College Not Reported 9% Not Reported January 1
Colgate University 44% 15% 29% January 15
College of the Holy Cross 82% 41% 41% January 15
College of William and Mary 51% 41% 10% January 2
College of Wooster 70% 40% 30% January 15
Colorado College 29% 9% 20% January 15
Connecticut College 52% 40% 12% January 15
Davidson College Not Reported 18% Not Reported January 8
Denison College 43% 27% 16% January 15
Dickinson College 69% 47% 22% January 15
Emory University 26% 12% 14% January 1
Franklin & Marshall College 57% 36% 21% January 15
George Washington University 66% 49% 17% January 5
Gettysburg College 64% 56% 8% January 15
Grinnell College 58% 8% 50% January 1
Hamilton College 41% 12% 29% January 4
Harvey Mudd College 21% 9% 12% January 5
Haverford College 43% 15% 28% January 5
Hobart and William Smith Colleges 83% 66% 17% January 15
Johns Hopkins University 15% 6% 9% January 3 2024
Kenyon College Not Reported 37% Not Reported January 15
Lafayette College 53% 40% 13% January 15
Lehigh University 70% 44% 26% January 1
Macalester College 49% 17% 32% January 1
Middlebury College 45% 11% 34% January 3
Mount Holyoke College 54% 52% 2% January 4
New York University Not Reported 13% Not Reported January 15
Northeastern University Not Reported 18% Not Reported January 1
Oberlin College 44% 34% 10% January 2
Occidental College 59% 37% 22% January 10
Pitzer College 47% 15% 32% January 6
Pomona College Not Reported 7% Not Reported January 8
Reed College Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported December 20
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Not Reported 42% Not Reported December 15
Rhodes College 84% 42% 42% January 15
Santa Clara University 84% 32% 52% January 7
Sarah Lawrence College 65% 49% 16% January 15
Scripps College 51% 28% 23% January 5
Sewanee: The University of the South 72% 40% 32% January 15
Skidmore College 53% 29% 24% January 15
Smith College 58% 27% 31% January 1
St. Olaf College 48% 32% 16% January 15
Swarthmore College Not Reported 8% Not Reported January 4
Trinity College Not Reported 38% Not Reported January 14
Trinity University 66% 17% 49% February 1
Tufts University Not Reported 11 Not Reported January 4
Tulane University 31% Not Reported Not Reported January 13
Union College 61% 37% 24% January 15
University of Chicago Did not report 6% Not Reported January 4
University of Miami 65% 16% 49% January 1
University of Richmond 55% 21% 34% January 1
Vanderbilt University 18% 6% 12% January 1
Vassar College Not Reported 20% Not Reported January 1
Wake Forest University Not Reported 25% Not Reported January 1
Washington and Lee University 48% 16% 32% January 1
Washington University in St. Louis 29% 11% 18% January 4
Wellesley College 40% 13% 27% January 1
Wesleyan University 55% 17% 38% January 1
Whitman College 57% 59% -2% January 10

AND REMEMBER: ED2 still counts as part of that ED number. While Ivies don’t offer ED2, MANY highly selective schools do.

If you look at the difference between the ED rate and the RD rate, there’s no question that you should apply ED. ED2 is for folks who either weren’t ready to apply ED1 or did apply ED1 and didn’t get in.

Elite liberal arts schools Middlebury and Grinnell have already filled over 60% of their incoming classes through Early Decision. University of Virginia fills 25% of their class through ED; Northeastern is almost the same at 23%. Get in early and lock in your dream school!

Learn more about Early Decision, Early Action, and how it all impacts your financial aid! And if you need any help getting ready, just let us know!

 
Alyssa the College Expert