With Early Action and Early Decision behind us, students are now focused on Regular Decision applications. But, wait. What is Early Decision II?
What is Early Decision II?
Early Decision II follows the same set of rules as Early Decision, but with a later application deadline in mid-January. Just like regular ED, Early Decision II is a binding application, which means students who are accepted are obligated to enroll and withdraw their applications from any other universities they’ve applied to. Similarly, they are only allowed to apply Early Decision II to one school only.
If it’s exactly the same, why is there a second deadline? Well, it gives applicants a second chance to commit to an university they are really interested in enrolling. Additionally, it helps colleges attract committed students who may have needed more time with their application. In return, colleges can improve their yield rates—the percentage of admitted students who attend—since all admitted ED II students are committed to enrolling.
Should students apply Early Decision II?
There are two scenarios here. Since the Early Decision II deadline typically falls in mid-January, students would have already received their application results from the initial ED round. For applicants who were rejected, if they have a clear second favorite, Early Decision II might just be the choice for them.
Based on acceptance numbers and rates in the past, students who apply ED (I or II) do have a better odds of admissions. Again, this comes back to universities looking to improve their yield rates and filling their incoming class. This, however, doesn’t imply that everyone should apply Early Decision II. Just like with regular ED, all applicants should be 100% confident that the university they apply to is the best fit for them.
For those who didn’t apply Early Decision, this is their chance. If they do have a top choice in mind that offers Early Decision II, this is their opportunity to show their dream school their commitment to them. With a later application deadline, applicants have the opportunity to improve their standardized test scores, confirm their college preferences and assess their financial needs. Applicants applying to Early Decision II will also have to take into account their fall semester grades from senior year. So, if students have continued to show a consistent academic performance even in the middle of the application process, they’ll have a competitive advantage.
When is the Early Decision II Deadline & Notification Date?
Most application deadlines for ED II fall on the same day as the Regular Decision deadline on January 1st. There are many Early Decision II deadlines that are as late as mid-January, so make sure you double check with the university you’re interested in applying to. You’ll be notified of your ED II application results in mid-February before the Regular Decision results come out in late March/early April. If you get accepted, you’ll have to withdraw all other applications.
Which Universities offer Early Decision II?
There are a lot of universities that offer Early Decision II, but here is a shortlist of universities that do:
American University
Bard College
Bates College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brandeis University
Bryant University
Bryn Mawr College
Bucknell University
Carleton College
Case Western Reserve University
Claremont McKenna Colleges
Colby College
Colgate University
Davidson College
Denison College
Dickinson College
Emory University
Franklin & Marshall College
George Washington University
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Harvey Mudd College
Kenyon College
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Macalester College
Middlebury College
Mount Holyoke College
New York University
Northeastern University
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Pomona College
Reed College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps College
Skidmore College
Smith College
Swarthmore College
Trinity College
Trinity University
Tufts University
University of Chicago
University of Miami
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Our premium plans offer different levels of profile access and data insights that can help you get into your dream school. Unlock any of our packages or search our undergraduate profile database to find specific profiles that can help you make an informed choice about where to apply! We have 60,000+ successful college application files uploaded by college students. See how they got in, and how you can too!
About The Author
Back