For a complete understanding of what happens after you apply, including being admitted, waitlisted, rejected, or conditionally admitted, see our comprehensive guide on admission decisions and common outcomes.

What Is the Fundamental Difference Between Early Decision and Early Action?

Understanding the core distinction between these two application plans is essential before making any strategic decisions about your college applications.

Early Decision (ED) is a binding promise. Under this program, students apply early, usually by November 1 or November 15, and receive decisions by mid-December. In return for this early review, the student, parents, and school counselor sign a pledge that if accepted, the student will attend that college, withdraw all other applications, and not accept any other offers of admission. You can only apply to one school Early Decision.

Early Decision Two (ED2) operates similarly but with later deadlines—typically about six to eight weeks after ED1. This allows students who weren’t ready for the November deadline, or who were deferred or denied from their ED1 school, to make a binding commitment to another institution.

Early Action (EA) offers an early application review without the binding commitment. Students may apply as early as mid-October and receive decisions as early as mid-December. However, EA applicants are under no obligation to accept an offer and can wait until May 1 to decide. Students may apply to multiple schools EA.

As veteran college admissions expert Jamie Berger explains: “Early action is something almost everyone should do. You’re not bound to a school. You’re just expressing genuine interest. And you get some answers in December or January, so you have some schools in your back pocket.”

Be aware that some elite universities offer their own variations, including Restrictive Early Action (REA) and Single Choice Early Action (SCEA). These non-binding programs require that you not apply early to other private colleges although you typically can apply EA to public universities.

When Should a Student Apply Early Decision vs. Early Action?

The decision between ED and EA should be driven by your specific circumstances, not by the assumption that “earlier is always better.”

Apply Early Decision when all three conditions are met:

First, the college must be far and away your first choice. Ask yourself honestly: “If I got into every college on my list, would I choose to go to this particular school?” If you can’t answer with a confident “yes,” ED to that school is not advised.

Second, you need a reasonable chance of admission. Are your grades and test scores within the range the university generally accepts? If your scores are slightly below the 50% range, do you have a “hook” that makes you appealing, such as legacy status, recruited athlete designation, first-generation college student status, or underrepresented background?

Third, if your family needs financial aid, the school should meet 100% of demonstrated need. Great College Advice generally does not recommend that students with significant financial need apply ED unless that school guarantees to meet full financial need.

Apply Early Action when:

• You want the benefits of early notification without binding yourself to one school. 
• You need to compare financial aid packages before committing. 
• You’re still exploring your options and haven’t identified a clear first choice. 
• You’ve had academic challenges that senior year grades could help overcome.

Jamie Berger notes: “The only time not to apply early action is when you’ve had a rough patch. Say your junior year grades were lower and you need to prove yourself in the first semester of senior year. That is the rare occasion when regular decision is going to be greatly to your advantage.”

Does Applying Early Decision Actually Increase Your Chances of Admission?

The statistical advantage of ED is real but often misunderstood.

Many highly selective colleges accept 30-50% of their entire freshman class through the ED process, and the ED applicant pool is typically smaller than the regular pool. This creates a genuine statistical advantage for qualified applicants. Colleges value ED applicants because they can count on those students enrolling, which helps them predict yield—a critical metric for admissions offices.

However, Great College Advice emphasizes an important caveat: “What may be statistically true for an entire pool of applicants may not be true for an individual applicant. Admission is not a matter of randomized statistics. If a student does not possess at least the minimum requirements for entrance to a particular college, they will not somehow sneak past the admissions gate in the early round.”

Early applicants are still judged on their merits. The ED advantage works for students who are already competitive for admission—it doesn’t transform a reach school into a likely one.

As one parent in the Great College Advice community observed: “Don’t waste your ED on a dream school where you’re significantly below their typical admits. Save that binding commitment for a school where you’re actually competitive and where it can make a real difference.”

The key question isn’t whether ED provides an advantage generally, but whether it provides an advantage for you specifically, given your academic profile and the schools you’re considering.

How Does Early Decision Affect Financial Aid and Scholarship Opportunities?

This may be the most consequential consideration for many families, and it’s often underestimated.

When you apply ED, you essentially give up the right to compare financial aid packages. As Jamie Berger explains: “Early decision favors families who can pay the full cost or can pay what the Net Price Calculator estimates. Every family should be running the NPC for each school they want to apply to, especially if they want to apply early decision. If it pumps out an amount you can’t pay, you shouldn’t apply early decision because you are bound to accept that offer.”

The financial implications extend beyond just comparing packages. The ED system can subtly disadvantage students with high financial need in ways that are difficult to prove. Great College Advice notes: “If a student with high financial need is qualified for admission but not necessarily a clear stand-out, they may be deferred to the regular round. The reason? A high-need student costs the institution more money. If the admissions office feels they will have to pay a heavy price to admit a student in the ED round, the college may choose to defer a decision so as to ‘shop around’ for better customers in the regular pool.”

Early Action preserves your negotiating power. Jamie Berger illustrates: “It’s somewhat like buying a car. If you get four financial offers and your top choice gives you the least money, you can write to them and ask if they can approach what school X is offering. Early action gives you that bargaining ability. Early decision does not—you’re bound to one school.”

While the ED commitment isn’t legally binding, it is ethically so. You can be released from the agreement if the financial aid package is insufficient, but this should be a genuine last resort—not a planned strategy to game the system.

What Are Restrictive Early Action (REA) and Single Choice Early Action (SCEA)?

Several elite universities have created their own early application variants that fall between standard EA and ED.

Restrictive Early Action (REA) is non-binding like regular EA, but it restricts you from applying Early Decision to any other private college. You can typically still apply EA to public universities.

Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) is also non-binding but more restrictive—you cannot apply ED or EA to any other school (with some exceptions for public universities).

Schools offering these programs include Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Stanford. The appeal for students is clear: you can apply early to a highly selective school without making a binding commitment. However, you cannot hedge your bets with other early applications to private institutions.

Understanding these distinctions is crucial when building your application strategy. Violating the restrictions—even accidentally—can result in rescinded applications or offers. Always read the fine print on each school’s early application policies and discuss your strategy with your counselor.

What Happens If I’m Deferred or Rejected in the Early Decision Round?

Not every ED application results in acceptance. Understanding your options after deferral or rejection is essential.

If you’re deferred, your application moves to the regular decision pool for reconsideration alongside all RD applicants. You’re released from any ED commitment and free to pursue other options, including applying ED2 elsewhere.

If you’re rejected, the decision is final for that application cycle, but you’re similarly released from the ED agreement.

Great College Advice states clearly: “Once a college has released you from the ED agreement either by deferring or denying you, you can feel free to tell another school that you will go there if accepted by applying ED2, if they offer an ED2 application plan.”

This is precisely why Great College Advice insists that students complete all applications before ED decisions arrive: “If a student is rejected from all ED and EA applications, they will have only about two weeks to complete and submit the remaining RD applications. Leaving all this work to the last minute means running the risk of submitting poorly crafted applications.”

Beyond the practical concerns, there’s an emotional dimension: “If a student is rejected by their first choice college, and maybe some second and third choices too, the psychological energy needed to complete those subsequent RD applications is significant. That disappointment can have a negative impact on the quality of those RD applications.”

Can I Back Out of an Early Decision Acceptance, and What Are the Consequences?

This question comes up frequently, and the answer requires understanding both the technical and practical realities.

Technically, the ED agreement is not a legal contract. You cannot be sued for breaking it. However, the consequences are serious enough that Great College Advice treats it as a moral promise.

Breaking the agreement could potentially ruin admissions chances at that university for future applicants from your high school, and will likely ruin your relationship with your high school counseling department. The ED agreement requires your counselor’s signature, and they are expected to enforce it. If you refuse to honor the agreement, the university may express its displeasure by refusing to admit future applicants from your school.

Jamie Berger puts it directly: “It’s not legally binding, but there are consequences if you back out. Consequences to the high school. Consequences to the kid.”

The only legitimate reason to withdraw from an ED acceptance is if the financial aid package is genuinely insufficient for your family to afford attendance. If that happens, you should work with the financial aid office to try to find a solution. If one cannot be reached, you can ask to be released from the commitment—but this should never be your planned strategy going in.

A community member noted: “We tell families to think of ED as a real commitment. Don’t sign it hoping the aid will work out or planning to back out if something better comes along. That’s not fair to the school, your counselor, or future applicants from your high school.”

Making Your Decision: A Strategic Framework

Choosing between Early Decision and Early Action isn’t about gaming the system—it’s about aligning your application strategy with your genuine circumstances and priorities.

Choose ED if: You have a clear, unwavering first choice. Your academic profile is competitive for that school. Your family can afford the school regardless of the specific aid package, OR the school guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated need. You’re ready to commit.

Choose EA if: You want early answers without binding commitments. You need to compare financial aid packages. You’re still refining your college list. You want to keep your options open while demonstrating genuine interest.

Choose Regular Decision if: You need senior year grades to strengthen your application. You’re not ready to commit to any school early. Your college list is still evolving significantly.

Remember that applying ED is the ultimate demonstration of interest—but it should only be done when it’s genuinely the right decision for your situation. As Great College Advice advises: “Please discuss any thoughts about applying Early Decision with your counselor” to ensure your strategy aligns with your goals, your profile, and your family’s needs.

Ready to Build Your Early Application Strategy?

Deciding between Early Decision and Early Action is one of the most important choices in your college admissions journey—and you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our team of veteran college admissions experts at Great College Advice can help you evaluate your options, identify the right schools for your ED or EA applications, and build a strategy that maximizes your chances of admission.

Schedule a free consultation today to discuss your student’s unique situation and get personalized guidance from professionals who have helped thousands of families navigate the admissions process successfully.

The post Early Decision vs. Early Action: Which Is Right? first appeared on Great College Advice.

What is Early Decision 2 (ED2)? 

Early Decision 2 application deadlines are usually January 1st or January 15th. You make the same promise to attend this university as you did in the ED1 round if you are accepted. When you apply ED2, you will receive a response from the college around mid-February. And if you are accepted in ED2, you must withdraw all other applications to other schools. Many selective colleges have adopted the ED2 round because it helps them manage enrollment better by increasing their yield rate.  

The yield rate is the percentage of students who receive an offer of admission who actually enroll in that college. Colleges want high yield rates. The elite universities generally yield above 50% of accepted students, with Harvard, MIT, Princeton and Yale’s yield rate typically above 70%. However, selective liberal arts colleges may have yield rates only in the 20-25% range. By accepting more students in the early decision rounds, a college’s yield rate will increase as the promise students make under binding ED programs means that the yield rate is 100% for these ED1 and ED2 students. 

Should I apply Early Decision 2? 

If you have a clear second choice school that you are genuinely excited about attending then definitely apply ED2 to this college. In general, ED2 gives you a statistically better shot at admission than if you go into the regular decision (RD) pool. Although colleges disclose overall ED acceptance rates, almost all do not break out the specific ED1 and ED 2 acceptance rates. However, ED2 acceptance rates will be lower vs. ED1 for various reasons, including ED1 athletic recruiting applications. But, ED2 acceptance rates are typically higher than RD acceptance rates.

Also, if you have applied Early Action (EA) to your clear second favorite choice and they happen to also offer the ED2 round, reach out to the admissions office and request that your application be moved into the ED2 pile. 

Mistakes to avoid in the Early Decision 2 round: 

• Did you overshoot in ED1 by applying to your dream college even though your grades, course rigor, etc. were well below that school’s typical accepted student profile? Don’t make this same mistake in ED2 as you are unlikely to be accepted. 

• Are you not excited about your ED2 choice but have been told that you need to apply ED2 anyway because it increases your admissions odds? Don’t do this. You need to be excited about this college as this is a binding commitment. If there is no clear #2 choice, then continue with your EA and RD application gameplan.

ED2 and Financial Aid 

Just as in the ED1 round, if you apply ED2 and need merit-based aid, it is possible that the financial offer will be lower than you had anticipated. Colleges swear that the offer just as much merit aid in the early rounds as they do in the regular rounds. But this is hard to prove one way or another. Colleges just aren’t that transparent about how they award financial aid. Learn more about applying for financial aid in this blog post.

However, if a financial aid award just isn’t enough (and assuming you did the research in advance using Net Price Calculators and the various federal and institutional financial aid calculators), tell the financial aid office of your Early Decision 2 college that you either need more money or you will have to be released from your binding agreement. Take the time to identify colleges in the RD round that are likely to offer financial aid packages that will come in at or under budget.   

Read more about calculating the real cost of college in our blog post.

Do you need help with the college admissions process?   

Just beginning the college admissions process but don’t know where to start? Please reach out to us for a complimentary consultation and learn how Great College Advice can make the process more successful and less stressful. We look forward to getting acquainted. 

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Early Decision 2 (ED2) College Admissions Advice first appeared on Great College Advice.

How much of an admissions advantage does Early Decision actually provide at highly selective colleges?

When should a family definitively choose Early Decision over Regular Decision—and when should they avoid ED entirely?

1. Certainty of Choice: If the student were admitted to every school on their list, this college must be the undisputed #1.
2. A Reasonable Chance: Academic profiles (GPA/Test Scores) should be within the school’s middle 50% range. If scores are slightly lower, the student should have a “hook”—such as being a recruited athlete, legacy student, or first-generation applicant.

3. Financial Viability: Families should run the school’s Net Price Calculator (NPC) before applying. If the estimated net price (defined as cost of attendance less financial aid)  is not affordable, the student should not apply ED.

What happens if a student is deferred from Early Decision—can they still apply ED2 elsewhere?

Is the Early Decision agreement truly binding, and what are the real consequences of breaking it?

How should students strategically prepare their applications if they’re applying Early Decision or Early Action?

1. Run the Net Price Calculator for that school beforehand to ensure you can realistically afford it. This is non-negotiable financial homework.
2. Recognize that applying ED is the ultimate demonstration of interest. “Signing that ED agreement shows the college that your student is serious about attending and willing to enter into a contract promising to attend if admitted.”
3. Complete your ED application to represent your absolute best work, knowing that early applicants are judged on their merits exactly like regular applicants.

Does Early Action provide any real admissions advantage compared to Regular Decision?

So, What Do We Do for Our Kid?

The post ED vs. RD: The Real Impact on Admissions Chances first appeared on Great College Advice.

Students will be sending in their Early Decision (ED) applications to meet the November 1 deadline with most colleges emailing their Early Decision notifications in mid-December. It’s one of the times of the year when the team at Great College Advice have our fingers and toes crossed very hard for our students who have applied ED. It seems like a strange time to be asking, “is early decision binding or not?”

The question has received a lot more attention recently following a New York Times article (paywall) discussing how Tulane punished a Colorado private high school after a student backed out of their ED agreement with Tulane. As we don’t have all the details of this particular situation, we will refrain from giving our opinion. But it’s important for families to understand how these ED agreements work.

Applying early decision (ED) is not a good idea for every college applicant. For some, sending out a single application could be financially foolish because it carries a binding agreement to attend that school no matter what. For others, if you’re applying ED to a college you’re not excited about just because you’ve been told that it improves your admission odds then that is not a good decision either.

But, we also sympathize with families. The college process can be unfair. Universities like Tulane take roughly 2/3 of its class in its Early Decision rounds. It’s virtually impossible to be accepted in Tulane’s regular decision round. And, yes, for many selective universities the acceptance rate is higher in ED. If you truly have a dream school and financial aid is not an issue, then ED makes sense. If not, then think carefully about whether early decision is right for you.

So Is Early Decision Binding or Not?

But let us clarify our position: we don’t advocate that students and their families renege on the binding ED agreement. The only justifiable grounds for getting out of this agreement is insufficient financial aid. If financial situations are such that parents simply cannot (or will not) be able to pay for college, the family (along with the student’s high school counselor) should communicate with the financial aid office and ask to be released from the agreement.

But it’s MUCH better to never get yourself into this sort of predicament in the first place. Again, if you go back and read our article explaining how ED works, you’ll understand that colleges have less incentive to offer the best financial aid packages to early applicants. Of course, colleges will say that they offer equivalent packages to ED and regular applicants. But, there is no way of proving or disproving their claim. Colleges do not divulge all their records and offers publicly. The logic of the situation (plus long talks with admissions officers off the record over beers) indicates that this is how colleges do business.

Therefore, if ever a family comes to us with any indication that financial aid awards will be central to the decision about where their kid goes to college we de-emphasize ED. This allows families to do some comparison shopping later in the spring. (It’s okay to apply Early Action, however, as these admissions programs carry no binding agreement).

When selecting a college, cost needs to be one of the most important factors for most families. But there are other considerations involved too. And it’s hard to make a general rule when each family’s financial circumstances are different.

Our point is that no student should ever renege on their ED agreement if they have done their homework. They will never get in a situation in which backing out of an ED agreement is necessary to maintain a family’s financial health.

What if I need to talk to someone to ask whether early decision is binding or not?

If you need professional guidance to explore your own circumstances and to discuss the binding nature of your early decision agreement, please reach out to Great College Advice. Every year we help families understand the nuances of the college admissions process so that they can maximize their priorities in the college decision. Please contact us here.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Is Early Decision Binding or Not? first appeared on Great College Advice.

While Early Action is the right choice for many high-performing applicants, Early Decision offers a meaningful advantage for full-pay families with a clear first-choice school. And Regular Decision serves students who need additional time to strengthen their profile or compare financial aid packages. Understanding these nuances is essential to maximizing your chances for college admission. 

What Is the Difference Between Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision?

Let’s dive into the fundamental differences between application plans, as understanding these is critical before making a timing decision. Each plan has distinct deadlines, binding implications, and strategic consequences.

Regular Decision 

Regular Decision (RD) is the standard application process. Students apply by published deadlines—typically on or after January 1 of senior year—and receive decisions no later than April 1. With RD, students have no obligation to commit until the common response date of May 1, allowing time to compare offers from multiple schools.

Early Decision

Early Decision (ED) represents a binding commitment. Students apply early (usually by November 1 or November 15), receive decisions by mid-December, and in return for this early review, the student, parents, and school counselor sign a pledge that if accepted, the student will attend that college and withdraw all other applications. Students may only apply ED to one school.

Early Decision 2 

Early Decision 2 (ED2) follows the same binding structure as ED but with later deadlines—typically about four to six weeks after ED. This gives students who weren’t ready for ED1, or were denied or deferred from their ED1 school, another opportunity to make a binding commitment.

Early Action

Early Action (EA) offers early review and early decisions (often by December or January) without the binding promise. Students can apply EA to multiple schools and wait until May 1 to make their final decision.

When Should a Student Apply Early Decision vs. Early Action?

Veteran college admissions expert Jamie Berger offers clear guidance on this decision: “Early Action is something almost everyone should do. Early Action—you’re not bound to a school. You’re just expressing your intent that you’re genuinely interested. And they take a group of people from that first pool. Some get rejected early, some get moved on to the spring decision time.”

The key benefit of EA extends beyond demonstrating interest. As Jamie notes: “The other benefit is you get some answers in December or January—you have some schools in your back pocket. Ideally, maybe you have the school that you want the most.”

For Early Decision, the Great College Advice Family Handbook outlines three essential conditions that must all be met:

1. The college must be far and away the student’s first choice 

Students should ask themselves: “If I got into every college on my list, would I choose to go to this particular school?” If the answer is anything other than a definitive “yes,” an ED application is not advised.

1. The student must stand a reasonable chance of admission 

Are your grades and test scores within the range the university generally accepts? If your scores are below the 50% range, do you have a “hook” that makes you appealing, such as legacy status, recruited athlete status, or underrepresented background?

1. The college must meet 100% of demonstrated financial need (if the family requires aid). 

This condition is non-negotiable for families who need assistance.

Do Students Get an Admissions Advantage by Applying Early Decision?

The statistical advantage of Early Decision is real but often misunderstood. Statistically speaking, it is ‘easier’ to get into a college during the ED process than during the regular process because colleges know that they can count on you attending their school, and being able to predict the number of students who will actually attend their institution is extremely valuable to admissions offices.

However, keep in mind that what may be statistically true for an entire pool of applicants may not be true for an individual applicant. Admission is not a matter of randomized statistics. If a student does not possess at least the minimum requirements for entrance to a particular college, they will not somehow sneak past the admissions gate in the early round.

A perspective from inside admissions adds nuance. A former UChicago admissions officer shared in the Great College Advice community: “Early Decision pools are much stronger—you’re competing against kids who’ve been prepping since 10th grade, legacy students, and international applicants with perfect stats. So while the acceptance rate might look higher, you’re facing tougher competition. Regular Decision has way more applicants, but they’re more diverse in terms of preparation level.”

The strategic takeaway: don’t fixate on aggregate acceptance rates. Instead, honestly assess whether YOUR profile positions you for admission at YOUR ED college.

How Does Early Decision Affect Financial Aid and the Ability to Compare Offers?

Financial considerations may be the most underestimated factor in the ED vs. EA vs. RD decision. Jamie is direct about this reality: “Early Decision favors families who can pay the full cost. Every family should be running the Net Price Calculator for each school they want to apply to, especially if they want to apply Early Decision. Because if they run the NPC for the college and it pumps out an amount—if you can’t pay that amount, you shouldn’t apply Early Decision because ostensibly, if you apply Early Decision, you are bound to accept that offer.”

The contrast with Early Action is significant. Jamie explains, “Early Action still gives you that bargaining ability. Early Decision does not. It is somewhat like buying a car—if you get four financial offers from four colleges and your top choice gave you the least amount of money, you write to them and say, ‘Dear [College], we love you so much, but we’re being offered $40,000 more a year by school X. Can you approach that? Can you help us in any way?’ You can bargain with them. With Early Decision, you’re bound to one school.”

The Great College Advice Family Handbook reveals another uncomfortable truth: “The ED system tends to discriminate against students with high financial need in subtle ways that are not easy to prove. If a student with high financial need is qualified for admission at a need-aware college, but not necessarily a clear stand-out in the eyes of the admissions officers, they may be deferred to the regular round to compete for an offer with everyone else. The reason? A high-need student costs the institution more money.”

What colleges don’t tell you is that ED is not just about ‘filling the class with kids who want us’; it’s about budgeting. Many of the students accepted in the early round are full-pay students.

What Happens If I Get Deferred from Early Decision or Early Action?

Deferral moves your application to the Regular Decision pool for reconsideration. This is not a rejection—your application will be reviewed again alongside RD applicants.

For ED applicants, deferral has a silver lining: once a college has released you from the ED agreement, either by deferring or denying you, you can feel free to tell another school that you will go there if accepted by applying ED2, if they offer an ED2 application plan.

It is crucial that students who submit early applications have their Regular Decision applications completed and ready to go before they hear back from their early schools.

This matters for two reasons. 

The practical reason: 

If a student is rejected from all ED and EA applications, they will have only about two weeks to complete and submit the remaining RD applications. Leaving all this work to the last minute means running the risk of submitting poorly crafted applications.

The emotional reason: 

If a student is rejected by their first choice college—and maybe some second and third choices, too—the psychological energy needed to complete those subsequent RD applications is significant. That disappointment can have a negative impact on the quality of those RD applications.

When Is Regular Decision the Better Strategic Choice?

Regular Decision becomes the optimal strategy in specific circumstances. Jamie identifies the primary scenario: “The only time not to apply early action is when you’ve had a rough patch. Say your junior year grades were lower, and you need to prove yourself first semester of senior year. That is the rare occasion when Regular Decision is going to be greatly to your advantage because the schools just won’t take you based on those junior grades.”

He adds important context about recovery: “But if something tragic happened in your life—if you were ill, if someone else was ill, and freshman and sophomore year were great, junior year you plummeted, and everything is back on track—you can show that and not apply early.”

Do keep in mind that your cumulative GPA will not improve that much in a single semester. You can demonstrate a change in your focus and performance in that final semester. For some schools, that may be enough. 

Beyond academic recovery, RD serves students who need to compare financial aid packages across multiple schools, haven’t yet identified a clear first-choice school that meets their criteria, or want additional time to strengthen their application through test retakes, additional achievements, or more polished essays.

What Are the Consequences of Breaking an Early Decision Agreement?

While the Early Decision agreement is not a legal contract, breaking it carries serious repercussions that extend beyond the individual student.

Breaking the ED agreement could potentially ruin admissions chances at that university for future applicants from your high school, and will likely ruin your relationship with your high school counseling department. The ED agreement requires the signature of your high school guidance counselor, who is expected to do everything possible to enforce the agreement. And if your counselor is unsuccessful because you refuse to honor the agreement, the university may express its displeasure by refusing to admit future applicants from your high school.

There is one acceptable reason to be released: if the financial aid package offered is insufficient for the student to attend. However, process matters. If you have received an acceptance ED but your financial aid offer is simply impossible, then you should definitely keep your RD applications in play. 

However, you cannot and should not send in your matriculation deposit to your ED school. This deposit clearly signifies your intention to go to that ED school, and once you’ve paid your deposit, you must withdraw all of your other applications.

Making the right application timing decision requires understanding your student’s unique profile, financial circumstances, and target schools. For personalized guidance, talk to our team by scheduling a free consultation.

The post Regular Decision vs. Early Action vs. Early Decision first appeared on Great College Advice.

As with most things related to college admission, the answer is unequivocal:  “It depends.” (Have you heard this before?)

Let’s review the pros and cons of ED 2, and highlight the conditions under which you should–and shouldn’t–apply Early Decision 2.

Origins of Early Decision 1 & 2

First, it’s important to understand why colleges have begun offering ED 2 in addition to ED 1–or the more traditional form of Early Decision.

Back in the old days, before the advent of US News and World Report’s rankings in 1983, Early Decision was simply a way for the most selective colleges to manage their enrollments. They could encourage applicants who were convinced that the college was their first choice. And then offer an early acceptance in exchange for a promise to attend.

Most of the colleges that offered ED as an option were the most highly selective: the Ivies, the small, New England liberal arts colleges (e.g., Williams, Amherst, and the other members of NESCAC), and a couple of dozen others. I applied early decision to Dartmouth, back in the day, because I was convinced it was the school for me.

I also knew that the chances of admission would be better if I applied early decision. So I threw my hat in the ring early, and I learned in mid-December that I would be attending Dartmouth.

But back then, the numbers of applicants to Dartmouth and the other Ivy League schools had not yet ballooned (this happened later in the 1980s and later–as the US News rankings began to dictate most of what happens in admissions offices around the country). Mostly it was a marriage of convenience for the colleges: they were able to admit eligible applicants early, monitor their budgets, and make careful decisions as they crafted well-balanced entering classes of eager freshmen.

As I said, the option to apply ED 2 is a relatively new phenomenon. But to understand its origin, we have to talk about some statistics.

The Importance of Yield Rates

The US News rankings were a game changer in selective college admissions. In order to create the rankings, US News needs to come up with measures to compare one school against another. Some of these measures were easy: the percentage of applicants admitted, the graduation rate, the test scores of admitted students, and more. As time went on, colleges began to manage their admissions programs in line with the US News criteria. One statistic became more and more important: the yield rate.

The yield rate is the percentage of students offered admission who actually enroll. At some schools, like the Ivies, the yield rate is relatively high. Because these schools are highly desirable: a large percentage of those offered admission matriculate.

Colleges have learned over the years that the Early Decision program is a fantastic way to exert control over the yield rate. This is because the yield rate for anyone applying ED is 100%: those accepted must promise to accept that offer of admission. So the higher proportion of the entering class that is accepted ED. The higher the overall yield rate for that class.

Let’s look at an example. We’ll keep the math simple for illustrative purposes. Let’s assume that Aspiration University and Ambitious University both have an acceptance rate of 30% in the regular decision round. But that Aspiration U accepts half of its students in the ED round. Thus its yield rate is higher than that of Ambitious U.

What’s more, colleges can also use early decision programs to drive down their admission rates. Let’s look at another school: Hopeful U.

How colleges play the Early Decision game

Let’s assume that Hopeful U currently has 5000 applications for about 1000 slots in the first-year class. It cannot simply accept 1000 students–because the yield rate is currently about 25%. Thus in order to fill the class, it must admit four times the number of slots in order to for enough applicants to accept the offer of admission. Thus the admissions rate is 80%.

But let’s say that Hopeful U wants to improve both its yield rate and admissions rate. So it institutes an Early Decision policy by which it hopes to take a greater portion of the first year class. Remember, the yield rate for those who apply ED 2 or 1 (whichever) is 100% because ED applicants must promise to attend Hopeful U if accepted. We will assume, however, that the yield rate for those accepted Regular Decision will remain steady at 25%

So what happens as Hopeful U accepts more of its class in the Early Decision round? Both its yield rate goes up and its acceptance rate goes down.

However, the overall desirability of Hopeful U is unchanged. Still, about 5000 students apply and it still takes 4 applications to yield a single matriculant in the regular round.

Perception becomes reality

Simply by shifting its policies to take more students via Early Decision, Hopeful U will rise in the rankings–and in the esteem of applicants everywhere. The perception will be that Hopeful U is suddenly “more difficult to get into” as the statistics change.

And as the perceptions of desirability change–powered only by this policy change and not by any changes in programming, faculty, graduation rate, or anything else–more and more students will begin to apply ED so as to give themselves the perceived “edge” in admissions.

Policy becomes perception.

And this simple policy creates a shift in Hopeful U’s standing in the US News & World Report rankings.

Mission accomplished!

So how about ED 2?

ED 2 is a way for colleges to have a second shot at using this statistical game to their advantage. Obviously, many students are rejected by their first choice schools in the early rounds. So ED2 is a way for a college to extend the ED game and capture those students for whom it is a second choice.

Again, the yield rate is 100% in the ED2 round. So if a college can capture 30% of its enrolled class in the ED1 round and 20% of its class in the ED2 round. Then it can drive both its yield rate higher and its acceptance rate lower.

Note, however, that not many colleges report out their ED1 and ED2 acceptance rates separately. However, rest assured that these acceptance rates are always higher than in the regular decision round.

So colleges love it when students apply ED 2, just as they love it when they apply early decision 1.

Should I apply Early Decision 2?

The answer is “probably.” For the super selective colleges and universities (aside from those that have a “second choice early action” or “restrictive early action” program like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and a handful of others), the early decision generally gives you a statistically better shot at admission than if you go into the regular decision pool.

Using the ED2 option is especially helpful at schools that are just a notch below the Ivies and New England “Little Ivies” like Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, and Bowdoin.

Colorado College, for example, has a combined ED1 and ED2 rate of admission that hovers around 25-35%. But the regular decision rate is only about 4%. Colorado College accepts about 60% of its class in the early rounds. So if CC is either #1 or #2 on your list, get ready to pull the trigger for ED2.

ED2 and financial aid

Just as in the ED1 round, if you apply ED 2 and need merit based aid, it is possible that the financial offer will be less (I explain how this works in our comprehensive post on Early Decision and Early Action here). Colleges swear that the offer just as much merit aid in the early rounds as they do in the regular rounds. But this is hard to prove one way or another. Colleges just aren’t that transparent about how they award financial aid.

However, if a financial aid award just isn’t enough (and assuming you did the research in advance using Net Price Calculators and the various federal and institutional financial aid calculators). Then you can get out of the binding promise to attend your ED2 choice.

Should I apply ED 2?  Yes or no?

• College of all sorts have an incentive to expand the number of students they accept under the early decision programs–of whatever type.
• If you are rejected by your ED 1 school, apply ED 2 to your second choice school. Play the admissions game to your advantage.
• If you are clearly within the range of students generally admissible by the target college, you should definitely apply ED 2 or ED 1.
• If you have high financial need and are at or above the college’s profile of generally admissible students (in terms of your GPA and test scores), go ahead and apply ED 2 or ED 1. But make sure you have other options that will come in at or under budget. Because applicants with high financial needs have a harder time being accepted no matter where they apply. The reality is that colleges have limited resources, and cannot offer full financial need to a huge number of applicants. But if you’re in the admissibility zone, go for it.
• If for some reason the financial package you were offered is not generous enough. Tell the financial aid office of that college that you either need more money or you will have to be released from your ED2 agreement.

The post Apply ED 2: Should You? first appeared on Great College Advice.

TRANSCRIPT:

So, today I’m on the campus of Bowdoin College, it’s in Brunswick, Maine right along the coast. Beautiful day here, sunny, warm; it’s not always this way because it does get really cold here in the winter time. But I’m standing in front of Massachusetts Hall, it’s the oldest building on campus. It’s the original building. Used to be that all the faculty lived on the top floor. The students all lived on the bottom floor, and the classes were held on the second floor. Of course, Bowdoin’s a lot bigger now, it’s got about 1,800 students.

And I want to talk about some of those numbers. We just were in the information session, and we were talking about early decision. And the admissions officer in charge mentioned that 45% of the entering class is accepted in the early round. So 45% of the class, that’s a big number. So the normal assumption would be that if I wanted to go to Bowdoin, my odds would be much better if I applied early decision. Because 45% of the slots are given away in the early round and there are fewer applicants.

However, it’s also important to know two things:

Number 1, the athletes who are recruited to play on the 33 teams here at Bowdoin are mostly accepted in the early decision round. And 34% of the students here at Bowdoin are athletes. So that means that really, if you are not an athlete, there is not a big huge bump. Because only 10% of the non-athletes who come to Bowdoin are accepted in the early round.

Now what does that really mean for you?

Well, it means that you just don’t want to pay too much attention to the statistics. What you want to pay attention to is whether or not Bowdoin is really your first choice college. You also have to do a calculation of whether or not you are within the range of acceptability at Bowdoin. Because I don’t recommend that if you really aren’t going to be eligible to attend Bowdoin, don’t waste your early decision play on a school that is way above your ability based on the admissibility statistics.

But even if that’s the case, if Bowdoin is absolutely your number 1 choice and you really want to come here, then yes, apply early decision. Apply early decision. But those statistics about early decision and revolving around that, they are very complex, very confusing, and they probably don’t apply to your particular case. So just be careful when you’re thinking about early decision. Don’t make it a game, make it a decision about where you really want to attend a college or university.
 
Mark Montgomery
Expert Educational Consultant

The post College Admissions Expert Speaks About Early Decision first appeared on Great College Advice.

Time to Let the Others Know

Once you’ve come down from Cloud Nine, remember that you need to notify any other schools to which you have applied while awaiting your Early Decision results that you will not be attending their institutions. Early Decision is a binding agreement. And when you decided to apply ED to that one institution, you agreed that you would go there. If you got accepted.

You should be sure to let the other schools know promptly after you get your ED admission. So that the admissions committees at those institutions don’t have to take the time to read and assess your application when you definitely won’t be attending there. Letting them know swiftly is common courtesy.

While you may be incredibly curious to find out if you’ll get admitted elsewhere. And thus not want to let your other schools know about your ED acceptance status, don’t wait to communicate. Remember that by doing so, you may be needlessly taking somebody else’s spot.

The only instance where it is acceptable to wait to notify other schools that you have been admitted elsewhere ED is if the ED school has not provided you with enough financial aid to attend, and you would suffer significant financial hardship by being obligated to go. If this is the case, then you should reach out to your ED school sooner rather than later. And certainly, before you pay the matriculation deposit, let them know this so that they can release you from your ED binding agreement.

How do you notify schools that you want to withdraw your application or reject an acceptance that they have provided you? You must do it in writing, a phone call will not do. You can simply send an email or letter to the admissions office. Indicating that you have been accepted elsewhere Early Decision. And, therefore, you no longer want to be considered by their admissions committee.

The communication should include your full name, your home address and the high school that you attend. This way, the school won’t mistake you for someone else. If you’ve already been awarded admission and have been assigned a student i.d. number, you should include that in your communication, as well.

Putting a small “thank-you for considering my application” into your email or letter is also a nice touch. After all, the admissions committee may have already spent some of their valuable time evaluating your application or even accepting you! Showing your appreciation for their effort is just good manners!

Andrea Aronson
College Admissions Consultant
Westfield, NJ
 
 

The post What to do after getting accepted early decision first appeared on Great College Advice.

With the exception of Dartmouth, which saw a decrease in its applications of ~12.5% (which we hypothesize is due to the relatively recent bad press that the school received about its Greek life), and Cornell, who has not reported final numbers, yet, the balance of the Ivy League schools saw an increase in early applications over last year.  Harvard, for example, reported a whopping 15% more applications for the Class of 2017 than for the Class of 2016.  Other highly selective schools such as MIT (up 9%) and Northwestern (up 7%) also saw a significant increase in their early application numbers year over year.

While many schools haven’t reported their early results, here is a chart that we pulled together to give you a flavor of what’s been happening out there.  It details selected highly competitive schools and their early admissions acceptance rates.  If you follow overall admissions rates at these types of schools, you’ll see that the Early Admit Rates noted below are significantly higher than each school’s historic overall admit rates.

In doing my research, I also noted that a number of the schools deferred a significant portion of their early applicants to the Regular Decision pool.  Yale, for example, deferred over 55% of its early applicants, Brown seems to have deferred around 70% and Dartmouth 35%.  Anecdotally, it seems that MIT has also deferred a tremendous number of its applicants, but we don’t have any firm numbers.
These deferral numbers indicate that the schools are getting early applications from large numbers of qualified candidates, and the schools are not prepared to say “no” until they see what the Regular Decision pool brings.  Still, the schools are also not prepared to say “yes” to these applicants, either, and historically, the number of deferred applicants who ultimately get admitted are few.
The schools that offer an Early Decision plan seem to be filling an unbelievable 40%+ of their freshman class from their early applications.  This means that students who apply Regular Decision to these very selective schools will have an even tougher go of it simply because there are fewer slots to fill.  A while ago, I wrote a blog post trying to answer the question:  Is it easier to get in if you apply early?  Many of the points in that post are relevant here.  Essentially, early applicants most definitely benefit from indicating that a school is their top pick and applying early, but only if the candidate meets the admissions standards of the school in the first place.
The sad part about this current situation is that because qualified students appear to have an advantage if they apply early to these highly competitive institutions, candidates are using early application plans as a strategy to gain admission, even if they are not sure that a given school is actually where they want or ought to go.  Especially if they apply as part of a binding ED program, then whether they are sure or not, if they get in, that’s where they will have to go.  These dynamics are forcing students to make their decisions about college several months earlier in their high schools careers when, perhaps, they haven’t had time to fully explore their options and figure out what is best for them.
The lesson is that if students believe that they might be interested in applying to highly selective schools, they should start their research early.  Applying early can be advantageous, but don’t apply early to a school simply because it is a name brand.  In doing so, other options might be shut out that would ultimately be more suitable.
Andrea Aronson
College Admissions Consultant
Westfield, NJ

The post Early Application Results for Selective Schools first appeared on Great College Advice.

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