Colleges with Early Decision
We'll discuss what Early Decisions are and whether you should apply for them.
If you're applying for an Early Decision, you've accomplished something rare- you know where you want to go to college. We'll provide the Deadlines and learn everything you need to know about applying early decision for your dream school.
What you need to know about Early Decision
Early Decision is an option that it's binding when it comes to applying to college. You should apply for this option if you're 100% sure you want to go to a particular school and will enroll regardless of any other acceptances or their financial aid offer. If you go in the direction of Early Decision, you'll sign a binding agreement statement to enroll. Some colleges with Early Decision require signatures. Colleges with Early Decisions require your parents and school counselor to sign the form. You can find this statement through the Common Application or a school's application form. An Early Decision may or may not have an Early Deadline. The deadlines are in November, usually the 1st or the 15th. The admission decisions are in December. Some schools offer Early Decision II. Early Decision II is still binding, but the deadline is pushed forward, usually in January. Applicants that decide on a specific college, but could benefit from a few more months to prepare their applications, should apply for this option. College applicants who apply EDII will get an admission decision earlier than usual, typically in February.
Regardless if you apply for Early Decision I or II, all ED applicants have to accept their offers and send in deposits quickly after notification, rather than waiting until May 1st, which is the national response date. If you're applying for Early Decision 1, you have to prepare an application by the November deadline. Let's look at a timeline for gathering your college application materials.
Should I move towards applying for Early Action or Regular Decision? How is it different from Regular Decision?
As an upcoming college freshman, you will have to deal with college application deadlines. Let’s discuss the difference between an Early Action (EA) and Regular Decision (RD). Early Action consists of a student that has been admitted to a school but CAN change their minds and decision on attending. Regular Decision is the original process where students apply for college. They have to go through the application process and wait on a response from the college admissions officers. If you want to go the route of Regular Decision you would go through the original application process. You can take your time and think things through.
ED vs. RD vs ED I vs ED II
If you’re a new student applying for college, you should take into account deadlines that you should follow. Below is an infographic that students need to look at before applying to their specific college.
The Timeline for Early Decision
Students who apply for Early Decision are excited about attending their school of choice. To make it happen, you need to submit a spectacular application. Students need to prep months in advance or a year to take the SAT/ACT Test. If the Early Decision deadline is in November, then your last opportunity to take the SAT or ACT will be either September or October. You will not be able to view your scores before deciding to send them to any specific colleges. Test early and have your scores submitted by the end of your junior year. Ask your junior year teachers for recommendations at the end of your junior year; counselors included. Ask by October 1st. Before you send your transcript, give your high school a few weeks to a month's notice. Finally, you’ll have to submit a form and pay a small fee.
Work on your personal and supplemental essay over the summer before your senior year. Developing a personal essay is a process. Give yourself time to brainstorm, draft, receive feedback, and revise. Spend September and October, filling out your application, writing about your extracurricular activities, and proofreading any grammatical errors or typos. As you plan and prepare your application, you should be good to go for the Early Decision deadline.
If you're applying for Early Decision II, you'll have more available test dates to take the SAT or ACT. You can send your mid-year senior grades on the transcript. Waiting for ED II can be a good option if you're not satisfied with your academic records and test scores and you could present a stronger candidacy in January. Now that you know, the Early Decision application process, let's look at the deadlines of these popular schools. Some schools offer Early Decision II, while others don't have the second deadline.
Popular Schools that have Early Decision Deadlines
School Deadline for ED I Deadline for ED II
American University November 15th January 15th
Boston College January 1st November 1st
Boston University November 1st January 1st
Bowdoin College November 15th January 5th
Brandeis University November 1st January 1st
Brown University November 1st N/A
Colby College November 15th January 1st
Columbia University November 1st N/A
Cornell University November 1st N/A
Dartmouth College November 1st N/A
Duke University November 1st N/A
Emory University November 1st January 1st
Johns Hopkins University November 2nd January 4th
New York University November 1st January 1st
Northwestern University November 1st N/A
Pomona College November 15th January 8th
Smith College November 15th January 1st
Tufts University November 1st January 1st
University of Chicago November 2nd January 4th
University of Pennsylvania November 1st N/A
Vanderbilt University November 1st January 1st
Wesleyan University November 15th January 1st
Smaller schools offer Early Decision II so they can have greater control over the enrollment numbers. Early Decision is an option because it shows how enthusiastic and committed you are to attending. If your school offers Early Decision II and you feel that you want to wait a few more months to work on your college application, then you should wait for this deadline. No matter what, you'll find out earlier if you get admitted into your first school of choice.
