Should You Apply Early Decision II? Complete List of Schools

There are a lot of choices to make when you’re applying to college. What type of school appeals to you? Which locations are you considering? And, should you apply Early Decision?

While Early Decision has been around for a long time, Early Decision II is a newer plan, offering similar advantages as the original plan without making students get their applications together before they’re ready. Should you apply under the plan?

What is Early Decision II? ED I vs. ED II

Early decision II (ED II) is a binding plan in which students commit to matriculating at a college if they are accepted. It’s similar to Early Decision I in many respects, including the competitive advantage you gain by applying under the plan (the boost varies from school to school). 

However, there is one key difference: ED II deadlines are typically later than ED I deadlines, often around the school’s Regular Decision (RD) deadline. The acceptance rate boost from ED II also tends to be smaller than that of ED I.

Pros and Cons of Applying Early Decision II

Pros

You’ll have more time to complete applications (compared with ED I).

ED I deadlines are usually in November, while ED II deadlines are generally around the school’s RD deadlines, in December or January. That means you’ll have plenty of time to prepare your application.

The acceptance rate for students who apply ED in general is higher than for those who apply RD.

Acceptance rates for students who apply early decision under either plan is generally higher — sometimes significantly so — than for those who apply RD. For example, the acceptance rate for Cornell University’s Class of 2023 was 22.7 percent for ED, compared with 9.2 percent RD. Meanwhile, Middlebury College had a 44.8 percent acceptance rate for ED students and 12.6 percent for RD students.

Bear in mind that higher acceptance rates don’t necessarily indicate that it’s “easier” to get in if you apply ED. There are several other factors at play, such as the fact that students who apply ED are less likely to need financial aid (not all schools are need-blind). Moreover, since students are applying ED to their top-choice school, the pool is more self-selecting and therefore more likely to be a good fit for the school.

That said, our data indicates that while controlling for profile strength, applying early decision does give students a boost in their chances of acceptance.

You’ll be able to gain a competitive advantage even if you don’t get in under ED I.

ED II is also beneficial to students who don’t get into the schools they apply to under ED I. They can still regroup and apply to their second-choice college, gaining the competitive advantage again. (However, you should remember that if you get into your ED II school, the decision is binding, so you won’t be able to matriculate at your first-choice school if you were deferred and are admitted RD.)

Cons

You won’t be able to compare financial aid offers.

This is probably the biggest deterrent for applying under an ED plan. Because you’ll need to withdraw your applications from other schools if you’re accepted to your ED II (or I) college, you won’t be able to compare or leverage financial aid offers. 

Many schools will be willing to work with you and negotiate if the financial aid package doesn’t meet your needs. If you really can’t afford to matriculate at the school, they may allow you to withdraw from the agreement and go to a school that provides a better offer. However, this should be a last resort, and the first step is ensuring that the school is affordable. Use the college’s net price calculator to get an estimate before applying.

Also, keep in mind that unusual hardship, such as a parent losing their job or an illness in the family, is grounds for withdrawal from the ED agreement.

You’ll still need to prepare RD applications (and pay the application fees).

ED II and RD applications are usually due at or around the same time, in contrast to ED I applications, which are due months earlier. This means you’ll still need to prepare your RD applications and pay the application fee, unless you have a fee waiver.

There is less of an acceptance rate boost you’d have under ED I.

While both ED I and ED II plans will give you an acceptance rate boost, usually, this edge is somewhat smaller for ED II applicants. (Most colleges don’t provide data comparing the two plans, however.)

Complete List of Schools with Early Decision II

Ready to apply ED II? Here are the colleges with this admissions plan, separated by national universities and liberal arts colleges. Please double-check these deadlines, as they can change annually.

National Universities

Liberal Arts Colleges

See a missing school? Email us and let us know!

Want to gain an edge by applying ED II? Not sure whether you need that boost? With CollegeVine’s free Chancing Engine, you can find out. We’ll take your profile into account, including your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, to predict your real chances of admission to more than 500 colleges. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account to get started!