Colleges That Offer Early Decision 2 (ED2)

September 14, 2022

Early Decision is quickly becoming a misnomer. An increasing number of highly selective institutions have initiated a second round of binding admission programs, giving students another chance to commit to a college before acceptance and possibly reap admissions-related benefits in the process. Unlike traditional Early Decision (ED 1) programs with deadlines in October or November, Early Decision 2 (ED2) allows students to wait until later in the admissions cycle to claim their allegiance to a particular school. Most of these deadlines typically fall in early or mid-January and admissions decisions are typically rendered in early-to-mid February.

(List of ED2 colleges updated September 2022–see below)

Why do colleges offer ED2?

Colleges offer an ED2 option primarily as means to improve their yield rates (i.e. the percentage of admitted students who attend)—an important indicator of desirability and one that can have significant influence on a college’s ranking. Effectively, ED2 offers institutions a second chance to grab guaranteed enrollees.

Why would a student apply Early Decision 2?

Two reasons, in particular. First, a student may be denied at her first choice college—to which she applied Early Decision—but has a clear second favorite and wants to improve her odds of admission at that institution. Bates College, for example, admits 81% of their freshman class through the ED 1 & 2 cycles; Grinnell, Pitzer, and Middlebury bring in 65%+ of their first-years this way. They all, like thousands of other schools, show extra love to applicants who pledge attendance. Visit our Dataverse to see more Early Decision Enrollment figures at leading institutions.

Second, a student may apply ED to take advantage of the flexibility that a later deadline offers. For example, ED2 applicants have more time to improve their standardized test scores, solidify their college preferences and assess their financial need. Students applying ED II also have an opportunity to submit strong grades earned during their senior year, whereas ED 1 applicants are usually evaluated on the basis of their academic performance through junior year only. Connecticut College explicitly states on their website that standardized tests taken in December of a student’s senior year will be considered in the ED2 process.

When exactly is ED2?

Most application deadlines for ED2 fall on January 1, at or around the same time as Regular Decision deadlines. ED 2 applicants usually receive a decision in mid-February. Of course, exact deadlines and policies vary by school. For example, Tulane University’s ED2 apps are due by January 13th, NYU’s are due on New Year’s Day, while Lafayette College offers a deadline of January 15th. Lafayette outwardly tells students on their website that those who choose the ED2 option will be given special consideration for admission.

Aside from timing, what other differences exist between Early Decision 1 and Early Decision 2?

None, really. Both offer potential advantages in the admissions process. However, both plans are also binding, meaning that you must attend if admitted.

So which institutions offer Early Decision 2?

Plenty. Below, please find a list of selective colleges and universities offering an ED2 option (Updated September 2022):

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

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Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.