The Power of Early Decision and When to Pursue it
In a nutshell, Early Decision (ED) allows applicants to pick a singular college to which they want to apply to in a binding manner. In other words, students must make an unequivocal decision on the front end to attend their ED college if offered admission. Applying ED has often been likened to a “college proposal”, or “promposal” if we want to be a little more age relevant.
Historically speaking, it was first popularized by a small group of institutions in the 1950s, including Amherst, Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Williams, and the Seven Sisters. By 1960, more than 180 schools were offering an Early Decision plan, and by the late 1990s, over 450 colleges were using early decision as part of their admissions model.
As Early Decision has become more widespread, so has the mania over whether and where to apply ED. So how do you know whether this strategic admissions plan is right for you? Let’s break down advantages, disadvantages and explain the variations and overall rationale behind it. We’ll focus on ED 1 for starters:
Advantages:
For applicants:
A significantly increased admissions rate, sometimes up to three times greater than a school’s overall admit rate.
At U. Penn, for the Class of 2028 (Class of 2029 stats have not yet been released) the Early Decision admit rate was 14.5% compared to an overall admit rate of 6%.
Pro tip: For an even more accurate comparison, be sure to dig for the Regular Decision (RD) admit rate as opposed to the overall admit rate, if you’re able to find it. Reason being that the overall admit rate is not indicative of any one decision plan but is instead an average of multiple decision plans: U. Penn’s regular decision admit rate for the same application cycle was 4.9%
At Babson, the average admit rate for ED 1 applicants was 33% for the Class of 2028, compared to an overall admit rate of 17%. (RD admit rate not published.)
An unwavering tool to “demonstrate interest” in your top-choice school. It is the ultimate expression of demonstrated interest, even at schools that report they do not track student’s expressed interest when evaluating applications.
Peace of mind in knowing which college you will be attending by December of your senior year.
For colleges:
A one to one yield rate, meaning for every Early Decision applicant that a college accepts, there is certainty in knowing that that student will attend said institution. The higher a college’s yield rate, the higher its perceived selectivity and prestige. Though yield is no longer directly factored into the “best college” rankings formula for U.S. News and World Report, it’s still a metric that’s updated on school profiles for informational purposes, says U.S. News. High yield rates, often seen at top universities, can suggest high desirability and competition, which influences perceived quality and worth.
An all around less expensive proposition for colleges in that early decision applicants on a whole qualify for relatively little financial aid. Additionally, colleges do not have to lure these students with merit based aid, given that they must attend if admitted.
Early Action Note:
Early Action is NOT binding, meaning students can apply early action to a number of different schools. Early action allows students to submit their application(s) early on in the process and has a slight advantage admissions percentage wise.
A trick to remembering which is which: Early Action simply means take action and apply without any restrictions! Early Decision means you have to have made a decision on the front end about if you are willing to attend said school, should you be admitted.
Restrictive Early Action (sometimes termed Single Choice Early Action) is a hybrid of Early Decision and Early Action: it prohibits you from applying to other private colleges and universities Early Decision, Restrictive Early Action and sometimes Early Action, BUT is not binding should you be admitted.
Did we mention that this process can be confusing? Another reason to lean into the expertise of your Logic Prep College Advisor!
Weighing the Trade Offs of Early Decision
ED is not a “magic bullet approach”, especially at most selective institutions. At Ivy League institutions and other most selective universities, the increased admissions advantage that accompanies early decision is almost certainly not going to be enough, especially if your grades and/or test scores fall short. Said differently, if your grades or scores fall even slightly below the published admissions averages, you may want to consider applying early decision somewhere that can truly help to move the needle in your favor.
Not every school offers Early Decision, so if your favorite school is one where this is not an option, it’s best not to apply Early Decision anywhere. As a rule of thumb, private universities tend to offer ED while public colleges and universities do not.
Having to forgo the opportunity to compare admissions decisions at various schools.
Needing to make up your mind well in advance. If having to know by August of your senior year which of the schools on your college list is your favorite sounds stressful, a bit of preparation can go a long way! Early research, interacting with colleges through virtual or in person admissions sessions and tours, and making sure to visit colleges before senior year can help students know if there is indeed a standout college on their list (This is where your Logic Prep College Advisor can be a crucial part of the equation.)
You will still need to complete all of your other applications and have them ready for submission, if needed. Because ED results are released mid-late December, and most Regular Decision schools have application deadlines in early January, you will still work on other applications regardless of your decision to apply somewhere Early Decision.
Early Decision 2 (ED2) Explained
Same rules, different timeline, in that ED 2 deadlines are usually in early January.
Upside:
Allows students a second chance to go all in on a college later in the application cycle with the added benefits of an increased admissions rate.
Downsides:
While ED 2 admissions rates are still more favorable than Regular Decision, they are- by and large- not as favorable as ED 1 admission rates.
For instance, at Bucknell, the Early Decision 1 admit rate for the last application cycle was 73% as compared to their overall ED acceptance rate of 60%. (ED 2 admissions rates are rarely published.) Compare this to a regular decision admit rate of 28% and an overall admit rate of 32%.
Students will need to be prepared to let go of any potential chance of admission at an ED 1 school to which they were deferred.
Common reasons that a student might utilize ED 2:
Was denied or deferred from their ED 1 school.
Wants to showcase the strength of senior year fall grades (This can be especially helpful for a student who is working on strengthening their GPA.)
Wants to give themselves more time to take the SAT or ACT before applying.
Deciding on a Decision Plan
Ultimately, the driving question should not be “where will I apply Early Decision?” but instead, “does early decision make sense for me?” Instead of reading it as a rhetorical question, go ahead and try it on for size as you approach the end of your junior year.
Spoiler alert: “yes”, “no” and “maybe” are all valid reactions. And like those choose your own adventure books that were popular when I was a kid, these different reactions are going to lead you to employ different admissions strategies during your application process, all of which your college advisor can guide you through.
Ultimately, there is not a “better” choice when it comes to applying Early Decision or not, but there is almost certainly a better choice for you. Our college advisors’ personalized approach will help you to weigh the options and arrive at a decision that honors your college counseling journey.