The first round of Early Decision (EDI) results have been released, and while many students are celebrating, others are grappling with the disappointment of a deferral or rejection. Although these outcomes may feel like the end of the road for your collegiate dreams, if you were deferred or rejected, there are still a variety of options you can pursue to earn admission to a top school. Deferred students can write a letter of continued interest, while denied students can use the time remaining before the Regular Decision deadline to polish their applications to other schools. There is also a third path that students can take to enhance their admissions odds—applying Early Decision II (EDII).
What is EDII?
Offered by select institutions, EDII has similar requirements and benefits as EDI with deadlines occurring later in the admissions process. Like Early Decision I, EDII is a binding agreement—if accepted, you are committed to attending that school. However, unlike EDI, EDII deadlines fall in late December or early January, typically aligning with Regular Decision (RD) deadlines.
This means that students who have been rejected from their EDI school still have time to reevaluate their application and apply EDII to another school at the top of their list. EDII can be a strategic choice for students who missed EDI deadlines or didn’t feel ready to commit to a school in November. By January, students have more clarity about their priorities and options and can make a more informed decision about where they want to enroll.
Why should you apply EDII?
First and foremost, you should consider applying EDII because it may increase your odds of acceptance. EDII offers a similar admissions boost as that of EDI. The binding nature of Early Decision applications offer measurable benefits for institutions, as students accepted through EDII contribute to their yield rate—the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll—a critical data point for both institutional rankings and a school’s public reputation. Importantly, EDII allows colleges to evaluate applicants against the entire applicant pool, including deferred EDI and RD applicants, whereas EDI applicants are competing solely against other EDI applicants (and sometimes, EA applicants). As a result, the acceptance rate for EDII tends to be higher than for Regular Decision. At the same time, students should note that this higher acceptance rate does not mean that it is easier to get in EDII—the pool of applicants is smaller and generally more competitive than the wider RD pool, so students should be intentional about crafting a polished and eyecatching application for the EDII round.
The other major benefit of EDII is that the later deadline allows students to glean insights from the successes and failures of their Early Action or Decision I applications; they can refine their applications, showcase new achievements, or better articulate their fit for the schools to which they are applying. The later application deadline also means that students’ fall semester senior grades will be included in their application, ideally which may enhance their admissions profile through a higher GPA or demonstrated academic growth. Finally, although the application deadline falls at the same time as the RD deadline, students who apply EDII typically receive their decision notification by mid-February—about a month before the release of RD decisions—offering an earlier resolution to the stress of the admissions season.
Is EDII right for you?
Given the benefits of applying EDII, it may be tempting to jump at the opportunity to submit an application in this pool, particularly if you have felt the anxiety and disappointment of an early rejection. However, students should carefully consider their options, given the binding nature of EDII applications. If you are accepted to one of your RD schools, would you be disappointed to not attend? Do you have any doubts about your EDII school? Are you certain that you will be able to afford your EDII school should you be accepted? If you are uncertain about any of these questions, EDII might not be right for you. On the other hand, if you are confident in your desire and ability to attend the school and have a competitive applicant profile, EDII is likely the strategic choice for you.
Which schools offer EDII?
While none of the Ivy League schools offer EDII, many other top schools do offer this application option. Here is a selected list of top schools that you can apply to EDII, along with their application deadlines:
New York University
- Application Deadline: January 1
- Decision Date: February 15
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available
Emory University
- Application Deadline: January 1
- Decision Date: February 15
- EDII Acceptance Rate: 12%
Vanderbilt University
- Application Deadline: January 1
- Decision Date: Mid-February
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available, but acceptance rate across EDI and EDII admissions was 15.2%.
Washington University in St. Louis
- Application Deadline: January 2
- Decision Date: February 14
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available, but acceptance rate across EDI, EDII and Questbridge was 25%.
Rice University
- Application Deadline: January 4
- Decision Date: Mid-February
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available
Johns Hopkins University
- Application Deadline: January 2
- Decision Date: February 14
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available, but 259 students were admitted to the Class of 2028 through EDII.
Claremont McKenna College
- Application Deadline: January 10
- Decision Date: February 15
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available
University of Chicago
- Application Deadline: January 6
- Decision Date: Mid-February
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available
Northeastern University
- Application Deadline: January 1
- Decision Date: By March 1
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available
Boston College
- Application Deadline: January 2
- Decision Date: February 15
- EDII Acceptance Rate: Not Publicly Available, but the overall ED acceptance rate in the 2022–23 cycle was 30%.
While facing deferral or rejection at your dream school may feel like a setback, EDII can be a strategic way of boosting your chances of admissions success at your next choice institution. By carefully weighing your options and reevaluating your application after the initial early round, you can set yourself up for success in the second round of binding admissions.