Is Early Decision the Best Option?

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Is applying Early Decision the best option for every student? No. Could it be the right fit for you? Maybe

If you listen to the way college admission is discussed in the media, you’re probably under the impression that hardly anyone gets in anywhere these days and all successful applicants are applying Early Decision (ED). Neither of these is accurate. Most colleges in the United States admit the majority of the candidates who apply (>70%). It’s only a group of about two hundred schools—out of approximately four thousand—who admit less than half of their applicants each year. Additionally, while Early Decision can be a tool to help applicants get accepted to reach colleges, most applicants find a college home without applying ED. This blog post will break down the details of Early Decision to help you decide if it is right for you.

Definition and Prevalence of Early Decision

Early applications are accepted at 400-500 US institutions, but there are different types of early plans. “Early Action” and “Restrictive Early Action” or “Single-Choice Early Action” are not binding. If you are accepted to a university under one of these plans, you are not required to attend. In contrast, Early Decision has a binding component. You can only apply to one college ED and if you are accepted, you are required to withdraw your other applications and attend that institution (unless the college does not offer you enough financial aid). Less than half of colleges with early plans choose to offer Early Decision as an option for applicants. In our experience, most high school seniors consider submitting at least one early application, but that’s usually through an Early Action plan. Common App reported that in 2022-2023, only about 13% of the applications submitted through their platform were Early Decision applications, and some of those students weren’t admitted, so finding your college home through ED is actually pretty rare.

The Early Decision Agreement

An Early Decision Agreement (ethically, if not legally “binding”) is a form signed by the applicant, one of their parents and their counselor, acknowledging that all parties understand the terms of Early Decision and agree to follow those terms. An ED applicant submits all of their application materials early in their senior year, in exchange for receiving a decision approximately six weeks later, rather than waiting several months for the results. The candidate promises to enroll at the institution once they have been admitted. Because of the binding nature of the agreement, students also agree that they will submit only one ED application.* 

The Benefits of Early Decision For Students

Besides hearing back from colleges early and wrapping up the admissions process, Early Decision can help a student get accepted. Early Decision typically has the highest admit rate of any round at colleges who offer it. This can mean that a student has the best shot at admission by applying ED, even at a school that is a reach. By confessing your love (known to colleges as “demonstrated interest” of which ED is the ultimate example), you are offering the admissions team a guarantee. Numbers are important for admissions offices. Many of them practice “holistic review” and want to get to know candidates as whole people—beyond grades and test scores—as much as possible. But the reality is that they have to consider a lot of information, and some of the numbers matter significantly because they are tied to budgets, rankings, reputations, and more. The goals are typically to admit as few students as possible to fill the class (higher selectivity), then enroll as many of the admitted students as they can (higher yield). 

Keep in mind that even ED admit rates can be a bit deceiving because the group of students applying is self-selecting. They tend to be strong candidates who are confident they’ll fit in at their top choice institution, and some of them may have an additional leg up. Recruited athletes, sought-after artists, scholarship program candidates, and applicants with other special connections are disproportionately included in ED pools over Regular Decision. 

The Benefits of Early Decision For Colleges

From the colleges’ perspective, there are few, if any, downsides to Early Decision.The admissions team is guaranteed a win when they say yes because the applicant will enroll as soon as they’re admitted. Applying ED is like saying to a college, “This is it for me. I’m in love and ready to commit to you. If you offer me a spot, I’ll take it.” Colleges benefit from applicants with this mindset.

Potential Downsides of Applying Early Decision 

Sending a binding, early application to one college means that students need to be confident in their first choice. This can be hard for students who need more time to visit colleges and do online research to confirm which college will be the best fit. Students who “take a guess” on their ED school run the risk of committing to a college that isn’t right for them.

Early decision deadlines are EARLY. The most common ED deadline is November 1st. Some students aren’t ready to put their best foot forward so early in senior year; maybe an applicant wants to include their first quarter/trimester senior grades, plans to take another standardized test, or just started at a new school and needs time to settle in. These may be reasons not to apply ED.

Additionally, ED applicants may struggle with the idea of never knowing what might have been. When you are admitted to an Early Decision college, you are expected to enroll quickly, and to withdraw all other pending applications, regardless of their status. That means that if you hear back from an Early Action institution that you’ve been admitted, you can’t consider their offer because you’re bound to your ED school. It also means never knowing if you would have been admitted to any of the other schools where you applied. 

For many families, comparing financial aid offers to find the most affordable option will be a primary factor in decision-making, but Early Decision binds the student to one school and takes away the opportunity to compare. Yes, there’s a loophole in the ED Agreement that says you can withdraw your application after you’ve been admitted if you can’t afford the financial aid package that has been offered. However, you are withdrawing your application to that school (presumably your clear top choice) entirely when not offered enough aid, not just buying yourself more time to compare the offer to other colleges’ financial packages. We recommend filling out the online Net Price Calculator for your college to get an estimate of your financial aid award. (Screenshot or print the results in case you are surprised by the actual package offered.) You can also reach out to the financial aid office and  request an early financial read if finances are the one factor holding you back from applying through a binding early plan.

The College Spy’s Advice

The primary reason to choose ED is that you’ve found your best-fit college community, and you’d like to fast-track the process of making it official. Choosing to apply ED to a college you aren’t sure is a great fit because you are prioritizing selectivity in your college search is not wise because you could end up at a school that is a poor fit. We are concerned when we hear the following sentiment from students. “I know I want to apply Early Decision, but I haven’t decided where yet.” That’s the academic equivalent of saying you’re planning to get married, but just need to find the right partner! Start your research early and look for the right fit. If that college has an Early Decision plan, use it!

If you do fall in love with one college and decide to apply Early Decision, make sure to have a balanced list of options for the Early Action and Regular Decision rounds as well—just in case you need them. We truly believe there is more than one right option for you. There are many places where you will grow and thrive. Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Early Decision is a binding admission round with deadlines earlier than traditional applications are due. A student who has a clear first-choice may consider applying in the ED pool to maximize their chances of acceptance because the ED round usually has a higher acceptance rate. Typically, ED applications are due in November, and students hear back in December or January. A binding admission plan requires the student, their parent, and their counselor to sign the ED Agreement, which states that upon admission, the student will enroll at the Early Decision school and withdraw all other applications, whether or not they’ve received decisions from those colleges. 

  • *Early Decision II is similar to Early Decision in that it is a binding commitment. However, it takes place on a later timeline. ED II applications are typically due in January and decisions are often released in February. ED II is for a student who falls in love later in the admissions cycle. It is also used by students who weren’t admitted to their ED college, but have a clear second choice.

  • No. Early Decision is for students who have fallen in love with a clear first-choice institution, and who have considered the pros and cons of a binding admission plan. You’ll be expected to enroll if you are admitted regardless of whether you have heard back from other colleges you applied to. 

    ED applicants will also miss out on the opportunity to compare financial aid offers, since they’re committing to enroll at the ED school. There is a clause in the ED Agreement that says you can decline the offer if you can’t afford the financial aid package offered. However, it is important to note that declining an ED offer means withdrawing from that institution entirely, not buying yourself more time to compare offers.

  • No. There’s a big difference between the two plans. Early Action has early deadlines and notifications, but it is not binding. That means you can continue to apply to other colleges and consider attending them without conflict.

    While you can apply to as many colleges as you want to EA, you can only apply to one college ED. The binding Early Decision Agreement means that if you are accepted to this school, you are expected to enroll. 

    If you’re applying to a school that offers a Restrictive or Single-Choice EA plan, be sure to read all the rules and ask an expert if you have questions about what they mean or how they work.

  • Early Decision allows admissions offices to “lock in” a portion of their enrolled students early in the year. It can help them understand who some of the most interested applicants are, and hopefully admit them early. Colleges also hope to enroll competitive applicants, rather than losing them to competitors later on. Early Decision is used strategically to enroll special populations like athletes or artists, as well as students from scholarship programs like QuestBridge.


    Colleges typically hope to admit the fewest students needed to build their freshmen classes. One of the ways outside sources judge their work is by the numbers. Receiving more applications, and admitting fewer students, leads to lower admit rates and higher selectivity. Colleges also monitor “yield” which is the portion of admitted students who ultimately choose to enroll at the college. Students admitted in ED yield 99% of the time!

  • Early Decision applicants have promised that they will enroll or “yield”, so colleges might be a bit more open-minded about the academic profile of the students they admit. Keep in mind though, that the ED pool is also stacked with candidates who have already been promised admission through athletic recruiting, partnerships with scholarship foundations, and VIP applicants. For the average applicant, the true admit rate might not be as high as the published rate.