Applying Early Decision 1 or 2?

I’m confused about whether I should apply to schools Early Decision 1 or 2. What are the pros and cons? Does it make a big difference in acceptance rates or financial aid offers?

Sure, let's dive into the difference between Early Decision (ED) 1 and ED 2.

Early Decision 1 typically has a deadline in the first weeks of November and applicants usually hear back by mid-December. ED 2, on the other hand, typically has a deadline in January and applicants hear back by February. Both versions are binding agreements, meaning if you’re accepted, you're expected to attend that school (unless the financial aid offer is insufficient).

In terms of acceptance rates, students who apply for ED (either 1 or 2) generally see a higher acceptance rate compared to the regular decision pool. This is because colleges value demonstrated interest and a binding agreement indicates a high level of commitment.

In terms of whether to choose ED 1 or 2, that typically depends on your readiness and confidence in your application. Students who choose ED 1 are usually students who are certain of their top-choice school and have a strong application ready earlier in the year. ED 2 might be the better option for students who need more time to finalize their application, improve their senior year grades, or take standardized tests.

As for financial aid, colleges generally pledge to meet 100% of demonstrated need for all accepted students, whether in the ED or regular decision pool. However, because ED is a binding agreement, some families prefer to apply regular decision or Early Action in order to be able to compare financial aid offers between colleges.

In conclusion, your choice to apply ED 1, ED 2 or regular decision should depend on your certainty about wishing to attend a particular university, your readiness with your application, and your comfort level with potentially not being able to compare financial aid offers.