Early Decision 2 at William and Mary: Is it a good idea?

I'm looking at applying to William and Mary and thinking about Early Decision 2. How does it impact acceptance rates compared to Regular Decision? Any tips or personal experiences would help a lot!

Opting for Early Decision 2 (ED2) at William and Mary can indeed be a good strategy, especially if this school is your top choice. The advantage of ED2, much like Early Decision 1 (ED1), is that it can significantly improve your chances of acceptance because the college knows that if you are accepted, you will definitely attend. This is immensely beneficial for their yield rate, so colleges tend to have higher acceptance rates for both ED1 and ED2 than for Regular Decision (RD). However, while the acceptance rate for ED2 is often higher than RD, it's not as high as ED1 due to the fact that colleges have already filled a portion of their class with ED1 students. The exact figures for William and Mary might fluctuate from one year to the next.

One significant consideration with ED2 is the binding commitment. If you apply ED2 and are accepted, you are obligated to attend. So you must be certain that this is the school you want to attend and that you can afford to do so, before applying. To ascertain affordability, you can use the net price calculator available on the William and Mary website. Remember that you can only break the ED2 agreement if demonstrated financial need isn't being met.

In terms of navigating ED2, make sure that your application is presenting your best self - remember, you're now presenting an additional semester's worth of grades and activities, so there's potential for showcasing growth and accomplishments that weren't available when the ED1 application was due.

Just remember that even though ED2 can boost your acceptance rate, the decision should come from a place of personal preference, not strategic planning. Ensure that William and Mary is genuinely your first choice before committing to ED2. Good luck!