When does Early Decision 2 start for most colleges?

I'm researching Early Decision 2 and I'm curious when schools generally open applications for this round. Is there a standard start date, or does it vary across colleges?

There isn't a hard and fast rule because application deadlines can vary somewhat across different colleges. However, based on general practices, Early Decision 2 (ED2) applications tend to open around the same time as regular decision applications for many institutions. This is typically in the late fall or early winter of your senior year in high school.

For the deadline, yet again, it's variable, but most schools set their ED2 deadlines between January 1st and February 1st. The aim is to give students who didn't get their desired admission results from Early Decision 1 or Early Action (both usually have results by mid-December) another chance to apply to prospective colleges on an expedited basis.

Always remember to check the specific application deadlines for each college you're interested in, though. Deadlines are often listed on the admissions section of a school's website, and any changes to the process or timeline will generally be announced there as well. However, reaching out directly to schools is also a good way to verify these dates.