Which Liberal Arts Colleges Offer Early Decision 2?

I'm trying to figure out my college list and considering applying Early Decision 2 to a liberal arts college. Does anyone know which schools typically offer this option and what the pros and cons might be?

There are many liberal arts colleges that offer Early Decision II (ED II), allowing students who didn't apply to or were not accepted by their first choice schools during the Early Decision I (ED I) or Early Action (EA) rounds to apply to a different school as a binding commitment in the second round.

Some liberal arts colleges that offer the ED II option include:

- Bowdoin College

- Davidson College

- Grinnell College

- Middlebury College

- Pomona College

- Smith College

- Swarthmore College

- Wesleyan University

The main advantage of applying ED II is that it can increase your odds of being accepted. Schools accepting ED II applications typically reserve a sizable portion of each incoming class for ED students. This can be a major benefit to students who have a clear first-choice college but didn't realize it in time for the ED I deadline or were not accepted to their ED I school.

However, the binding nature of ED II (just like ED I) is something to seriously consider. If you're accepted, you're expected to enroll unless the financial aid package is not feasible for you and your family. Before applying, use the college’s net price calculator to get an estimate of your expected family contribution, to make sure that you can afford it.

Finally, make sure your academic profile aligns with the middle 50% range of admitted students (considering grades, course rigor, and other components of the application), especially if the school is highly selective. If it doesn't, it may be wise to apply through Regular Decision, where you may have more scope to show improvement in your senior year first semester grades, take additional tests (if applicable), or improve other elements of your application.