Does applying Early Decision II to Tufts increase my chances?

I'm seriously thinking about Tufts University, but a bit stressed about the application process. Does going for Early Decision II improve your chances, and how binding is it compared to other options?

Applying Early Decision (ED), be it ED I or ED II, to most schools does generally provide an admissions boost. The reason behind this is that by applying Early Decision, you're indicating to the school that they're your top choice and you're committed to attend if accepted, thereby demonstrating a high level of interest. This benefits the school's yield rates, which is the ratio of admitted students who actually enroll.

For Tufts specifically, while they do not openly share data on the difference in admit rates between ED and Regular Decision (RD), adopting wise college admissions strategies encompassing careful consideration of the ED I/II policies indicate that students typically get a bit of a boost from applying ED. The admissions office clearly states that the institution takes a candidate's decision to apply ED as a strong indication of their intent to enroll, which is a positive factor.

Now, between ED I and ED II, there isn't a significant difference in terms of admissions advantages. However, the timelines are obviously different. ED I decisions usually come out in December while ED II decisions are typically released in February.

Importantly, Early Decision is binding. This means that, if admitted, you're expected to enroll in the university and withdraw all other applications. You can only get out of the binding agreement if the financial aid provided by the college isn't sufficient for you to attend, but this should ideally be checked prior by using estimators like Tufts' Net Price Calculator. You should also be absolutely certain that Tufts is your top choice before applying ED since the commitment is very serious.

So, if you're certain that Tufts is your first choice and you're ready to commit, applying Early Decision II could help boost your chances slightly. But, it's also crucial to ensure that the rest of your application, including your academic performance, extracurricular achievements, essays, and so forth, is as strong as it can be because the decision process is holistic.