Colgate ED Acceptance Rate: How competitive?

Hi all! I'm thinking about applying to Colgate as an Early Decision applicant. I just wanted to know what the acceptance rate is like for ED applicants and if it's worth applying early. Thanks!

Hi! Applying Early Decision (ED) to Colgate can certainly give you an advantage in the admissions process. The acceptance rate for ED applicants at Colgate tends to be higher than for Regular Decision (RD) applicants - about 25% for ED compared to a little over 10% for RD.

One of the reasons for this difference is that ED applicants have identified Colgate as their first choice, and thus are highly likely to be involved, engaged members of the community. Additionally, admitted ED students contribute positively to a college's yield rate (i.e., the percentage of accepted students who choose to enroll - since ED is binding, the yield rate during that round is 100%), which is an important statistic for colleges.

Before you apply ED, do make sure that Colgate is genuinely your top choice and you fully understand the binding nature of an ED agreement. Also, take into consideration your financial situation, as ED acceptance means you're committing to attend Colgate without having the chance to compare financial aid offers from other schools. If their package is truly insufficient, that is one of the few valid reasons for breaking an ED agreement, but it's still better to avoid that stress, as well as the heartbreak of being accepted to your dream school and then being unable to attend.

If you believe Colgate is the perfect fit for you and you're prepared for the binding commitment, applying ED can indeed increase your chances of acceptance. Just keep in mind that even with an increased ED acceptance rate, getting admitted to Colgate is still competitive, so it's essential to present a strong application with solid academics, extracurriculars, and essays.

Best of luck with your application!