Denied or Deferred from your ED I School? What Now?(...and, what the heck is ED II anyway?)

Congratulations to all of you who received good news from the college or university to which you applied through the Early Decision I program (ED I)!  But, what about those of you who were deferred or denied admission in this early round? 

First - Give yourself a moment to be disappointed.  You put a lot of energy into getting those applications out the door in November.  And, you really had hoped to know what next year would look like by now.  It’s okay to be disappointed.  

Second - After taking that moment to process your emotions, shake off the disappointment and remember that you have lots of options. Things happen for a reason!  Now you have the opportunity to explore other options. This also is a good time to revisit your application materials to ensure that you have presented yourself well (i.e., no grammatical errors).

Third - Review your college list to see if there is a school among the remaining contenders that really excites you compared to all the others.  If so, you might consider applying to that school using an Early Decision II program (ED II) if that option is offered.  Is it worth doing?  Let’s see.

Early Decision II - What is it?

Early Decision (ED) II is a relatively new application program that a number of colleges, including all of the NESCAC colleges, have begun to offer in addition to their already existing ED I option. Because both of these application programs are “binding”, they help the colleges to better manage their applicant yield numbers.  In this context “binding” means that an applicant must matriculate at that particular college if accepted and the college meets the student’s financial need. 

Take Note: Most EDII application deadlines fall between January 1st - 15th.  That tends to be either on or just before the college’s Regular Decision deadline. 

Why apply ED II?  

Since EDII is “binding,” like EDI, colleges do tend to accept a higher percentage of students from this applicant pool as compared to those students applying through the Regular Decision program (RD). EDII offers a great opportunity for those of you who were denied admission to their EDI college or who just needed more time to complete your applications.  Maybe you needed more time to research and visit schools in order to find that best “fit” college.  Maybe you needed more time to demonstrate academic strength in your senior year.  Either way, EDII can offer the same admissions benefits as EDI.  Just what are those benefits?  In 2021, American University had an ED (I & II combined) acceptance rate of 83% compared to a 39% acceptance rate overall.  The College of Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) reported a 76% ED acceptance rate versus an overall rate of 38%.  George Washington University’s acceptance rates followed the same trend, reporting 65% ED versus 43% overall.  Colleges seem to favor those students who are willing to commit to them through one of the “binding” application options.

Why not to apply EDII?  

As is the case with EDI, you must be sure that the school to which you are applying is one that you would really be thrilled to attend.  You might hear the results of an EDII application before you find out about RD applications. As a result,  you probably will not be able to compare financial aid opportunities as you would if you only applied through RD or Early Application (note: EA is not “binding”).  And, you still need to complete your Regular Decision applications as you will not know your EDII status in time to avoid completing more applications. 

Everyone’s situation is different.  If applying through ED II seems to be a good fit for you.  The benefits might make it worth your while. Good luck!

If you want to learn more, please reach out to us at JMT College Consulting.