Early Decision Deadlines for Every College With ED

Early Decision Deadlines for Every College With ED SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're applying early decision, then you've already accomplished something pretty rare in the college application process- you know exactly where you want to go to college! This guide goes overyourtimeline for applying early decision and provides a comprehensive list of deadlines for all early decision schools. Read on to learn everything you will need to know about applying early decision to your dream school. What You Need to Know About Early Decision Early decision is a unique option when it comes to applying to college because it's binding. That's why you should only apply this way if you're 100% sure you want to go to the schooland will be able to enroll regardless of the financial aid offer you receive. If you apply early decision, you'll sign a statement of binding agreement to enroll. Since this is a big commitment, most colleges with early decision also require your parents and school counselor to sign this form, which can usually be found online throughtheCommon Applicationor aschool's individual application form. Early decision might or might not actually have an early deadline. The traditional deadlines are in November,usually the 1st or the 15th, and you're typically notified of the admissions decision in December. Some schools now also offer Early Decision II. Early Decision II is still binding, but the deadline is pushed forward, usually to sometime in January.This option is for applicants who are decided on a specific college but could benefit from a few more months to prepare their applications. Applicants who apply ED II will get their admissions decision earlier than usual, typically in February. Regardless of whether you apply Early Decision I or II, all early decision applicants have to accept their offers and send in their deposits quickly after notification, rather than waiting until the national response date of May 1. If you're applying Early Decision I, your challenge is to prepare the strongest application you can by the November deadline. Let's look at a possible timeline for gathering your application materials. Timeline for Applying Early Decision If you're applying early decision, it's probably safe to say that you're excited about attending your school of choice. To make this happen, though, you want to submit the strongest application you can. For the SAT/ACT, you'll want to start prepping months in advance,even a year or more. If your early decision deadline is in November, your last opportunity to take the ACT or SAT will be in September or October,respectively. At this point, you probably won't be able to view your scores before deciding whether to send them off to colleges. To put less pressure on yourself, you could test earlier and have your scores all set by the end of your junior year. You might alsoask your junior-year teachers for recommendations at the end of junior year, when your work will be fresh in their minds. At the absolute latest, you want to ask your counselor and teachers for recommendations a month before your deadline. In most cases, you should ask by October 1. You also want to give your high school at least threeweeks' to a month's notice for sending off your transcript and any other official documents that need to be sent to colleges. You might have to fill out a form and pay a small fee. Finally, you should work on your personal essayand any other supplemental application essays over the summer before senior year. Writing the personal essay is a process, and you want to give yourself time to brainstorm, draft, get feedback, and revise. You can spend September and October filling out your college applications, writing about your extracurricular activities, and proofreading what you've written for any errors or typos. As long as you start planning and preparing your application months in advance, you should be good to go for your early decision deadline. To recap, here's what your schedule might look like if you're applying Early Decision I: Step 1: Take the SAT or ACT early so you have enough available test dates to retake it, if desired. You might take the test first in the spring of sophomore year, again in the fall of junior year, and a third time in the spring of junior year. If you move this schedule forward, just remember that the fall of senior year will be your last opportunity to take the test. Step 2: Ask for teacher recommendations at the end of junior year, or ask for teacher and counselor recommendationsby October 1 at the latest. Step 3: Make your request for your high school transcript to be sent by October 1. Depending on your school, you might have to fill out a form and pay a small fee. Step 4: Work on your personal essay and any other essays over the summer and fall. Step 5: Fill out your application in September and October,making sure to edit for clarity and proofread for errors. If you're applying Early Decision II, you'll have more available test dates to take the SAT/ACT. You might also send your mid-year senior grades on your transcript. Waiting for this later deadline, if available, can be a good option if you're not totally satisfied with your academic record and test scores and feel you could present a stronger candidacy in January. Now that you have a sense of the early decision application process, let's look at the deadlines of some popular schools. Some offer Early Decision II, while others don't have that second deadline (these ones say "N/A"). Early Decision Deadlines of Popular Schools School Deadline for ED I Deadline for ED II American University November 15 January 15 Boston University November 1 January 2 Bowdoin College November 15 January 1 Brandeis University November 1 January 1 Brown University November 1 N/A Colby College November 15 January 1 Columbia University November 1 N/A Cornell University November 1 N/A Dartmouth College November 1 N/A Duke University November 1 N/A Emory University November 1 January 1 Johns Hopkins University November 1 N/A New York University November 1 January 1 Northwestern University November 1 N/A Pomona College November 1 January 1 Smith College November 15 January 1 Tufts University November 1 January 1 University of Pennsylvania November 1 N/A Vanderbilt University November 1 January 1 Wesleyan University November 15 January 1 It tends to be smaller schools that offer Early Decision II, perhaps so they can have greater control over their enrollment numbers.The next chart is acomprehensive list of all the schools with early decision and their respective deadlines. Early Decision Deadlines of All Schools The following schools are listed in alphabetical order, so you can either scroll through the chart or use ctrl + F to jump straight to your school of interest. School State Early Decision Deadline Early Decision II Deadline Early Decision Notification Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences NY November 1 N/A December 15 Alfred University NY December 1 N/A December 15 Allegheny College PA November 15 February 1 Not reported American University DC November 15 January 15 December 31, February 15 Amherst College MA November 1 N/A December 15 Babson College MA November 1 January 2 December 15, February 15 Barnard College NY November 1 N/A December 15 Bates College ME November 15 January 1 December 20, February 15 Beloit College WI November 1 N/A December 1 Bennington College VT November 15 January 15 December 14, February 8 Bentley University MA November 15 N/A December 31 Boston University MA November 1 January 2 December 15, February 15 Bowdoin College ME November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Brandeis University MA November 1 January 1 December 15, February 1 Brown University RI November 1 N/A December 15 Bryant University RI November 1 January 15 December 1, February 15 Bryn Mawr College PA November 15 January 1 Not reported Bucknell University PA November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Carleton College MN November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Carnegie Mellon University PA November 1 N/A December 15 Case Western Reserve University OH November 1 January 15 December 17, February 1 Centre College KY November 15 N/A January 1 Champlain College VT November 15 N/A Not reported Christopher Newport University VA November 15 N/A December 15 Claremont McKenna College CA November 1 January 5 December 15, February 15 Clarkson University NY December 1 N/A January 1 Colby College ME November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Colgate University NY November 15 January 15 December 15, Rolling College of New Rochelle NY November 1 N/A December 15 College of the Atlantic ME December 1 January 15 December 15, January 30 College of the Holy Cross MA December 15 N/A Rolling College of William and Mary VA November 1 January 1 Early December, early February College of Wooster OH November 1 January 15 November 15, February 1 Colorado College CO November 10 January 15 December 13, February 15 Columbia University NY November 1 N/A December 15 Connecticut College CT November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art NY November 1 (architecture), December 3 (engineering) N/A Not reported Cornell University NY November 1 N/A December 15 Cox College (Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program) MO June 1 N/A Not reported Dartmouth College NH November 1 N/A December 15 Davidson College NC November 15 January 2 December 15, February 1 Denison University OH November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 DePauw University IN November 15 January 15 December 1, February 1 Dickinson College PA November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Drew University NJ November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Duke University NC November 1 N/A December 15 Duquesne University PA November 1 N/A Not reported Earlham College IN November 1 N/A December 15 Elon University NC November 1 N/A December 1 Emory University GA November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Fairfield University CT November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Five Towns College NY January 4 N/A Not reported Flagler College FL November 1 N/A December 15 Florida Southern College FL November 1 N/A December 15 Franklin Marshall College PA November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Furman University SC November 1 N/A November 15 George Washington University DC November 1 January 5 December 31, February 28 Gettysburg College PA November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Goucher College MD November 15 N/A December 15 Grinnell College IA November 15 January 1 December 15, Early February Grove City College PA November 1 December 1 December 15, January 15 Hamilton College NY November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Hamline University MN November 1 N/A Not reported Hampden-Sydney College VA November 15 N/A Early December Hampshire College MA November 15 January 1 December 15, February 1 Hartwick College NY November 1 N/A Not reported Harvey Mudd College CA November 15 January 5 December 15, February 15 Haverford College PA November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 High Point University NC November 1 February 1 November 28, Rolling Hillsdale College MI November 1 N/A Early December Hobart and William Smith Colleges NY November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Hollins University VA November 1 N/A Not reported Ithaca College NY November 1 N/A December 15 Johns Hopkins University MD November 1 N/A December 15 Juniata College PA November 15 N/A December 15 Kalamazoo College MI November 1 February 1 December 1, March 1 Kenyon College OH November 15 January 15 December 15, February 7 Lafayette College PA November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Lake Forest College IL November 1 January 15 Beginning December 15 Lawrence University WI October 31 N/A December 1 Lehigh University PA November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Lewis Clark College OR November 1 N/A December 15 Lynchburg College VA November 15 N/A December 15 Macalester College MN November 15 January 1 December 15, February 1 Manhattan College NY November 15 N/A January 1 Marist College NY November 15 February 1 December 15, February 15 Marlboro College VT November 15 N/A December 1 Maryland Institute College of Art MD November 1 N/A December 1 Meredith College NC October 30 N/A November 15 Merrimack College MA November 15 N/A December 31 Miami University OH November 1 N/A December 1 Middlebury College VT November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Moody Bible Institute IL December 1 N/A January 15 Mount Holyoke College MA November 15 January 1 January 1, February 1 Muhlenberg College PA November 15 February 1 December 15, February 15-28 Nazareth College NY November 15 January 10 December 15,January 25 New York University NY November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Northeastern University MA November 1 N/A December 15 Northwestern University IL November 1 N/A December 15 Oberlin College OH November 15 January 2 December 15, February 1 Occidental College CA November 15 January 1 December 15,Early February Ohio Wesleyan University OH November 15 January 15 November 30, January 30 Pitzer College CA November 15 January 1 December 18, February 15 Pomona College CA November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Providence College RI November 15 January 15 January 1, February 15 Quinnipiac University CT November 1 N/A December 15 Ramapo College of New Jersey NJ November 1 N/A December 5 Reed College OR November 15 December 20 December 15, February 1 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY November 1 December 15 December 15, January 15 Rhode Island School of Design RI November 1 N/A December8-14 Rhodes College TN November 1 January 1 Rolling (within two weeks of submission) Rice University TX November 1 N/A December 15 Roanoke College VA November 15 N/A December 15 Rochester Institute of Technology NY November 1 January 1 December 15, January 15 Rollins College FL November 1 January 5 December 14, February 1 Sacred Heart University CT December 1 N/A December 15 Saint Mary's College IN November 15 N/A December 15 Salisbury University MD November 15 N/A December 15 Santa Clara University CA November 1 January 7 December 31, February 15 Sarah Lawrence College NY November 1 January 2 December 31, Early February Scripps College CA November 15 January 4 December 15, February 15 Sewanee: University of the South TN November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Siena College NY December 1 N/A Not reported Skidmore College NY November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Smith College MA November 15 January 1 December 15, January 31 Southern Methodist University TX November 1 January 15 December 15, March 1 Spelman College GA November 1 N/A December 15 Springfield College MA December 1 January 15 Not reported St. John Fisher College NY December 1 N/A Rolling St. Lawrence University NY November 1 February 1 Rolling St. Mary's College of Maryland MD November 1 N/A December 1 St. Olaf College MN November 15 January 8 December15, February 1 State University of New York College at Geneseo NY November 15 N/A December 15 State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry NY December 1 N/A Rolling State University of New York Maritime College NY November 1 N/A Not reported Sterling College VT November 15 N/A December 1 Stevens Institute of Technology NJ November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Stonehill College MA December 1 N/A December 31 Susquehanna University PA November 15 N/A December 1 Swarthmore College PA November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Syracuse University NY November 15 January 1 Beginning December 15, Beginning January 15 Texas Christian University TX November 1 N/A January 1 The College of New Jersey NJ November 1 January 1 December 1, February 1 The Jewish Theological Seminary (List College) NY November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 Trinity College CT November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Trinity University TX November 1 January 1 December 1, February 1 Tufts University MA November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Union College NY November 15 January 15 December 15, February 15 University of Miami FL November 1 January 1 December 31, February 15-28 University of Pennsylvania PA November 1 N/A December 15 University of Puget Sound WA November 15 N/A December 15 University of Richmond VA November 1 January 15 December 15, February 15 University of Rochester NY November 1 N/A December 15 University of San Francisco CA November 1 N/A Beginning December 15 Ursinus College PA December 1 February 1 December 15, February 15 Vanderbilt University TN November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Vassar College NY November 15 January 1 Not reported Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University VA November 1 N/A December 15 Wabash College IN November 1 N/A December 5 Wake Forest University NC November 15 January 1 Rolling, February 15 Warren Wilson College NC November 1 N/A Not reported Washington Jefferson College PA January 4 N/A January 15 Washington and Lee University VA November 1 January 1 "Within a few weeks" Washington College MD November 15 N/A December 15 Washington University in St. Louis MO November 1 January 2 December 15, February 15 Webb Institute NY October 15 N/A December 15 Wellesley College MA November 1 January 1 December 15, February 15 Wells College NY December 15 N/A Not reported Wesleyan College GA November 15 N/A Not reported Wesleyan University CT November 15 January 1 December 15, February 15 Wheaton College IL November 20 January 15 December 3, February 1 Whitman College WA November 15 January 1 December 15, January 31 Willamette University OR November 15 N/A December 30 Williams College MA November 15 N/A December 15 Wittenberg University OH November 1 N/A December 1 Wofford College SC November 1 N/A December 1 Early decision can be a great option as it communicates to your school of choice how enthusiastic and committed you are to attending. If your school offers Early Decision II and you feel you could benefit from a few more months to work on your application, it makes sense to wait for this later deadline. Either way, you'll find out earlier than regular notification if you got into your first-choice school! What's Next? Want to apply early but aren't sure about signing a binding agreement? This guide has the comprehensive list of all the colleges that offer early action. Not sure applying early to college is right for you? Then take a look at thethe most common college application deadlines to get an idea of what your application timeline could look like. As you fill out your college applications, you want to think about how to present your high school resume in the best possible light.Read our expert guide for tips on how to write about your extracurricular activities on your college application. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: