ED II: A Second Chance at Early Decision?
If you’re starting to learn how early application rounds work, the first one most students hear about is Early Decision (ED I). It’s the November deadline where colleges send decisions in December, and for the students who get in, the process ends early. We explained what Early Decision means in our earlier blog, Should You Commit Early? How to Decide on Early Decision. But ED I isn’t the only early option out there. At many colleges, there’s a second round called Early Decision II (ED II)—same rules, same binding commitment, just later in the cycle.
Same Rules, New Timing
ED II typically has a January deadline, with decisions released in February—almost two months before most Regular Decision notifications in late March or early April. And just like ED I, ED II is binding: if a student is admitted, they must attend. Because of that commitment, ED II becomes available only after ED I decisions are released.
More Time, Real Gains
Students consider ED II for several reasons:
More time to improve SAT or ACT scores
More time to clarify college preferences or assess financial considerations
A binding application signals clear commitment to the school
The opportunity to submit strong senior-year grades (ED I applicants are typically evaluated on grades through junior year)
ED rounds often have higher acceptance rates than Regular Decision
(For example: Dartmouth’s ED acceptance rate is 21%, and Columbia and Princetons’s ED acceptance rates are 17%.)
Why Schools Love ED
Colleges offer ED II for a simple reason: students admitted through ED are required to enroll, giving schools greater certainty in managing yield—the percentage of admitted students who attend. Yield functions as a measure of institutional demand and can influence rankings. ED II offers colleges a second opportunity to secure committed students.
Not every college offers ED II, but for the ones that do, it’s a meaningful option for students seeking another early round.
Planning Early
For students in early high school, understanding early application rounds is a real advantage. ED II isn’t something you simply “choose” senior year—it’s an option your record has to make possible. Your courses, your grades, your testing timeline, and how you use your time outside the classroom all shape whether early rounds are even viable by senior fall.
When students understand this early, they’re not racing to catch up. They’re building toward an early application with purpose and clarity. For students aiming high, that early preparation matters. It transforms early rounds from “maybe, if everything lines up” into a genuine advantage—because strong early applications aren’t assembled in a few months. They’re built through steady, thoughtful decisions made well before senior year.
At Ivy Link, we begin working with high school students as early as 9th grade. Our advisors help them make the right academic, testing, and strategic decisions early—so when it’s time to apply, they’re not scrambling. They’re competitive. They’re ready. And early options like ED II become real opportunities, not long shots.
