What Is Early Decision II and How Is It Different from ED I?
Early Decision II is a binding early application round with a January 1-5 deadline (compared to ED I’s November 1-15 deadline). Like ED I, ED II is binding: if admitted, you must enroll and withdraw all other applications. The key difference is timing. ED II decisions arrive in mid-February, giving students who were deferred or rejected from ED I a second chance to demonstrate binding commitment at a different school. Based on admissions data, ED II acceptance rates are typically 2x higher than Regular Decision at the same school. For ED I strategy, see our complete ED vs RD guide.
Which Top Schools Offer ED II?
| School | ED II Deadline | ED II Rate (est.) | RD Rate (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WashU | Jan 2 | ~25-30% | ~8% |
| Vanderbilt | Jan 1 | ~18-22% | ~4% |
| Emory | Jan 1 | ~18-22% | ~8% |
| Tufts | Jan 4 | ~25-30% | ~8% |
| CMU | Jan 3 | ~15-18% | ~5% |
| NYU | Jan 1 | ~20-25% | ~7% |
| BC | Jan 2 | ~20-25% | ~10% |
Source: CDS data, institutional announcements, 2024-2026. Rates are approximate.
Who Should Apply ED II?
ED II is ideal for three groups, according to former admissions officers. First, students deferred from ED I who want to show binding commitment to a different school while remaining in the RD pool at their ED I school. Second, students who did not apply ED I because they had not yet identified their top choice by November, but have since done more research and found a clear favorite. Third, students who were rejected from ED I and want to maximize their odds at their next-best school. CDS data confirms that the ED II acceptance rate advantage is genuine and comparable to ED I at many schools.
Is the ED II Acceptance Rate Advantage Real?
According to CDS data, yes. At WashU, the ED II rate (~25-30%) is roughly 3x the RD rate (~8%). At Vanderbilt, ED II (~18-22%) is roughly 4-5x the RD rate (~4%). The advantage exists for the same reason as ED I: binding commitment guarantees enrollment, which protects the school’s yield rate. At schools that track demonstrated interest (WashU, Tufts, Emory, BC), ED II is the strongest possible interest signal.
Can I Apply ED II If I Was Deferred from ED I?
Yes, you can. A deferral from ED I (not a rejection) places you back in the RD pool at your ED I school. You are free to apply ED II to a different school while remaining in the RD pool at your ED I school. If admitted ED II, you must withdraw from all other schools, including your ED I deferral. According to the Common App, this is a standard and accepted practice. For how to handle a deferral, see our deferral strategy guide.
What Are the Risks of ED II?
According to financial aid experts, the main risk is the same as ED I: you commit before comparing financial aid offers. According to need-blind vs need-aware policy data, most ED II schools meet 100% of demonstrated need (WashU, Vanderbilt, Tufts, CMU). However, you cannot negotiate aid by comparing offers from multiple schools. If the aid package is insufficient, you can request release from the binding commitment, but this is not guaranteed. The second risk is timeline pressure: you have only 2-3 weeks after ED I decisions (mid-December) to finalize your ED II application by January 1-5. For financial aid strategy, see our financial aid guide.
ED II vs RD: Which Schools Benefit Most?
| School | ED II Advantage (vs RD) | Tracks DI? | ED II Strategic Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| WashU | ~3x | Yes (Important) | Extremely high |
| Vanderbilt | ~4-5x | Yes (Considered) | Extremely high |
| Tufts | ~3x | Yes (Important) | Extremely high |
| Emory | ~2-3x | Yes (Considered) | Very high |
| CMU | ~3x | Yes (Considered) | Very high |
Source: CDS data, institutional policies, 2024-2026.
Final Thoughts: ED II Is an Underrated Strategic Tool
ED II gives students a second chance at binding commitment with rates 2-5x higher than RD. If you were deferred from ED I, missed the ED I deadline, or have identified a new top choice, ED II is the smartest play available. At Oriel Admissions, our team of former admissions officers from Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia helps families navigate the ED I, ED II, and RD decision tree. Schedule a consultation to discuss how we can help. For essay strategy, see our Common App essay guide and recommendation letter guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
If there is a genuine second-choice school with ED II, apply immediately. ED II is binding (just like ED I) and carries a meaningful acceptance rate advantage over RD at most schools that offer it. The timeline is tight – ED II deadlines are typically January 1-15 and Harvard REA deferrals come mid-December – but a well-prepared student can pivot to an ED II application in 2-3 weeks. If no school on the list genuinely warrants a binding commitment, applying RD across a balanced list is the better strategy. ED II purely as a panic response to a deferral often produces a weaker application.
Vanderbilt, WashU, Emory, Tufts, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, and Colby all offer ED II with meaningful rate advantages. The strongest ED II plays are at schools with moderate yield rates that rely heavily on binding commitments: WashU’s ED II rate is significantly higher than RD, and Vanderbilt fills over 50% of its class through combined ED I and ED II. The hidden gems are elite liberal arts colleges – Bowdoin and Pomona ED II rates can be 2-3x their RD rates because fewer applicants know to use this option. ED II is genuinely the most underused tool in selective admissions.
Both. The raw ED II rates are genuinely higher than RD at every school that offers it, but the ED II pool does include more committed applicants (which inflates the rate slightly). Even controlling for applicant quality, the binding commitment signal gives ED II applicants a real advantage. Schools want students who will definitely enroll, and a binding application guarantees that. At schools that fill large portions of their class through ED rounds (WashU, Vanderbilt, Emory), the advantage is structural: fewer RD spots remain, making RD dramatically more competitive.
Yes. If you were deferred from ED I (not rejected), you remain in the applicant pool for Regular Decision at that school. You can simultaneously apply ED II elsewhere because the ED I deferral released you from any early round restriction. If the ED II school admits you, the commitment is binding and you must withdraw all other applications, including your deferred ED I application. If the ED II school rejects or defers you, your original deferred application continues through RD. This dual-track strategy is legitimate and common among well-advised applicants.
For families who can comfortably pay full cost of attendance at any institution, ED II has zero financial downside and significant strategic upside. The binding commitment signal is the strongest form of demonstrated interest available, and you are not giving up the ability to compare financial aid offers (which is irrelevant if you are paying full price). High-income families who can afford any school should view ED I and ED II as their most powerful admissions tools – you are sacrificing nothing by committing early and gaining a meaningful acceptance rate advantage.
ED II acceptance rates are typically slightly lower than ED I rates at the same school but meaningfully higher than RD. The ED I pool tends to be stronger because it attracts the most confident applicants and includes recruited athletes and legacy applicants who commit early. ED II draws from a different pool: students who were deferred or rejected from ED I elsewhere, students who decided on their first choice later in the process, or students who discovered a school after ED I deadlines. The competition is real but less intense than ED I, and the advantage over RD is substantial.
Compare three factors: campus culture fit, program strength in your child’s intended field, and the specific ED II advantage at each school. WashU fills over 60% of its class through combined ED rounds and has one of the largest ED-to-RD rate gaps in the top 20 – the strategic advantage is enormous. Vanderbilt also fills 50%+ through ED and offers a different campus culture (Southern, Greek life-heavy, strong pre-professional). If the academic programs are equivalent for your child’s interests, the school with the larger ED acceptance rate gap is the stronger strategic play. Visit both if possible – the campus where your child feels most at home is the right ED II choice.
Three weeks is tight but sufficient if you have been building your college list and writing essays throughout fall. The Common App main essay is already written, and most of the application components (transcript, test scores, recommendations) transfer directly. The critical new work is the school-specific supplemental essay, which requires genuine research about the ED II school. If your child has already visited or engaged with the school, the supplemental essay draws from existing knowledge. If the ED II school is genuinely new to the list, writing a compelling ‘Why Us’ essay in three weeks is possible but requires immediate, focused effort.
