Should You ED to Columbia, Cornell or Penn? Early Decision Rates and How to Choose
By Rona Aydin
How much does Early Decision improve your odds at Columbia, Cornell and Penn?
Early Decision applicants were admitted at 2.8 to 3.6 times the rate of other applicants at the three schools for the Class of 2029, the most recent class with Early Decision admit counts from all three. Cornell had the highest Early Decision rate, 18.8%, and the smallest multiple, 2.8 times; Columbia and Penn had lower Early Decision rates, 14.0% and 13.3%, and larger multiples, 3.5 and 3.6 times, all by our calculation.
| School | Early Decision applicants | Early Decision admits | Early Decision rate | Other applicants admitted | Multiple | Overall rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell | 10,057 | 1,889 | 18.8% | 6.7% (4,188 of 62,466) | 2.8 times | 8.4% |
| Columbia | 5,868 | 819 | 14.0% | 4.0% (2,127 of 53,743) | 3.5 times | 4.9% |
| Penn | 9,503 | 1,266 | 13.3% | 3.7% (2,304 of 63,041) | 3.6 times | 4.9% |
Cornell’s Common Data Set 2025-2026 reports the same 10,057 Early Decision applications and 1,889 admits as its Factbook, which assigns them to the class that entered in fall 2025. In our view, the multiples overstate the effect of applying early on its own, because an early pool can differ in strength from the later pool, and none of the three schools publishes data that separate the two.
What do the Class of 2030 numbers show?
The three schools publish different amounts for the Class of 2030, which entered in fall 2026. Cornell publishes Early Decision applicants, acceptances and enrollment; Penn publishes its total applications and the share of the class admitted Early Decision; Columbia publishes its Early Decision applications and its total applications and admits, but no Early Decision admit count.
| School | Overall, Class of 2030 | Early Decision, Class of 2030 | Early Decision share of the class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell | 65,514 applicants; 6,040 admits (9.2%) | 7,919 applicants; 1,653 admits (20.9%) | 1,608 of 3,681 entering students (43.7%) |
| Columbia | 61,031 applications; 2,585 admits (4.2%) | 5,497 applications; admits not published | Not published |
| Penn | 61,264 applications; admits not published by Penn | “more than 7,800” applications; admits not published | “52% of the class of 2030 was admitted early decision” |
Cornell’s Early Decision pool fell 21.3% between the two classes, from 10,057 to 7,919 applicants, by our calculation, while its Early Decision rate rose from 18.8% to 20.9%. Columbia says that from the Class of 2031 it will release admissions data once a year, typically by mid-September, and that data “will not be released at other times in the admissions cycle” (Columbia Admissions Statistics Reporting).
Is it too late to apply Early Decision for fall 2027?
Yes. Columbia, Cornell and Penn all closed Early Decision on November 1, 2026, and none of the three offers an Early Decision II round, so students who did not apply early can still apply Regular Decision in January. Juniors choosing a binding school for fall 2028 entry face that choice next fall.
| School | Early Decision deadline | Early Decision decisions | Regular Decision deadline | Regular Decision decisions | Testing for fall 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | November 1, 2026 (passed) | Mid-December 2026 | January 1, 2027 | Late March 2027 | Test-optional for fall 2027 |
| Cornell | November 1, 2026 (passed); other materials November 13 | Mid-December 2026 | January 2, 2027; other materials January 19 | Late March 2027 | SAT or ACT required |
| Penn | November 1, 2026 (passed) | December 2026 | January 5, 2027 | April 2027 | SAT or ACT required (Common Data Set 2025-2026, item C8A) |
All three Early Decision plans are binding. Columbia says, “If admitted, you must withdraw all other applications and accept our offer of admission” (Columbia Early Decision); Cornell says admitted Early Decision students “must withdraw all applications to other colleges and universities” (Cornell First-Year Applicants); and Penn says its program “is binding, meaning that if you are admitted, you are required to accept our offer of admission and enroll at Penn” (Penn First-Year Applicants). Columbia will require the SAT or ACT again from the 2027-2028 cycle.
Who should apply Early Decision to Penn?
In our view, Penn fits an Early Decision applicant who wants one of its four undergraduate schools in particular, such as the Wharton School for undergraduate business, and who wants to take courses across schools. Penn says applicants “apply to one of our four undergraduate schools,” and that students “can take classes (usually electives) in any of our four schools” (Penn Admissions, The Four Schools). Penn admitted 52% of the Class of 2030 through Early Decision, so a majority of the class came through the early round. Our Penn admissions guide, Wharton admissions guide and Penn Early Decision acceptance rate cover the details.
Who should apply Early Decision to Columbia?
In our view, Columbia fits an Early Decision applicant drawn to its Core Curriculum and to study in New York City, with a clear plan for Columbia College or Columbia Engineering, the two schools covered by its first-year admissions profile (Columbia Class of 2030 Profile). Columbia’s early pool has shrunk two years running, from 6,007 applications for the Class of 2028 to 5,868 and then 5,497, and Columbia was test-optional for the Class of 2030 and “remains test-optional for the Class of 2031.” Our Columbia Early Decision acceptance rate guide and Columbia admissions guide cover the data and the process.
Who should apply Early Decision to Cornell?
In our view, Cornell fits an Early Decision applicant with a clear academic direction that matches one of its undergraduate colleges and schools. Cornell lists them as Agriculture and Life Sciences; Architecture, Art and Planning; Arts and Sciences; the SC Johnson College of Business, with the Nolan School of Hotel Administration and the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management; the Bowers College of Computing and Information Science; the Duffield College of Engineering; Human Ecology; the School of Industrial and Labor Relations; and the Brooks School of Public Policy (Cornell Colleges and Schools).
Cornell does not publish an admit rate for each college; its Factbook reports admissions totals for the university and expected first-year enrollment by college, from 1,182 in Arts and Sciences to 112 in the Brooks School for fall 2026. Cornell also warns that students who apply to a college “solely on the basis of its acceptance rate may find that the selection process works against them” (Cornell Admissions FAQ). Our Cornell admissions guide covers each college.
How should you choose between the three?
In the view of Oriel Admissions, the right binding choice is the school the student would choose with every acceptance in hand, not the one with the highest Early Decision rate. The differences in published rates are smaller than the differences in programs, location and testing rules, and Cornell admits a much larger class, 6,077 students for the Class of 2029 against 2,946 at Columbia and 3,570 at Penn (Common Data Sets 2025-2026, item C1). Cost matters too, because an Early Decision applicant gives up the chance to compare aid offers. Penn says its aid will “fully meet 100% of your demonstrated need without requiring any loans” (Penn Quaker Commitment); Cornell says it “meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for all eligible undergraduates” (Cornell Financial Aid); and Columbia says it does not use loans to meet need and that families with calculated incomes between $66,000 and $150,000 and typical assets can attend tuition-free (Columbia Financial Aid).
- Run each school’s net price calculator before November of senior year.
- Match the student to one Penn school or Cornell college, or to Columbia College or Columbia Engineering, before comparing rates.
- Check testing: Cornell and Penn require scores for fall 2027 entry, and Columbia does not.
- Apply Regular Decision to all three when the student has no clear first choice.
Our guide to Early Decision versus Regular Decision explains the tradeoffs, and our guide to demonstrated interest shows which colleges weigh it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Early Decision at Columbia, Cornell and Penn
Cornell. For the Class of 2029, Cornell admitted 18.8% of Early Decision applicants, Columbia 14.0% and Penn 13.3%, by our calculation from official counts. Cornell counts give 20.9% for the Class of 2030.
For the Class of 2029, the Early Decision rate was about 2.8 times the rate for other applicants at Cornell, 3.5 times at Columbia and 3.6 times at Penn, by our calculation. In our view, part of that gap reflects who applies early.
Yes. All three require an admitted Early Decision student to withdraw other applications and enroll. Columbia releases students who cite financial reasons after speaking with its financial aid office.
Yes. All three Early Decision deadlines were November 1, 2026, and none offers Early Decision II. Regular Decision applications are due January 1, 2027 at Columbia, January 2 at Cornell and January 5 at Penn.
No. The Cornell Factbook reports admissions totals for the university and expected first-year enrollment by college. Cornell warns that choosing a college solely on its acceptance rate may work against an applicant.
Penn offers undergraduate business through the Wharton School, one of its four undergraduate schools, and Cornell through the SC Johnson College of Business, which includes the Dyson School and the Nolan School of Hotel Administration. Columbia admits first-year students to Columbia College and Columbia Engineering.
Cornell and Penn require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027 entry. Columbia is test-optional for fall 2027 applicants and will require scores from the 2027-2028 cycle.
Oriel Admissions suggests choosing the school the student would pick with every offer in hand, then checking net price, testing and the specific college or school before applying. A higher Early Decision rate is not a reason to bind on its own.
Sources: Cornell University Factbook, First-Year Admissions, Cornell Common Data Set 2025-2026, items C1 and C21, Cornell First-Year Applicants, Cornell Standardized Testing Policy, Cornell Colleges and Schools, Cornell Admissions FAQ, Cornell Financial Aid, Affordability, Columbia Common Data Set 2025-2026, items C1 and C21, Columbia Class of 2030 Profile, Columbia Admissions Statistics Reporting, Columbia First-Year Applicants, Columbia Early Decision, Columbia Testing Policy Update, Columbia Financial Aid Facts and Figures, Penn Common Data Set 2025-2026, items C1, C8A and C21, Penn Incoming Class Profile, Penn Admissions blog, December 18, 2025, Penn First-Year Applicants, Penn Admissions, The Four Schools, Penn Quaker Commitment. All read November 4, 2026.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy, with offices in Princeton, New Jersey and New York. Our team pairs deep admissions expertise with a distinctive 360 approach spanning academic planning, extracurricular strategy, essays and application execution. To discuss your strategy, schedule a consultation.
