Early Notification Dates for College Admissions: What to Expect and When

For this year's high school seniors, early decision notifications stretch from early December through mid-February. These rounds shape the majority of incoming classes at many selective colleges, and they reveal much about where competition is tightening. This week-by-week guide highlights only Early Decision (ED1 and ED2) schools, including their exact notification phrasing and admit rates when available.




Top 10 Most Competitive Early Decision Schools

  • Cornell University – Mid December (ED 12%, RD 8%)
  • Johns Hopkins University – February 13 (ED 12%, RD 5%)
  • Pomona College – Mid February (ED 13%, RD 6%)
  • Columbia University – Mid December (ED 13%, RD 3%)
  • Bowdoin College – Early February (ED 13%, RD 6%)
  • Carnegie Mellon University – Mid December (ED 14%, RD 11%)
  • Brown University – Mid December (ED 14%, RD 4%)
  • Vanderbilt University – Mid February (ED 15%, RD 5%)
  • Rice University – Mid February (ED 17%, RD 7%)
  • Swarthmore College – Mid February (ED 18%, RD 6%)

At these ten institutions, the early rounds remain highly competitive but continue to offer a clear advantage over regular decision.


Week of December 2

The earliest Early Decision notifications begin arriving this week.

  • University of Vermont – Early December (ED 74%, RD 60%)


Week of December 9

A small but significant group of liberal arts colleges release their Early Decision results during this week, giving students an early sense of the landscape.

  • Amherst College – Early to mid Dec (ED 29%, RD 8%)
  • Bucknell University – Early Dec (ED 55%, RD 26%)
  • William and Mary – Early to mid Dec (ED 42%, RD 33%)


Week of December 16

The most active week in the Early Decision cycle. Dozens of top-tier universities and selective colleges announce their ED1 outcomes.

  • Babson College – By mid Dec (ED 34%, RD 21%)
  • Barnard College – Mid Dec (ED 19%, RD 6%)
  • Boston College – By Dec 15 (ED 29%, RD 16%)
  • Boston University – Mid Dec (ED 27%, RD 12%)
  • Bowdoin College – Mid Dec (ED 13%, RD 6%)
  • Brandeis University – Dec 15 (ED 36%, RD 19%)
  • Brown University – Mid Dec (ED 14%, RD 4%)
  • Carleton College – Mid Dec (ED 33%, RD 19%)
  • Carnegie Mellon University – Mid Dec (ED 14%, RD 11%)
  • Claremont McKenna College – Mid Dec (ED 29%, RD 11%)
  • Colby College – Mid Dec (ED 31%, RD 7%)
  • Columbia University – Mid Dec (ED 13%, RD 3%)
  • Connecticut College – Mid Dec (ED 45%, RD 41%)
  • Cornell University – Mid Dec (ED 12%, RD 8%)
  • Dartmouth College – Mid Dec (ED 19%, RD 5%)
  • Davidson College – Mid Dec (ED 37%, RD 15%)
  • Dickinson College – Mid Dec (ED 53%, RD 33%)
  • Duke University – Mid Dec (ED 16%, RD 5%)
  • Emory University – Mid Dec (ED 24%, RD 15%)
  • Emory Oxford College – Mid Dec (ED 29%, RD 18%)
  • Fairfield University – Mid Dec (ED 71%, RD 60%)
  • Haverford College – Mid Dec (ED 34%, RD 14%)
  • Holy Cross – Mid Dec (ED 44%, RD 36%)
  • Kenyon College – Mid Dec (ED 40%, RD 28%)
  • Lafayette College – Mid Dec (ED 42%, RD 30%)
  • Lehigh University – Mid Dec (ED 39%, RD 34%)
  • Middlebury College – Mid Dec (ED 29%, RD 13%)
  • New York University – Mid Dec (ED 28%, RD 9%)
  • Oberlin College – Mid Dec (ED 50%, RD 34%)
  • Pomona College – Mid Dec (ED 13%, RD 6%)
  • Rice University – Mid Dec (ED 17%, RD 7%)
  • Smith College – Mid Dec (ED 44%, RD 30%)
  • Swarthmore College – Mid Dec (ED 18%, RD 6%)
  • Tufts University – Mid Dec (ED 21%, RD 9%)
  • Tulane University – Mid Dec (ED 54%, RD 9%)
  • University of Chicago – Mid Dec (ED 20%, RD 5%)
  • Vanderbilt University – Mid Dec (ED 15%, RD 5%)
  • Vassar College – Mid Dec (ED 29%, RD 19%)
  • University of Virginia – Mid Dec (ED 26%, RD 17%)
  • Wellesley College – Mid Dec (ED 38%, RD 19%)
  • Wesleyan University – Mid Dec (ED 36%, RD 14%)
  • Williams College – Mid Dec (ED 25%, RD 8%)

This week represents the heart of the early decision season, with many students learning whether their top-choice schools have admitted them.


Week of December 23

A smaller set of colleges release their ED1 results right before the holidays, offering clarity for families before the regular deadlines arrive.

  • Bates College – By Dec 20 (ED 48%, RD 16%)
  • Bryn Mawr College – Late Dec (ED 53%, RD 39%)
  • Case Western Reserve University – Mid to late Dec (ED 43%, RD 31%)
  • Clark University – Mid to late Dec (ED 52%, RD 39%)
  • Fordham University – Mid Dec to Dec 21 (ED 52%, RD 59%)
  • George Washington University – Mid Dec (ED 46%, RD 33%)
  • Grinnell College – Mid Dec (ED 36%, RD 12%)
  • Macalester College – Mid Dec (ED 42%, RD 29%)
  • Mount Holyoke College – Mid Dec (ED 48%, RD 32%)
  • Sarah Lawrence College – Mid Dec (ED 57%, RD 48%)
  • Syracuse University – Mid Dec (ED 63%, RD 48%)
  • Washington and Lee University – Mid Dec (ED 44%, RD 19%)


Week of February 10 and Week of February 17

The second Early Decision round brings another wave of announcements, closing out the early cycle.

  • American University – Feb 15 (ED 80%, RD 61%)
  • Babson College – By mid Feb (ED 34%, RD 21%)
  • Bates College – Mid Feb (ED 48%, RD 16%)
  • Boston College – By Feb 15 (ED 29%, RD 16%)
  • Boston University – Mid Feb (ED 27%, RD 12%)
  • Bowdoin College – Early Feb (ED 13%, RD 6%)
  • Brandeis University – Feb 15 (ED 36%, RD 19%)
  • Carleton College – By mid Feb (ED 33%, RD 19%)
  • Case Western Reserve University – Mid Feb (ED 43%, RD 31%)
  • Claremont McKenna College – Mid Feb (ED 29%, RD 11%)
  • Colby College – Mid Feb (ED 31%, RD 7%)
  • Colgate University – Mid Feb (ED 31%, RD 17%)
  • Davidson College – Mid Feb (ED 37%, RD 15%)
  • Dickinson College – Mid Feb (ED 53%, RD 33%)
  • Emory University – Mid Feb (ED 24%, RD 15%)
  • Fordham University – Mid Feb (ED 52%, RD 59%)
  • George Washington University – Mid Feb (ED 46%, RD 33%)
  • Haverford College – Mid Feb (ED 34%, RD 14%)
  • Johns Hopkins University – Feb 13 (ED 12%, RD 5%)
  • Kenyon College – Mid Feb (ED 40%, RD 28%)
  • Lafayette College – Mid Feb (ED 42%, RD 30%)
  • Lehigh University – Mid Feb (ED 39%, RD 34%)
  • Middlebury College – Mid Feb (ED 29%, RD 13%)
  • Pomona College – Mid Feb (ED 13%, RD 6%)
  • Rice University – Mid Feb (ED 17%, RD 7%)
  • Swarthmore College – Mid Feb (ED 18%, RD 6%)
  • Tufts University – Mid Feb (ED 21%, RD 9%)
  • Tulane University – Mid Feb (ED 54%, RD 9%)
  • University of Miami – Mid Feb (ED 53%, RD 28%)
  • University of Richmond – Mid Feb (ED 49%, RD 21%)
  • Vanderbilt University – Mid Feb (ED 15%, RD 5%)
  • Villanova University – Mid Feb (ED 39%, RD 23%)
  • Washington and Lee University – Mid Feb (ED 44%, RD 19%)
  • Washington University in St. Louis – Mid Feb (ED 26%, RD 9%)
  • Wellesley College – Mid Feb (ED 38%, RD 19%)
  • Wesleyan University – Mid Feb (ED 36%, RD 14%)

By the end of February, nearly every Early Decision applicant will have received an answer.


What to Expect

Colleges continue to rely on Early Decision to shape much of their class, often admitting more than half of incoming freshmen through ED1 and ED2 combined. The statistical edge remains clear, but the best outcomes still come from thoughtful strategy, not speed.



Families who use the early rounds wisely pair academic strength with readiness to commit. Those who are still exploring fit are often better served waiting for regular decision. Either way, knowing when to expect results and how to interpret them can turn a stressful season into an informed one.