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Early decision acceptance rates
Early decision vs. overall acceptance rate at 32 colleges, straight from each college’s Common Data Set. Sort, search or download it.
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Common Data Set 2024–25 and 2025–26 (Fall entry of that year). Early decision counts include ED I and ED II where the college combines them. Colleges without an early decision round are not listed.
How to read it
A higher early decision rate does not by itself mean early decision raises your odds by the same amount. Early pools often include recruited athletes, children of alumni and students who were already strong applicants.
Early decision is binding: if you are admitted, you commit to attend and withdraw other applications. Only apply early decision to a college you are sure about and can afford, since you cannot compare aid offers first.
Our chances calculator uses each college’s early decision rate when you pick the early decision round, and tells you when a college does not report one. Check your chances.
Questions
Is the early decision acceptance rate higher than regular decision?
At 28 of the 32 colleges in this table, the early decision acceptance rate is higher than the rate for everyone else who applied. That does not mean applying early decision caused the difference: early pools often include recruited athletes, legacy applicants and students with stronger records.
Where do these numbers come from?
From each college's own Common Data Set (2024–25 and 2025–26), sections C1 (all applicants) and C21 (early decision). We link the document on every row. Colleges that do not offer early decision, or do not report it, are not listed.
What is the "everyone else" rate?
It is the acceptance rate for applicants who did not apply early decision: total admits minus early decision admits, divided by total applicants minus early decision applicants. It includes early action and regular decision together.
Can I use this data?
Yes. Download the CSV and use it freely; please link back to this page. The figures are the colleges’ own; check the linked Common Data Set if a number matters to you.
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