Dec 6, 2025
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By Justin Neiman, Former Ivy League Admissions Officer
Early Decision II can be a helpful option for students who didn’t get the results they hoped for in the early round. If you were deferred or rejected, ED2 gives you another chance to make a binding commitment to a school that may be a stronger fit.
But deadlines come fast. Most ED2 applications are due between January 1 and January 15, and every school sets its own date. Below is a list of high-interest ED2 colleges with deadlines.
• American University
• Bates College
• Brandeis University
• Connecticut College
• Denison University
• Emory University
• Grinnell College
• Kenyon College
• Macalester College
• New York University (NYU)
• Northeastern University
• Pomona College
• Reed College
• Scripps College
• Sewanee: University of the South
• Skidmore College
• Trinity College (CT)
• Union College
• Vanderbilt University
• Washington & Lee University
• Whitman College
• Boston College
• Wake Forest University
• Middlebury College
• Occidental College
• Lafayette College
• Claremont McKenna College
• Pitzer College
• Tufts University
• University of Chicago
• Boston University
• Davidson College
• Hamilton College
• Rhodes College
• Bard College
• Bryn Mawr College
• Colgate University
• Dickinson College
• Franklin & Marshall College
• Gettysburg College
• Holy Cross (College of the Holy Cross)
• Oberlin College
• Smith College
• Southwestern University
• St. Olaf College
• Sarah Lawrence College
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
If you missed an ED2 deadline, you’re most likely out of luck for that round. But if you had a genuine extenuating circumstance, you can reach out to the admissions office and ask whether they might still accept your application. This isn’t guaranteed, but some schools will make exceptions in unusual situations.
Your other option is to apply Regular Decision, as long as that deadline hasn’t passed. You’ll still be considered for admission, and many students end up with strong results in the spring.
If you’d like support with your Essays, ED2 Application or Regular Decision Applications, feel free to reach out.
Early Decision II can be a helpful option for students who didn’t get the results they hoped for in the early round. If you were deferred or rejected, ED2 gives you another chance to make a binding commitment to a school that may be a stronger fit.
But deadlines come fast. Most ED2 applications are due between January 1 and January 15, and every school sets its own date. Below is a list of high-interest ED2 colleges with deadlines.
• American University
• Bates College
• Brandeis University
• Connecticut College
• Denison University
• Emory University
• Grinnell College
• Kenyon College
• Macalester College
• New York University (NYU)
• Northeastern University
• Pomona College
• Reed College
• Scripps College
• Sewanee: University of the South
• Skidmore College
• Trinity College (CT)
• Union College
• Vanderbilt University
• Washington & Lee University
• Whitman College
• Boston College
• Wake Forest University
• Middlebury College
• Occidental College
• Lafayette College
• Claremont McKenna College
• Pitzer College
• Tufts University
• University of Chicago
• Boston University
• Davidson College
• Hamilton College
• Rhodes College
• Bard College
• Bryn Mawr College
• Colgate University
• Dickinson College
• Franklin & Marshall College
• Gettysburg College
• Holy Cross (College of the Holy Cross)
• Oberlin College
• Smith College
• Southwestern University
• St. Olaf College
• Sarah Lawrence College
• College of Wooster
• Colorado College
If you missed an ED2 deadline, you’re most likely out of luck for that round. But if you had a genuine extenuating circumstance, you can reach out to the admissions office and ask whether they might still accept your application. This isn’t guaranteed, but some schools will make exceptions in unusual situations.
Your other option is to apply Regular Decision, as long as that deadline hasn’t passed. You’ll still be considered for admission, and many students end up with strong results in the spring.
If you’d like support with your Essays, ED2 Application or Regular Decision Applications, feel free to reach out.
Former Admissions Officer, Harvard University
Former Assistant Dean, Stanford University
As a College Counselor I help students navigate the college admissions process. My goal is to help students stand out and get accepted to their top-choice schools.
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