Early Decision II Schools 2026-27: All 102 and Their Deadlines

Early Decision II is the second binding round: the same promise as Early Decision (apply to one school, enroll if admitted, withdraw everything else), with a January deadline instead of a November one. It exists for students who were deferred or denied in the first round, and for students who picked a first choice late.

Of the colleges in our catalog, 102 offer ED II for fall 2027. Their deadlines run from mid-December to mid-February, but most sit in a narrow band: 42 close on January 15, 19 on January 5, 13 on January 1 and 11 on January 4. Decisions usually come about a month later, in February.

The dates below are the ED II deadlines each college lists on the Common App for 2026-27 (updated September 25, 2026). Confirm on the college's own site: some ask for the signed ED agreement and financial aid forms by a separate date.

December 15

DePauw University

January 1 (13 colleges)

Bryn Mawr College, Emerson College, Emory University, Lehigh University, Macalester College, New York University, Northeastern University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Richmond, Vanderbilt University, Vassar College, Wake Forest University, Wesleyan University

January 2 and 3

• Jan 2: Antioch College, Johns Hopkins University
• Jan 3: Fordham University

January 4 (11 colleges)

Babson College, Boston College, Colby College, Davidson College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Rice University, Swarthmore College, Tufts University, University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis

January 5 (19 colleges)

Boston University, Bowdoin College, George Washington University, Grinnell College, Harvey Mudd College, Haverford College, Mount Holyoke College, Oberlin College, Smith College, Stevens Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, University of Miami, University of Rochester, University of San Diego, Washington and Lee University, Wellesley College, Whitman College, William & Mary, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

January 6 to 10

• Jan 6: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Jan 7: Santa Clara University
• Jan 8: Loyola Marymount University, Pomona College, Scripps College, Skidmore College
• Jan 10: Bates College, Bucknell University, Claremont McKenna College, Occidental College, Pitzer College

January 15 (42 colleges)

American University, Bard College, Bentley University, Brandeis University, Bryant University, Carleton College, Case Western Reserve University, Centre College, Chapman University, Clark University, Colgate University, College of Charleston, College of the Atlantic, College of the Holy Cross, Colorado College, Connecticut College, Denison University, Dickinson College, Drew University, Elon University, Fairfield University, Franklin & Marshall College, Furman University, Kenyon College, Lafayette College, Lawrence University, Loyola University Maryland, Pepperdine University, Providence College, Quinnipiac University, Reed College, Rhodes College, Sewanee: The University of the South, Southern Methodist University, St. Olaf College, Trinity College, Tulane University, Union College, University of Denver, University of San Francisco, University of Vermont, Villanova University

Later

• Jan 20: Gettysburg College
• Feb 15: Marist University

Three things to know before you use it

It is still binding. If you are admitted in ED II, you enroll. The same agreement, signed by you, a parent and your counselor, applies.

The published numbers blend both rounds. Most colleges report Early Decision applicants and admits in their Common Data Set as one total covering ED I and ED II, so an "Early Decision acceptance rate" you see quoted almost always mixes the two. We do not split them, because the colleges do not. Our Early Decision acceptance rates by school use the combined figure and say so.

Deferred is not the same as denied. A first-round deferral usually moves your application into the Regular Decision pool, and many colleges say in writing that it releases you from the binding agreement. Colleges that address it, Boston College and Emory among them, accept ED II applicants who weren't admitted in the first round elsewhere. Check what your deferral letter says. A denial ends that school for the year.

From December 12, our check adds one question: what happened in round one. It then looks only at the schools on your list that still take ED II and whose deadline has not passed, and shows each one's published numbers. That part is free. The paid document names which one to use it on, and why.

Source: each college's Early Decision II deadline as listed in the Common App requirements grid for 2026-27 (updated September 25, 2026).

Deferred or denied in round one? See which schools on your list still take ED II.