Villanova Early Decision 2026: 60% Early, and Why Early Action Might Be the Better Call
4 min read·Sep 30, 2026
Villanova admits most of its Early Decision applicants. Its 2025-26 Common Data Set shows 1,680 applications and 1,005 admits, a 59.8% rate. That number gets a lot of attention.
What gets less attention is that Villanova also runs a non-binding Early Action round, and that its prices make the choice between the two rounds unusually important.
The numbers
Villanova, fall 2025 entering class
Applied
Admitted
Rate
Early Decision
1,680
1,005
59.8%
Everyone else (Early Action and Regular)
24,161
6,267
25.9%
Total
25,841
7,272
28.1%
That is a 2.3× gap. It is a real advantage, but a smaller one than at the most selective schools, where the same calculation runs from about 3.5× to more than 5×.
Notice the size of the early round, too. Only 1,680 students applied ED, about 6.5% of all applicants. Villanova filled 14% of its offers from them. Most of the class comes from Early Action and Regular Decision.
Three rounds, two of them binding
Villanova's 2025-26 filing lists:
Early Action, closing November 1, with notification around January 20. It is not restrictive, so you can still apply Early Decision somewhere else.
Early Decision I, closing November 1, with notification by December 15.
Early Decision II, closing January 15, with notification by March 1.
This gives Villanova applicants a choice most applicants to the most selective schools don't have. You can apply early and still keep your options open.
Why the money decides the round
Average net price by family income (College Scorecard, 2023-24, federal aid recipients):
Family income
Average net price
$0–30,000
$17,823
$30,000–48,000
$16,496
$48,000–75,000
$20,923
$75,000–110,000
$33,389
Over $110,000
$58,741
The cost of attendance is $84,793. Compare these with schools that are harder to get into. For a family earning $75,000–110,000, Villanova averaged $33,389 a year, against $17,100 at Duke and $14,591 at Johns Hopkins. For families under $30,000, Villanova averaged nearly $18,000, while several more selective schools averaged under $5,000.
This isn't a criticism of Villanova. Wealthier institutions can give more need-based aid. But it means that at Villanova, committing to one aid offer before seeing others is a bigger financial decision than it is at those schools.
Villanova does give merit awards. In its 2025-26 filing, 119 first-year students without financial need received a Villanova scholarship not based on need, averaging $38,439. If merit is part of your plan, ask Villanova how it is awarded and whether the round you choose affects eligibility. Then decide which round to use.
What Villanova says it weighs
The 2025-26 filing, section C7, marks rigor, GPA and the application essay as very important. Recommendations, extracurriculars, talent and character are important. Class rank and test scores are considered. Demonstrated interest and the interview are not considered.
For enrolled students who submitted scores, the middle 50% SAT range is 1395–1510 (College Scorecard). The essay rating matters. At Villanova it carries the same weight as your grades.
Which round should you use?
Early Decision makes sense if:
Villanova is your clear first choice, and
Your family has run the net price calculator and the result works without comparing it to anything else.
In that case, the 2.3× edge and the 60% ED rate are a good reason to commit.
Early Action makes more sense if:
You love Villanova but want to compare its aid or merit offer with other schools, or
Your family's budget depends on the final number.
You still hear back in January. You give up some of the ED advantage, but you keep your ability to choose based on price.
Early Decision II is for students whose first choice said no in December and for whom Villanova is now the clear favorite. The same rule applies: a March yes is binding.
Confirm this year's dates on Villanova's admissions site before planning around them.
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Early Decision, Early Action, first-year pool, admission-factor and non-need scholarship figures are from Villanova University's 2025-26 Common Data Set, sections C1, C7, C21, C22 and H2A. SAT range and net prices are institution-reported figures published through the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Results are data-based analysis and do not guarantee admission.
Villanova University Early Decision acceptance rate
In the 2025-2026 Common Data Set, Villanova University admitted 1,005 of 1,680 Early Decision applicants — an Early Decision acceptance rate of 59.8%.
Everyone who did not apply Early Decision that 2025-2026 cycle: 6,267 admitted out of 24,161, a rate of 25.9%. The Early Decision rate is 2.31× the rest-of-pool rate.
Early Decision pools are not a random slice of the applicant pool — recruited athletes, legacy applicants and QuestBridge matches are concentrated in them. These figures describe a differently composed group of applicants, so neither the rate nor the ratio is a number you can apply to your own chances.
Source: official Common Data Set filing
Where do you stand?
School
Villanova University
Villanova University
SAT
4001395–1510
Middle 50% of admitted students scored 1395–1510.
This is SAT only — one slice of an application, not the whole of it.
What Villanova University actually costs
Price the college postsPublished cost of attendance — tuition, fees, housing and food. College Scorecard (AY 2023–24)
$84,793/yr
What families actually payAvg. for families receiving federal aid College Scorecard (AY 2023–24)
$43,756/yr
The differenceCalculated from the two figures above. (AY 2023–24)
48% less
International students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid, so they are not in this cohort and typically pay closer to the sticker price.
High-income families typically pay closer to sticker.
Results are data-based estimates and do not guarantee admission. This article is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee admission outcomes. All data is based on publicly available information and may not reflect current admissions standards.
Written by Justin L. — data analysis on U.S. federal education datasets (IPEDS · College Scorecard).
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