Do early decisions applications count your senior year grades?

Answered

The vast majority of any college application (ED, EA, or RD) can't consider your first semester senior grades during the admissions process because you don't have the final grades when you're filling out your application. However, you are sometimes required to submit mid-year report cards/transcripts (all but a few schools I applied to asked for mid-year reports) - so first semester senior grades - after you submit your college application. In addition, after you accept your admission, you are required to submit your official high school transcript after you graduate to a) verify what you reported in the self reported academic records (SRAR) at the time of application is true and b) see if you're still in good academic standing. If you aren't in good academic standing, the college can rescind their decision, even if you were originally accepted and already accepted your admission. The "good academic standing" requirements will vary between schools and colleges, so check the website for the specific schools you're interested in. Hope this helps!