How do regular decision acceptance rates differ from early decision?

Hey there! I'm considering applying for regular decision at a few colleges, but I'm a little concerned about their acceptance rates. Do regular decision acceptance rates tend to be higher or lower than early decision/early action? Any insights would be appreciated!

Hi! That's a great question. In general, early decision (ED) acceptance rates are higher than regular decision (RD) acceptance rates at the majority of colleges. This is partly because the pool of ED applicants is usually smaller and more self-selective, with students who are sure that the college is their absolute top choice and committed to enrolling if accepted. Colleges also like admitting ED applicants because it helps with their yield percentage, which is the number of admitted students who choose to enroll. A higher yield looks better for the college's reputation.

Early action (EA) acceptance rates can also be higher than RD rates, but the difference is not as pronounced as it is with ED, since EA applicants are not committing to attend if accepted. Colleges do not see as significant of an advantage in terms of yield with EA as they do with ED.

It's worth noting that applying ED or EA can boost your chances of admission, even when controlling for profile strength. On average, applying ED results in a 1.6x, or 60% increase in your chances of admission to highly selective colleges. The benefit becomes less pronounced as the school becomes less selective. So, for example, if your chances before choosing to apply early were 4%, that would bump your chances up to 6.4%, which is a meaningful increase of about 2.4 extra percentage points. Applying EA boosts your chances too, but the effect is smaller since you're not obligated to attend if accepted.

Keep in mind that although the acceptance rates might be higher for ED/EA applicants, these applicants might also have stronger profiles overall, which could account for some of the difference in acceptance rates. So it's essential to consider your own personal circumstances and the overall strength of your application when deciding which decision plan you should choose.

Best of luck with your college applications!