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Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates for the Class of 2028

By Varonika Ware

Varonika Ware is a content writer at Scholarships360. Varonika earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. During her time at LSU, she worked with the Center of Academic Success to create the weekly Success Sunday newsletter. Varonika also interned at the Louisiana Department of Insurance in the Public Affairs office with some of her graphics appearing in local news articles.

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Reviewed by Bill Jack

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

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Edited by Maria Geiger

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Updated: November 15th, 2023
Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates for the Class of 2028

As you might already know, applying to college is a big step. The application process can be both exciting and stressful. Part of that stress comes from wondering when you’ll hear back from the colleges you applied to. Luckily, this guide is focused on early decision and early action release dates so you can stay in the loop! Check out the list below to find your college or university’s admission notification dates.

What is Early Decision?

When you apply to colleges, there are usually deadlines to apply early action, early decision, or both. However, it’s important to understand the difference between early action and early decision because one is binding while the other isn’t.

Early decision is a binding application, meaning in exchange for your early notification letter, you are required to attend that university. Under early decision, students can apply to only one school. However, they can usually apply to other schools early action and/or regular decision even if they have applied to one school early decision. In addition, some schools might allow students to apply early action, but restrict the types of applications they can submit to other schools. 

See also: What happens if you are accepted early decision and change your mind?

When do early decision notifications come out?

Usually, applicants receive notifications for early decision at or around December 15 and toward the beginning of the year for early action. Find out the Early Decision release dates for your college of choice below, pulled from our supplemental essay list!

American University ED 1: December 31 ED 2: February 15
Amherst College Early to mid-December
Babson College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-FebruaryEA: January 1
Barnard College Mid-December
Baylor University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: March 1EA: January 15
Boston College ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Boston University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Bowdoin College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February
Brandeis University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 1
Bucknell University ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February
California Institute of Technology Mid-December
Carnegie Mellon University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 1
Claremont McKenna College ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Columbia University EA 1: March 1 EA 2: May 1
Cornell University  Mid-December 
Dartmouth College Mid-December
Davidson College  April 1
Duke University Mid-December
Emory University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Fordham University ED: December 20 EA: December 20
George Washington University ED 1: late December ED 2: late February
Georgetown University EA: December 15
Georgia Tech EA 1: December 9 EA 2: late January
Harvard University Mid-December
Harvey Mudd College ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Haverford College ED 1: December 15 ED 2: Early February 
Johns Hopkins University ED 1: December 16 ED 2: February 17
Lafayette University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Lehigh University ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February 
Loyola Marymount University ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-FebruaryEA: mid-December
Macalester College ED 1: December 4 ED 2: January 29
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mid-December
Northwestern University Mid-December
Pennsylvania State University December 24
Pomona College ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15
Princeton University mid-December 
Purdue University January 15
Reed College ED 1: December ED 2: February EA: February 
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-January EA: late January
Rice University Mid-December 
Rutgers University February 15
Santa Clara University ED 1: late December ED 2: mid-February EA: late December
Scripps College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February
Stanford University  Mid-December
Stony Brook University Before April 1
Swarthmore College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February 
Syracuse University ED 1: December 16 ED 2: mid-January
Texas A&M University Mid-December 
Trinity College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February
Tufts University ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February 
University of Chicago ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February EA: mid-December
University of Colorado Boulder February 1
University of Georgia Early December 
University of Illinois  January 27
University of Michigan Late January
University of Pennsylvania  Mid-December 
University of Richmond  January 25
University of Rochester ED 1: mid-December ED 2: early February 
University of San Diego N/A
University of San Francisco  ED: mid-December EA: late January 
University of Southern California Mid to late January 
University of Texas February 1
University of Wisconsin-Madison January 31
Vanderbilt University ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February 
Vassar College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: early February 
Villanova University ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15EA: January 20
Wake Forest University ED 1: Rolling basis ED 2: February 15
Washington University ED 1: December 16 ED 2: February 17
Wellesley College ED 1: mid-December ED 2: mid-February
Williams College December 15
Worcester Polytechnic Institute  ED 1: December 15 ED 2: February 15

What should you do while you wait?

Waiting for a response from the college of your choice can make you feel restless, so be sure to do something positive with your energy. Don’t let the Early Decision release dates loom over you to the point where your school performance begins to dip. Remember, colleges still keep track of your grades and behavior even after you apply, so it’s ideal for you to maintain or improve your current GPA

Also, remember to fill out financial aid applications such as FAFSA and the CSS Profile. These forms help colleges determine your financial aid award, but you can still receive scholarships without them. 

Related: How many colleges should I apply to?

What you should do after you receive your application:

Once your notification letter comes in the mail, it’s decision time! Evaluate the colleges that have accepted you and the financial aid that they’re offering to see if they align with your expectations. 

See also: How to choose a college

There are usually deadlines for enrollment, so keep tabs on that to make sure you get your deposit in on time. You can also defer college enrollment for a period of time even after being accepted if you want to save up or take some time before starting school again. 

Don’t miss: Colleges with late application deadlines

Next Steps

Next Steps

  • Now that you know the Early Decision release dates, take a step back and remember that worrying about it won’t make the decisions come any faster
  • While you wait to get your Early Decision applications back, remember to keep on top of your schoolwork and extracurriculars
  • Talk with your parents or guardians to get an idea of your financial decision so you’ll be able to understand whether your financial aid package will work for you
  • Make sure that you have some other applications submitted in case you don’t get in to your ED school
  • Remember to enjoy the rest of your senior year and your time with your friends and family!
Next Steps

Now that you have an acceptance or two in hand, make sure that you apply for all the scholarships you are eligible for! Best of luck on your academic journey! 

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