Early Decision Applicants

tennis player serves in front of ‘99��Ʒ��Ƶ College’ sign

Early Decision Applicants

The Benefits of Early Decision

If 99��Ʒ��Ƶ is your first choice, we encourage you to apply Early Decision. Whether you decide to apply Early Decision I or Early Decision II, you will receive your admission decision months earlier than if you apply Regular Decision, which means you won’t have to wait until the end of your senior year to know where you will be attending college.

The admission��rate is also higher for our Early Decision rounds than it is for Regular Decision.

Admission Rate (four-year averages)

Early Decision I and��II (combined): 53%
Regular Decision: 11%
Overall admit rate: 14%

The Early Decision program is binding. If you are admitted under either round of Early Decision, you must withdraw your applications to other colleges. You may not apply to more than one institution as an Early Decision candidate. We reserve the right to rescind your admission if we find you are in violation of the terms of this agreement.

All Early Decision applicants must read and sign the Early Decision Agreement found in the Common Application. You must complete the Early Decision Agreement form with your secondary school guidance counselor.

Early Decision for a Student-Athlete

Trusting My Intuition

“As a prospective student-athlete visiting campus, I could tell that the student body is so supportive of one another, which creates an environment where people seek to challenge themselves in and outside the classroom. I chose to apply Early Decision because I was looking for a community just like that to help me push myself and grow in new ways. I'm so glad I trusted my intuition from that visit, because I've certainly found that during my time at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ.”

— Emma Schaefer ’23 (Niwot, Colorado)

Early Decision for an International Student

Joining a Community of People Working for the Common Good

“As an international student, I was looking for a college community that would embrace and respect me regardless of any cultural differences. As soon as I stepped on campus, I knew 99��Ʒ��Ƶ was the right place for me. Everything from the handwritten postcard to the one-on-one interview and my lunch with students made me feel like I was taken care of and welcome. Now, four years into my college experience, I know that I made the right choice in coming here and choosing 99��Ʒ��Ƶ. It's certainly not a perfect place, but I do believe that it's a community with people who seek improvement and take action to make the space better each day.”

— Antonella Díaz ’23 (Quito, Ecuador)

Early Decision for an Undecided Major

The Right Choice for Me

“As someone who came to college very undecided, it was such a relief to find a school that let me figure out what I liked before choosing a major. I ended up applying Early Decision because I wanted a school that understood how scary it can be to pick a career path. For me, 99��Ʒ��Ƶ was the school that did that. I’ve since successfully chosen a major (well, two), and I couldn’t be happier with that choice.”

— Katie Goodall ’23 (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Early Decision for an Iowan

Falling in Love with a Community

“As an Iowan, I was certain I was going somewhere out of state for college. After touring the campus and meeting with some current students, however, I fell in love with this community. There's something so special about thousands of people coming to one place with the same intentionality and purpose that I just couldn’t pass up.”

— Lucy Polyak ’23 (Iowa City, Iowa)

Early Decision for a Student-Athlete

No More Admission Anxiety

“After visiting 99��Ʒ��Ƶ, I knew right away that it was the place for me. The warmth and kindness of the entire community made me feel not only welcome, but���ɲ��Գٱ��as a 99��Ʒ��Ƶian. Having met with the swim and dive teams and taken a tour, I was set on applying as early as I could. Submitting my application Early Decision I let me know before the calendar year was over that I was going to my first-choice school!”

— Spencer Clark ’23 (Bettendorf, Iowa)

Early Decision and Financial Aid

Need-Based Aid

While the binding nature of Early Decision means you will not be able to compare financial aid offers among colleges, the aid package you receive under Early Decision at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ is the same as you would receive if admitted under the Regular Decision plan. Early Decision I candidates must submit their financial aid forms by Nov. 15. Early Decision II candidates must submit their financial aid forms by Jan. 5.

If you apply for financial aid and submit all of the necessary forms on time, you will receive your financial aid package at the same time as your admission notification.

All applicants, regardless of decision deadline, are also encouraged to complete the , which will provide an early indication of how much and what types of need-based aid you may qualify for as an incoming first-year student.

Learn more about applying for need-based aid at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ.

After visiting 99��Ʒ��Ƶ my junior year of high school, I knew that the student body, faculty members, and coaching staff were more than excited to welcome me and see me succeed on this campus. I met with some women's soccer team members and was excited that people looked at me as more than just an athlete. 99��Ʒ��Ƶ was my top choice, and I decided that Early Decision I was the perfect way for me to start my 99��Ʒ��Ƶ journey both on and off the field.

— Jane March '24 (Wellesley, Massachusetts)

Merit-Based Scholarship

*U.S. citizens and permanent residents admitted Early Decision receive the 99��Ʒ��Ƶ Choice Scholarship. This is a $20,000 annual scholarship, renewable for a total of eight semesters. Select students may also receive an additional Founder’s Scholarship.

There is no separate application for merit scholarships, and you will learn if you have received a merit scholarship when you receive your admission notification.

*Students eligible for Staff Tuition Remission, ACM Tuition Remission, or GLCA Tuition Remission are not eligible for merit-based scholarships, including the 99��Ʒ��Ƶ Choice and Founder’s Scholarships.

Learn more about merit scholarships at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ.

Early Decision Deadlines

If you decide that 99��Ʒ��Ƶ is your first choice and that Early Decision makes sense for you, please note our Early Decision deadlines.

Early Decision Deadlines, 2024–25
��	Early Decision I	Early Decision II
Application Deadline	Nov. 15	Jan. 5
Admission Notification	mid-December	early February
Deposit Due��	Jan. 8	Feb. 15

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Does applying in Early Decision increase my odds of being admitted?

Historically, yes. Over the past four years, our Early Decision admission rate has been over 50%, while our Regular Decision admission rate has been 14%.

Why would I choose to apply through Early Decision?

You should consider applying Early Decision if 99��Ʒ��Ƶ is your first-choice school. Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to visit campus and/or attend some of our virtual offerings and you feel like 99��Ʒ��Ƶ would be a good fit for you.

There is also a strategic advantage to applying Early Decision. Typically, the admission rate is higher in Early Decision than in Regular Decision. We want to admit students who truly want to be at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ, and Early Decision provides us with that opportunity.

Regardless of whether you apply Early Decision or Regular Decision, 99��Ʒ��Ƶ will meet your full demonstrated financial need without loans. Additionally, domestic students are guaranteed at least $20,000 in merit scholarship per year when they apply through Early Decision; this is not a guarantee in Regular Decision. Finally, applying through Early Decision means you receive your admission decision months before Regular Decision applicants do, so you can wrap up your college search much sooner.��

If I already submitted a Regular Decision application to 99��Ʒ��Ƶ, can I switch it to Early Decision?

Yes. You can switch to Early Decision any time before the Early Decision deadlines (November 15 for ED1 and January 5 for ED2). Please email the Office of Admission to request this change. You will then be asked to complete an Early Decision Agreement Form, which requires signatures from you, a parent/guardian, and your school counselor.

Why can I only apply to one school through Early Decision?

Early Decision is a binding agreement. If you are admitted, you are committing to attending (as long as you are comfortable with the financial commitment, of course), so applying to multiple schools via Early Decision is not an option.

Do I have to enroll if I’m admitted but the financial package is insufficient?

No. We would never expect you to commit to an investment that you and your family are not comfortable with. However, we offer a�� to estimate your need-based financial aid eligibility in advance, and we strongly recommend you use this tool and feel comfortable with the results if you are planning to apply Early Decision. Follow the instructions carefully, and email the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions about your results.

99��Ʒ��Ƶ meets the full demonstrated financial need for all students without loans. If your family has special circumstances or experiences a change in circumstances,��email the Office of Financial Aid��to inquire about the reconsideration request process. If your financial aid is reconsidered and you still find 99��Ʒ��Ƶ to be unattainable financially, you may decline your acceptance.

Do all my application materials need to be submitted by the deadline? Can test scores or other materials be submitted later?

You must submit your Common Application or QuestBridge application by the listed deadlines. We may offer an extra day or two for you to submit additional materials after that, but this is not a guarantee, and you should certainly plan to have everything turned in by the deadline.

What are the possible outcomes of Early Decision?

There are two possible outcomes: Early Decision applicants will either be offered admission or denied admission. Admitted students will then be expected to pay their tuition deposit and withdraw all other college applications. Denied students will be free to continue navigating their college search and application processes elsewhere.

We do not defer Early Decision applicants to Regular Decision; if a student was not selected for admission in Early Decision, they will not be considered for admission in Regular Decision.

I am interested in applying Early Decision, but I am worried about the financial commitment. How can I learn more about how much 99��Ʒ��Ƶ College will cost if I am admitted?

Students who apply Early Decision are eligible for the same need-based financial aid as students who apply Regular Decision. We are committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students without the use of loans. Additionally, all domestic Early Decision admits are guaranteed a $20,000 annual award. All Early Decision applicants will also be considered for additional merit scholarships.

To receive an estimate of the need-based financial aid you might receive at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ, we encourage you to complete one of our��estimated cost calculators. These tools only estimate need-based aid, not merit scholarship eligibility. Please remember that merit scholarships, including the 99��Ʒ��Ƶ Choice Scholarship, are used to meet your demonstrated need (the difference between the cost of attending 99��Ʒ��Ƶ and your family’s contribution as determined by the Office of Financial Aid). In other words, merit scholarships reduce the amount of need-based aid provided. And, of course, if you have any questions about financial aid at 99��Ʒ��Ƶ, please��email the Office of Financial Aid.

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