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Lists / Best Colleges to Apply Early Decision 2023

Best Colleges to Apply Early Decision 2023

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Created by College Confidential

Does early decision help your chances of getting into college? Applying early decision may provide a strategic advantage for applicants. These schools admit a MUCH higher percentage of early decision applicants than regular decision applicants.

Related: Best Colleges to Apply Early Action 2023

1. Tulane University

  • 1st
    Tulane University
    New Orleans, LA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $58,666
    Out-of-State
    $58,666
    Acceptance Rate11%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 68% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 11% Advantage: 56%

    2. American University

  • 2nd
    American University
    Washington, DC • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $56,543
    Out-of-State
    $56,543
    Acceptance Rate41%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 86% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 41% Advantage: 45%

    3. College of the Holy Cross

  • 3rd
    College of the Holy Cross
    Worcester, MA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $60,850
    Out-of-State
    $60,850
    Acceptance Rate36%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 81% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 36% Advantage: 45%

    4. Grinnell College

  • 4th
    Grinnell College
    Grinnell, IA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $64,862
    Out-of-State
    $64,862
    Acceptance Rate11%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 53% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 11% Advantage: 42%

    5. Wesleyan University

  • 5th
    Wesleyan University
    Middletown, CT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $67,016
    Out-of-State
    $67,016
    Acceptance Rate14%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 55% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 14% Advantage: 40%

    6. University of Miami

  • 6th
    University of Miami
    Coral Gables, FL • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,926
    Out-of-State
    $59,926
    Acceptance Rate19%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 57% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 19% Advantage: 38%

    7. Yeshiva University

  • 7th
    Yeshiva University
    New York, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $49,900
    Out-of-State
    $49,900
    Acceptance Rate63%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 100% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 63% Advantage: 37%

    8. Villanova University

  • 8th
    Villanova University
    Villanova, PA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $64,700
    Out-of-State
    $64,700
    Acceptance Rate25%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 60% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 25% Advantage: 34%

    9. Birmingham-Southern College

  • 9th
    Birmingham-Southern College
    Birmingham, AL • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $21,250
    Out-of-State
    $21,250
    Acceptance Rate66%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 100% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 66% Advantage: 34%

    10. Bates College

  • 10th
    Bates College
    Lewiston, ME • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $63,478
    Out-of-State
    $63,478
    Acceptance Rate14%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 48% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 14% Advantage: 34%

    11. Providence College

  • 11th
    Providence College
    Providence, RI • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate53%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 87% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 53% Advantage: 34%

    12. The College of New Jersey

  • 12th
    The College of New Jersey
    Ewing, NJ • 4-Year, Public
    In-State
    $18,546
    Out-of-State
    $24,430
    Acceptance Rate64%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 97% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 64% Advantage: 32%

    13. Fairfield University

  • 13th
    Fairfield University
    Fairfield, CT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $56,360
    Out-of-State
    $56,360
    Acceptance Rate52%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 83% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 52% Advantage: 31%

    14. Santa Clara University

  • 14th
    Santa Clara University
    Santa Clara, CA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,241
    Out-of-State
    $59,241
    Acceptance Rate52%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 83% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 52% Advantage: 31%

    15. Augustana College

  • 15th
    Augustana College
    Rock Island, IL • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $47,916
    Out-of-State
    $47,916
    Acceptance Rate61%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 91% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 61% Advantage: 30%

    16. Middlebury College

  • 16th
    Middlebury College
    Middlebury, VT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate13%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 42% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 13% Advantage: 30%

    17. Lehigh University

  • 17th
    Lehigh University
    Bethlehem, PA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $62,180
    Out-of-State
    $62,180
    Acceptance Rate37%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 66% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 37% Advantage: 29%

    18. Bard College

  • 18th
    Bard College
    Annandale-on-Hudson, NY • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate60%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 89% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 60% Advantage: 29%

    19. The Colorado College

  • 19th
    The Colorado College
    Colorado Springs, CO • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $67,932
    Out-of-State
    $67,932
    Acceptance Rate16%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 44% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 16% Advantage: 28%

    20. Colby College

  • 20th
    Colby College
    Waterville, ME • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $66,600
    Out-of-State
    $66,600
    Acceptance Rate8%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 35% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 8% Advantage: 28%

    21. Kenyon College

  • 21st
    Kenyon College
    Gambier, OH • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $69,330
    Out-of-State
    $69,330
    Acceptance Rate34%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 62% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 34% Advantage: 28%

    22. Sacred Heart University

  • 22nd
    Sacred Heart University
    Fairfield, CT • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $48,160
    Out-of-State
    $48,160
    Acceptance Rate66%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 93% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 66% Advantage: 27%

    23. Trinity University

  • 23rd
    Trinity University
    San Antonio, TX • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $51,352
    Out-of-State
    $51,352
    Acceptance Rate31%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 57% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 31% Advantage: 27%

    24. Haverford College

  • 24th
    Haverford College
    Haverford, PA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $68,020
    Out-of-State
    $68,020
    Acceptance Rate14%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 41% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 14% Advantage: 27%

    25. Smith College

  • 25th
    Smith College
    Northampton, MA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    Unknown
    Out-of-State
    Unknown
    Acceptance Rate23%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 49% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 23% Advantage: 26%

    26. Davidson College

  • 26th
    Davidson College
    Davidson, NC • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $59,510
    Out-of-State
    $59,510
    Acceptance Rate17%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 43% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 17% Advantage: 26%

    27. Northeastern University

  • 27th
    Northeastern University
    Boston, MA • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $60,192
    Out-of-State
    $60,192
    Acceptance Rate7%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 33% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 7% Advantage: 26%

    28. Baker College

  • 28th
    Baker College
    Owosso, MI • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $13,300
    Out-of-State
    $13,300
    Acceptance Rate39%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 65% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 39% Advantage: 26%

    29. Drew University

  • 29th
    Drew University
    Madison, NJ • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $45,060
    Out-of-State
    $45,060
    Acceptance Rate73%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 98% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 73% Advantage: 25%

    30. Florida Southern College

  • 30th
    Florida Southern College
    Lakeland, FL • 4-Year, Private
    In-State
    $41,300
    Out-of-State
    $41,300
    Acceptance Rate61%

    • Early Decision Acceptance Rate: 86% Regular Decision Acceptance Rate: 61% Advantage: 25%

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