What the numbers say across 320 colleges, from their own Common Data Set filings.
At the typical selective college, ED applicants are admitted at 2.4× the rate of everyone else. At Northeastern University it is 8.8×.
ED admit rate ÷ admit rate outside ED, latest Common Data Set. ED pools are often stronger, so not all of the gap is the round itself.
At 46 colleges, Early Decision admits make up half the first-year class or more, before regular applicants are read.
ED admits as a share of enrolled first-years (assumes ED admits enroll).
Applications to University of North Carolina at Asheville rose 358% between 2018-19 and 2025-26. Half the colleges here grew more than 31%.
Change in first-year applicants from the first to the latest Common Data Set year.
67 colleges show a steady fall in their admit rate. Morehouse College is dropping about 7.9 points a year.
Points per year, from a straight-line fit to each college's admit rates (only clear trends).
At Reed College, only 12% of admitted students enroll. Low yield often means students treat it as a backup, or the cost doesn't work.
Enrolled ÷ admitted, latest year, colleges admitting under 35%.
At Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, women are admitted at 3.1× the rate of men.
Women's admit rate ÷ men's, latest Common Data Set.
At University of Chicago, men are admitted at 1.7× the rate of women.
Men's admit rate ÷ women's, latest Common Data Set.
At University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in-state applicants are admitted at 5.7× the out-of-state rate.
In-state admit rate ÷ out-of-state, public universities, latest year.
6 colleges now have nearly every first-year sending a score again, after test-optional years.
Share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT or ACT, latest year.
At Trinity College, at most 13% of first-years sent an SAT or ACT.
Highest possible share of enrolled first-years who sent a score (SAT and ACT may overlap).
At the median college here, 9% of students who stay on the waitlist get in. At Harvey Mudd College, 0.0%.
Admitted from the waitlist ÷ students who accepted a waitlist place, latest year (200+ on the list).
71 colleges here report meeting the full demonstrated need of every first-year who has need.
Average % of need met for first-years with need, latest Common Data Set.
Among students who posted results, ED applicants were admitted more often than Regular Decision applicants at 15 of 19 colleges.
Self-reported results on Reddit and admissions forums: posters' ED admit rate ÷ RD admit rate. Posters are not a random sample.
88% of students admitted to University of Chicago enroll, the highest yield among selective colleges here.
Enrolled ÷ admitted, latest year, colleges admitting under 35%.
California Institute of Technology admitted 2.6% of applicants. 28 colleges here admit fewer than 1 in 10.
Admitted ÷ applied, latest Common Data Set (3,000+ applicants).
University of California, Los Angeles received 139,714 first-year applications.
First-year applicants, latest Common Data Set.
At University of California, Irvine, 100% of students who stayed on the waitlist were admitted.
Admitted from the waitlist ÷ students who accepted a place on it, latest year (200+ on the list).
At Washington and Lee University, international applicants are admitted at 0.13× the overall rate.
International admit rate ÷ overall admit rate, latest year, selective colleges.
At University of California, Merced, the share of first-years sending an SAT is falling about 26.7 points a year.
Points per year, straight-line fit to the share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT.
50 selective colleges here run Early Decision II, a binding round in January for students whose first choice said no.
Colleges admitting under 35% that report an ED II closing date; bar shows the overall admit rate.
First-years with need at Hendrix College received an average grant of $227,854.
Average need-based scholarship or grant for first-years with need, latest Common Data Set.
Applications are rising steadily at 181 of 294 colleges and falling at 7. Yield is falling at 113.
Share of colleges where each measure shows a clear rising trend.