We get a lot of good questions about the differences between our Early Decision and Regular Decision application programs—especially this time of year, as seniors are refining their college lists. And this fall brings further considerations with all the challenges and uncertainties posed by the pandemic. So I thought I’d offer some insights in case you’ve got questions of your own.

(Warning: long blog alert! If you find yourself running out of stamina, take a short break to watch this and transport yourself to the front row of a Northwestern Boomshaka show—maybe you’ll even find yourself drumming along.)

First, some basic timelines.
Early Decision (ED): Common Application or Coalition Application due Nov. 1; decision by mid-December.
Regular Decision (RD): Common Application or Coalition Application due Jan. 3; decision by late March.

Northwestern is also a QuestBridge partner school, and our Quest Scholars community is one of the largest in the country. If you’re interested in learning more about that application process, visit the QuestBridge website.

What is ED?
The most important thing to understand about ED is that it’s a binding program. This means that if you apply early to Northwestern, you are making a commitment to enroll if admitted.

When is ED the right option?
If you’ve done good college research and feel sure you’d be thrilled to land at Northwestern next fall, then ED could be a great option for you. An acceptance letter in mid-December would allow you to withdraw any other college applications and conclude your college admissions process before the new year—and with an exclamation point!

If you apply early and are not accepted, there are two other possible outcomes:

1) Your application may be deferred, which means it will automatically roll into our Regular Decision pool. We take this action when our admissions committee feels your application is very strong but wishes to consider it in the context of our full applicant pool.

2) Your application may be denied. We understand this outcome may be very disappointing, but it does mean you can move forward with your other applications with clarity, and hopefully with excitement about all the other terrific colleges out there.

Is it easier to gain acceptance if I apply ED?
You may be aware that our Early Decision applicant pool typically sees a higher admit rate than our Regular Decision pool. Over the past few years, we’ve admitted roughly half of our incoming class early (that is, around 1,000 students in a first-year class of roughly 2,000). Last year we received over 4,000 early applications.

Now, to take the statistics at face value and assume it’s “easier” to get into Northwestern early would be a mistake that overlooks a great deal of nuance—our early pool is smaller than our overall pool, and it is highly concentrated with very strong candidates who convey a clear understanding of why Northwestern is a good fit for them (and vice versa!). That said, if Northwestern is your top choice, we’d welcome and encourage your application early.

What about financial aid?
Our commitment to affordability and access is unwavering. We meet 100% of demonstrated need  for every admitted student, and our aid packages do not include loans. Aside from these baseline policies, the most important thing to understand is this: your financial aid offer will be exactly the same whether you apply ED or RD.

And here’s a little-known fact about financial aid and ED: if you and your family conclude that your need-based aid award isn’t sufficient to allow you to attend, and a financial-aid appeal does not change the circumstances, you may be released from the binding commitment. For what it’s worth, we don’t see many cases like this given our generous financial aid program, but the flexibility may prove reassuring all the same.

Our Net Price Calculators can give you a preliminary estimate of whether you will qualify for need-based financial aid, and, if so, what your loan-free aid package will look like. Our hope is that this tool can give you the confidence to apply early if you’re otherwise sure that Northwestern is the school for you.

What about considerations specific to Covid-19?

If you’re considering ED, you may be weighing all kinds of questions given the difficult landscape that has unfolded over the past six months: How can I get a feel for the campus community when so many students are currently remote? Would it be wise for me to wait until I have first-semester grades given the interruptions to my junior and senior years? Should I wait and apply RD in case I’m able to register and sit for an SAT or ACT by then? Will Northwestern’s ED process change at all given the pandemic?

For starters, although our first- and second-year students are fully remote this fall, we are bringing our community spirit to you through tons of digital programming. In particular, our weekly “office hours” and our Purple Preview Conversations are a great way to engage directly with current undergraduates. And while we are not currently holding information sessions or tours, you are welcome to walk around campus so long as you follow Northwestern’s health and safety guidelines.

As for questions about the timing of your application: any school that has kept its Early Decision process has done so with the intent of admitting students through that round, and has done so knowing that applications may look a little different this year. We know that most high schools have been remote. We know that many students will have only Pass/No Pass grades in your most recent courses. We understand that sophomore or first-semester junior year teachers may know you better than those who have taught you more recently in virtual classes. And we appreciate that an additional recommendation from someone outside of class may help convey a fuller picture of who you are. Finally, we know you may not have ACT or SAT scores you wish to include in your application—or have scores at all—which is why we are test optional this cycle.

If ED feels like the right option for you, don’t opt for RD simply because you assume we’ll want to see a “more complete” picture. Our holistic review process has always evaluated applicants in context, and this fall, we’ll lean on this fundamental practice as we do our very best to understand your strengths in light of the opportunities and challenges specific to your high school and community settings. (The same goes for our RD and Transfer processes.) Of course, if you feel sure your application would be strengthened by waiting until our Regular Decision round based on concrete factors that you want to see out, by all means give yourself the time to compile an application that tells the story you want it to tell.

Bottom line: you are who you are—you were before the pandemic, too—and we’ll connect the dots across the materials we have available to assess your relative strength in our applicant pool and your readiness to thrive at Northwestern. As always, your transcript will be fundamental to our review process, and we will look closely at the rigor of your curriculum, as characterized by your individual high school, as well as your academic performance. Your college counselor can help us by addressing any changes in curriculum, grading, etc. in the “community disruptions” section of this year’s school forms. And you’re also welcome to provide additional context in the optional “community disruptions” section of your application (what many are calling the “Covid question”), although you need not feel pressure to do so if there is nothing you’d like to share. These are profoundly difficult times, but please don’t bend over backwards to come up with something profound to say about them—you have enough on your plate as it is.

Any further questions? Don’t hesitate to write us: ug-admission@northwestern.edu. And be sure to explore our virtual tour, YouTube channel, and social media accounts for current student perspectives.

Whether you choose ED or RD, we hope to see your Northwestern application in the coming months.

Warmly,

Liz Kinsley
Director of Undergraduate Admission