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Class of 2026 Early Decision Notification Dates

Congratulations on submitting your ED/EA applications! Even though you have passed the first hurdle in this college application process, it’s time to start focusing on the next steps. Check out the latest information on 2026 Early Decision and Early Action notification dates below (we will continue to update this list as more information becomes available.)

  1. Confirm all of the schools received your application and materials. You can check the  Common App/Coalition dashboard to see if a school has downloaded your application. In addition, confirm your school materials have been submitted. If you have any doubts, you can feel free to call the admissions offices of the colleges and ask for them to confirm receipt.
  2. Check your emails (and spam) daily. Most colleges will email you access to a portal. You need to set your login and passwords (keep track of these!) This is where you will find any updates from the school or access to submit any additional materials if requested or updated test scores. 
  3. If you are offered Admission/Alumni Interviews please prepare! Check out a common list of interview questions here
  4. In terms of Regular Decision and ED2 schools, we strongly recommend you prepare at least 3-4 RD schools BEFORE 12/15 so you are not panicking if you don’t gain acceptance to your ED school. In addition, many of the Early Action schools will not be notifying you before the new year. 
  5. Please send thank you notes to all of the teachers/administrators/others who wrote recommendations on your behalf – hand written notes are best.
  6. Continue to take virtual tours and info sessions for colleges to which you are applying. Here is the list of colleges that track demonstrated interest.

Class of 2026 Early Decision Notification Dates

*as of 11/26 – check back for updates!

American University 12/31
Amherst College early-mid December (ED)
Babson College mid-Dec (ED1), 1/1 (EA)
Barnard College mid-Dec
Bates College 12/20
Boston College 12/15
Boston University 12/15
Bowdoin College mid-Dec
Brandeis University 12/15
Brown University mid-Dec
Bryn Mawr College Jan 1
Bucknell University mid-Dec
California Institute of Technology mid-Dec
Carleton College Dec 15
Carnegie Mellon University 12/15
Case Western Reserve University 12/4 (ED1), 12/21 (EA1)
Chapman University late Dec (ED1), early Feb (EA1)
Claremont McKenna College 12/15
Colby College 12/15
Colgate University mid-Dec
College of the Holy Cross 12/15
College of William and Mary early Dec
Colorado College mid-Dec (ED1), late Dec (EA)
Columbia University mid-Dec
Connecticut College mid-Dec
Cornell University mid-Dec
Dartmouth College mid-Dec
Davidson College 12/15
Dickinson College mid-Dec
Duke University mid-Dec
Emerson College mid-Dec (ED1), mid-Dec (EA1)
Emory University 12/15
Franklin and Marshall Dec 15
George Washington University late Dec
Georgetown University Dec 15
Grinnell College mid-late Dec
Hamilton College 12/15
Harvard University mid-Dec
Harvey Mudd College Dec 15
Haverford College 12/15
Johns Hopkins University 12/10
Kenyon College 12/15
Lafayette College 12/15
Lehigh University mid-Dec
Loyola Marymount University mid-Dec (ED1), mid-Dec (EA1)
Macalester College 12/5 (ED1), 12/19 (EA1)
Middlebury College 12/15
Miami University – Oxford 12/1 (ED1), 12/15 (EA1)
MIT mid-Dec
Mount Holyoke College late Dec
New York University 12/15
North Carolina State 1/30
Northeastern University 12/15 (ED1), 2/1 (EA1)
Northwestern University mid-Dec
Oberlin College 12/15
Occidental College 12/15
Pitzer College 12/18
Pomona College 12/15
Princeton University mid-Dec
Providence College 12/1 (ED1), late Dec (EA1)
Purdue University 1/15
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 12/11 (ED1), 1/29 (EA1)
Rice University mid-Dec
Santa Clara University late Dec (ED1), late Dec (EA1)
Sarah Lawrence College late Dec (ED1), late Dec (EA1)
Scripps College mid-Dec
Sewanee: The University of the South early Dec (ED1), late Jan (EA1)
Skidmore College mid-Dec
Smith College mid-Dec
Southern Methodist University mid-Dec (ED1), mid-Dec (EA1)
Stanford University 12/15
Swarthmore College mid-Dec
Texas Christian University 1/1 (ED1), 1/1 (EA1)
Trinity College mid-Dec
Tufts University mid-Dec
Tulane University 11/22 4pm CT (ED1), 1/15 (EA1)
Union College 12/7 (ED1), 12/18 (EA1)
University of Chicago mid-Dec (ED1), mid-Dec (EA1)
University of Michigan late Jan
University of Notre Dame mid-Dec
University of Pennsylvania mid-Dec
University of Richmond 12/15 (ED1), 1/25 (EA1)
University of Vermont late Dec
University of Virginia mid-Dec (ED1), mid-Feb (EA1)
University of Wisconsin By 1/31
Vanderbilt University mid-Dec
Vassar College mid-Dec
Villanova University 12/15 (ED1), 1/15 (EA1)
Washington and Lee University late Dec
Washington U in St. Louis 12/17
Wellesley College mid-Dec
Wesleyan University mid-Dec
Willamette University 12/30 (ED1), 12/30 (EA1)
Williams College 12/15
Yale University 12/15 

 

If you’d like more information on how The College Curators can help you, please feel free to email us at [email protected] or set up a complimentary consultation HERE.