Class of 2026 Early Decision Notification Dates

Early Decision and Early Action Notification Dates for the 2021-22 Application Season

The college admissions season is flying by, and before you know it early admission decisions will be released. Here’s our annual list of early decision notification dates!

Much like last year, this year’s college admissions cycle has been characterized by several changes brought about by the 0ngoing COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps most notably, many colleges are still utilizing a test-optional admissions policy due to prior SAT/ACT cancellations. In-person touring options are also limited at some institutions and students will once again have the opportunity to discuss how the pandemic impacted their admissions process in the Common App’s optional section. However, despite these differences, the anticipation surrounding decision notification dates remains high.

Early Decision and Early Action Trends

In a college admissions cycle marked by unusual circumstances, students can expect that colleges will get creative when it comes to admitting the first members of the class of 2026. For example, last year, Tulane University released early decisions almost a month ahead of schedule, and in those acceptances, a number of students were admitted to the spring 2022 term. While those students were not obligated to attend like those who applied ED and were admitted for fall 2021, their decision was final and they wouldn’t be able to switch their enrollment to the fall 2021 term. This is one sign that colleges might be approaching the decision and enrollment process a little differently in order to manage their yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll).

During a second year with an unprecedented number of test-optional and flexible admissions policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Georgia gave us a first look at how optional test-optional has really been. According to the UGA admissions office, 30% of early action admits did not submit an SAT or ACT score.

When Do Early Action Decisions Come Out?

Time crunch for other applications: Most colleges do not notify ED and EA applicants of admission until around December 15. Because of the usual deadlines for applications, this means that if a student is rejected by the ED college, there are only two weeks left to send in other applications.

At IvyWise, we aim to relieve some of the stress commonly associated with the college admissions process, and that includes bringing you the most updated information on early decision release dates every year. Our annual release date list is the most comprehensive and updated daily as new information becomes available. Be sure to check the links provided within the list for the most recent dates and information.

Here are the early application decision notification dates for the Class of 2026. Expect these dates to change as we draw closer to mid-December. Check back regularly for updated dates and times – especially for those without specific dates and times or those labeled “TBD.” See a school we left out or an updated release date we haven’t included yet? Tell us in the comments below and we will add it to our list!