For those students who are awaiting ED or EA decisions and are hesitant about applying ED II, the following information may entice you to apply, or move your previous submission, to ED II

A recent New York Times article on Tulane and the University of Chicago’s admissions practices puts data behind something many of us in college counseling have watched for years: the steady march toward “earlier and earlier” commitments from students.

What’s especially useful about this piece is how clearly it connects Early Decision (ED) to something colleges care about deeply: yield.

Yield: The Metric Everyone’s Watching

Yield is the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll. On the surface, it sounds like an internal statistic, but it’s much more than that:

• Publicly, yield is a signal of desirability. High yield suggests that students who are admitted really want to attend.

• Among peers, colleges compare yield to see who is “winning” in the       competition for top students.

• Internally, presidents, boards, and enrollment offices closely track yield as a performance metric.

In other words, yield isn’t just a number—it’s part reputation, part scoreboard.

So when a college sends out an admit offer, that’s not just a “yes.” It’s a carefully calculated use of an admission ticket. They do not want to hand out more of those tickets than they need to, because every extra admit either:

• Risks an over-enrolled class (housing and budget stress), or

• Pushes down yield if the student says “no.”

Early Decision addresses much of this. An ED admit is almost guaranteed to enroll, which makes yield look great—and makes life much easier for the enrollment office.

ED, ED II, and Now… ED(0)?

The article also highlights a new term used by the University of Chicago: ED(0). It’s essentially a super-early commitment—“early” within Early Decision.

No one expects ED(0) to become a standard label, but it is a sign of where things are headed:

• ED(0): An even more accelerated “inside track” for certain applicants.who complete summer programs at (UChicago) Sept 1st application

• ED: A binding, early round.  Typically from October 15th to November 15th

• ED II: Another binding round later in the cycle, typically in January giving colleges a second chance to lock in committed students.

Add to this another trend the article notes: students who first applied Early Action or Regular Decision are being encouraged—or firmly nudged—to switch to ED II.

From the college’s standpoint, this is yield management:

“We like you. We want you. But we don’t want to risk an admit if you might go somewhere else. So if you’re willing to commit (ED II), your chances look better.”

The Money Angle—Real, but Not Always Center Stage

The study also highlights that enrollment officers are often rewarded for bringing in full-pay students. That matters, especially for colleges that rely heavily on tuition to fund operations and initiatives.

But for many of the Westchester and Fairfield families I work with, this is less of a surprise and more of an affirmation. If you’re:

• Already planning for a private university, and

• Comfortable with the financial commitment,

then ED is usually not about whether you can afford college—it’s about maximizing your student’s chances at a school they truly like and that fits them well.

Finances still matter in the big picture, of course, but for many ED families in this region, the primary conversation is about fit, readiness, and strategy, not “Can we do this at all?”

What This Means for Westchester & Fairfield Families

From my perspective as an independent counselor working with students across Westchester and Fairfield County, this article does two important things:

1. It validates what we’ve been seeing for years.
   The shift to earlier, more binding plans isn’t just a theory or a “counselor hunch” anymore—it’s backed by data and clearly described incentives. Colleges are using ED, ED II, and now things like ED(0) to lock in their class, protect yield, and manage revenue.

2. It raises the stakes on timing and readiness.
   If more of the class is being filled early, the students who benefit most       are those who:

   • Have done thoughtful exploration by the end of junior year.

   • Can identify a clear first-choice (or top few) schools.

   • Are emotionally ready to make a binding commitment in the fall of senior year.

That’s a very real challenge when you’re also dealing with teenage development, busy schedules, and the normal uncertainty about “who I am and what I want.”