First-year applicants to Cornell have a choice of applying for either the early decision or regular decision admission plan. Students should consider applying under the early decision plan if Cornell is their first choice of schools to attend. Early decision applications are reviewed in the fall, and students are notified in mid-December of Cornell’s decision. Before applying early decision, please review the How to Apply page. It is important to note that:

• November 1 is the early decision application deadline.
• Early decision is binding. Admitted students are required to withdraw any application(s) they've submitted to other colleges or universities, and Cornell enrollment deposits are due by early January.
• Students are admitted or denied during early decision or are occasionally postponed to regular decision for further consideration. Students whose applications are postponed to regular decision are released from the early decision binding commitment.
• Students who are denied during early decision are not eligible to apply again under regular decision, nor can students apply to another Cornell college or school.
• While early decision acceptance to Cornell is binding, students may be eligible to be released from the early decision agreement if their financial aid award does not make a Cornell education affordable for applicants and their families. This applies only to students who have applied for financial aid.

Please note: Cornell University will honor any required commitment to matriculate which has been made to another college or university under an early decision plan.