Now that ED and EA decisions are coming out, many students are looking for schools that offer a second ED round, known as ED2. If you’re looking for a great small school that offers this round, Middlebury College is a perfect choice.

Middlebury is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. With just under 3k undergrads, Middlebury is a picturesque small school with rigorous academics and excellent programs in subjects like language and environmental studies. The college also meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for accepted domestic students. We absolutely love that!

But what is ED 2, and why should you consider it? ED2 stands for Early Decision 2. Unlike ED1, ED2 doesn’t actually happen “early”; instead, the deadline to apply is usually the same as the regular decision (in Middlebury’s case, on January 3). But, much like in ED1, students sign a document that promises that if admitted, they will attend the school. This document allows the school to protect its yield rate (one of many metrics used in college rankings). If schools take more ED/ED2 applicants (knowing those students will be attending their university in the fall,) they can start to build their class and enshrine a higher yield rate. This often motivates schools to accept qualified candidates at a higher rate during ED rounds than during regular decision.

Middlebury is an elite school, and it is hard to get into it. their overall acceptance rate was just over 10%. They didn’t release a specific rate for ED2. However, their early acceptance rate was much higher, at 34%.

If Middlebury is a top choice and you are a qualified student, applying ED2 could be the difference between getting in and not. Middlebury’s RD round is competitive enough that not all qualified students get in. TLDR: We highly recommend applying for ED2 if you are serious about going to Middlebury.

Once you decide to apply ED2, there is one more step. Technically, it isn’t required, but we highly recommend it. Middlebury doesn’t have a writing supplement. When it comes to elite schools without writing supplements, we advise students to send a short email to admissions introducing themselves and making the case for why Middlebury should choose them. First, you need to find your regional rep, which you can do Then, our email should roughly follow an outline that looks a little like this:

Introduce yourself.

After a formal greeting, state your name, where you go to school, that you have recently applied ED2, and something along the lines of: “When I found out Middlebury didn’t have a writing supplement, I wanted to let you know why I am so excited to apply.”

State your intended major and Include a couple of specifics that lead you to apply.

You should say what you want to major in at Middlebury. At college, academics come first and they want you to have a plan. Don’t worry if you are undecided, they won’t hold you to this email, take an educated guess. You then want to talk about what makes the major special at Middlebury. You should include 2 specific classes you would like to take and why. You should also speak to a professor you would love to assist in their research and what drew you to it. Finally, you can mention any other specific opportunities that excite you for academics at Middlebury.

Mention an extracurricular activity that lets you talk about yourself.

While academics are the most important part of college, who you are outside of class is also important. You should talk about an opportunity outside of class that you would love to take advantage of. Ideally, this opportunity should connect to something you already do. For example, if you are an avid cook or work after school at a diner, you could talk about wanting to get involved with Dolci, Middlebury’s student-run restaurant.

Thank them for their consideration

Remember: this is an email. It really shouldn’t be more than 300 words. Make your points, and then wrap it up by thanking your admissions officer and offering to send anything else they may need.

This email should be short and sweet, but it requires a little research to create. Don’t skimp on the specifics!

Applying ED2 to Middlebury can really boost your application, and we highly recommend it for applicants who dream of Middlebury. If you aren’t sure about ED or need help with applications, we can help!

Reach out here for bespoke help before ED2 and RD deadlines here!