Many great schools offer a second chance of EDing. Johns Hopkins is one of them. If Johns Hopkins is a top choice, you should strongly consider applying ED2. This binding decision can be a powerful tool to help make you stand out in a competitive field.

For those unfamiliar with ED2 or Early Decision 2, it is a lot like ED1; however, there is a little bit of a misnomer here. It isn’t actually ‘early.’ The deadline to apply for ED2 is usually the same as the deadline to apply for the regular decision round (in Hopkins's case, on January 2nd), but the ED2 round functions similarly to the first early decision round. To apply for ED2, you will have to sign a binding waiver that ensures that if you get accepted to the school, you will attend in the fall. That means you want to be really sure about the school because if everything goes right, you are locked in.

Johns Hopkins's overall acceptance rate was around 7.5%. While they didn’t specifically release their ED2 rate, their general ED acceptance rate was 13.5%. This 13.5% rate comes by combining ED1 and ED2 rounds. This also means their RD round acceptance rate was about 6.3%.

Sorry to throw a lot of numbers at you. We just wanted to make the point that getting into JHU is very competitive, but applying ED will give you a little bit of a boost. They do this because they know you are applying to other great schools and having a written commitment to attending JHU lets them protect their yield rate. You still need to be a great candidate because all of these numbers are very low. Johns Hopkins gets too many qualified applicants to let everyone in but ED2 is your best chance. The TLDR is that we highly advise applying during ED2. It is a great tool that will boost your chances.

Once you decide to apply ED2, you have to write a great supplemental essay to help boost your chances even further. JHU only asks one question on their supplement.

How has your life experience contributed to your personal story—your character, values, perspectives or skills—and what you want to pursue at Hopkins? (350 word limit)*

Admittedly, this question seems very general, which can be difficult for some students. We think the more challenging thing is that it asks two separate questions. The first is to tell a story about your life experiences, and the second is a twist on a classic “Why do you want to go here?” essay.  We actually like to work backward and start with the second part of the question because whatever you write a story about has to connect back to who you will be at Hopkins in the end.

You need to make a plan if you don’t already have one. This plan should include what you want to study and what you hope to get involved in on campus. Once you have that, you can think of a story from your life experience that allows you to discuss this plan.

For example, if you want to study Psychology, you could start by telling a story about volunteering at a teen mental health line. Around half of this essay should bring us into that story and help us understand more about your character through it. Show us your passion for helping others or showcase your interpersonal skills. The most important thing here is telling a good story.

Then, you need to connect it to JHU. The last half-ish of this essay needs to be about your plan at Hopkins. Think about what makes their psychology program unique. We recommend mentioning specifics like higher-level classes, professors, and/or opportunities that you won’t find at other schools. You can also connect the skills you showcased in your story to a group you hope to join on campus.

There is a lot to fit into this essay, which makes it difficult, but you need to show the overlap between the fantastic person you are and the great student you will be at Hopkins. It's a tall order for 350 words, so make sure you give yourself time to write and edit.  

Applying ED2 is a great tool, but you still need to be a great candidate. Part of that is writing engaging essays that let you stand out in a crowded field. If you are nervous, we are happy to help set you up for success in the ED2 and RD rounds!

Contact us here for bespoke essay help!