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Early Decision Applicants

The Benefits of Early Decision

If Grinnell is your first choice, we encourage you to apply Early Decision. Whether you decide to apply Early Decision I or Early Decision II, you will receive your admission decision months earlier than if you apply Regular Decision, which means you won’t have to wait until the end of your senior year to know where you will be attending college.

The admission rate is also higher for our Early Decision rounds than it is for Regular Decision.

Admission Rate (four-year averages)

Early Decision I and II (combined): 45%
Regular Decision: 10%
Overall admit rate: 13%

The Early Decision program is binding. If you are admitted under either round of Early Decision, you must withdraw your applications to other colleges. You may not apply to more than one institution as an Early Decision candidate. We reserve the right to rescind your admission if we find you are in violation of the terms of this agreement.

All Early Decision applicants must read and sign the Early Decision Agreement found in the Common Application. You must complete the Early Decision Agreement form with your secondary school guidance counselor.

Early Decision for a Student-Athlete

“Grinnell's rigorous yet collaborative academic environment and the tight-knit and welcoming athletic community were exactly what I was looking for. I decided to apply Early Decision because I was excited to be a part of a community that champions students’ academic and athletic development.”

— Hannah Sweet '25 (Minneapolis, MN)

Early Decision for an International Student

“I decided to make Grinnell my top choice when I saw how the college and the student body as a whole supports and welcomes international students. I've never once regretted that decision, and I'm forever grateful for the people I've met and the things I've learned here.”

— Nam Do '25 (Hanoi, Vietnam)

Early Decision for an Iowan

“After speaking with current students, I knew the supportive community of peers, professors, and coaches at Grinnell was the community I wanted to be a part of. Thoughtful and honest advice throughout my college decision process affirmed the uplifting community I felt and, ultimately, my decision to apply Early Decision.”

— Eleanor Elliott-Rude '25 (Nevada, IA)

Early Decision for a First-Generation College Student

"As a first-generation college student, I found the college application process hard to navigate. When I found Grinnell, I felt an immediate sense of relief. Between the faculty mentorships, vast academic resources, and a large first-generation community on campus, I knew I would succeed at Grinnell. This made applying Early Decision easy!"

— Tori Thomas '25 (Crystal, MN)

Early Decision for an East-Coaster

"Grinnell students are eager for new people to join their clubs and to befriend new people, and they are also eager to peer read an essay or sit with you while you study. For these reasons and so many more, I feel so lucky I picked Grinnell!”

— Maddie Hartog '25 (New York, NY)

Early Decision for a West-Coaster

“Coming from a big city, I figured that there are only so many times in one’s life when you can truly pick up and try something new for four years. In reading about the community of Grinnell, the academic rigor, and all the research opportunities open to any student, I started envisioning the type of person that I would become after four years at Grinnell and decided to take that leap of faith and apply Early Decision."

— Alyson Won '25 (San Francisco, CA)

Alex Stein stands on a path near the sea. Low cliffs topped with grass and dropping off to the water are visible behind him.

After I visited Grinnell, the people, facilities, and location made me so excited about the possibility of spending four years here. It was clear that I had a home here. My mind was so sure that I applied Early Decision to Grinnell.

— Alex Stein '25 (Mansfield, PA)

Early Decision and Financial Aid

Need-Based Aid

While the binding nature of Early Decision means you will not be able to compare financial aid offers among colleges, the aid package you receive under Early Decision at Grinnell is the same as you would receive if admitted under the Regular Decision plan. Early Decision I candidates must submit their financial aid forms by Nov. 15. Early Decision II candidates must submit their financial aid forms by Jan. 5.

If you apply for financial aid and submit all of the necessary forms on time, you will receive your financial aid package at the same time as your admission notification.

All applicants, regardless of decision deadline, are also encouraged to complete the Net Price Calculator, which will provide an early indication of how much and what types of need-based aid you may qualify for as an incoming first-year student.

Learn more about applying for need-based aid at Grinnell.

Mykenzie Masters, a blond woman with glasses, wears a dark dress. She is kneeling next to a yellow dog who is wearing a red and black harness with a pink leash

I knew that if Grinnell admitted me, I was sure that I would attend. Knowing that I would be able to conclude the application process early, go to my first-choice school, and receive a guaranteed scholarship in the process, I applied Early Decision.

— Mykenzie Masters '25 (Syracuse, NY)

Merit-Based Scholarship

*U.S. citizens and permanent residents admitted Early Decision receive the Grinnell Choice Scholarship. This is a $20,000 annual scholarship, renewable for a total of eight semesters. Select students may also receive an additional Founder’s Scholarship.

There is no separate application for merit scholarships, and you will learn if you have received a merit scholarship when you receive your admission notification.

*Students eligible for Staff Tuition Remission, ACM Tuition Remission, or GLCA Tuition Remission are not eligible for merit-based scholarships, including the Grinnell Choice and Founder’s Scholarships.

Learn more about merit scholarships at Grinnell.

Early Decision Deadlines

If you decide that Grinnell is your first choice and that Early Decision makes sense for you, please note our Early Decision deadlines.

Early Decision Deadlines, 2024–25
	Early Decision I	Early Decision II
Application Deadline	Nov. 15	Jan. 5
Admission Notification	mid-December	early February
Deposit Due	Jan. 8	Feb. 15

Nina Bigelow stand in front of a gothic cathedral wearing a brown jacket and blue jeans

Early on in my college search process, I knew I wanted to attend a small liberal arts college, and Grinnell eventually became my top choice. In particular, the individualized curriculum and the close-knit community are what made Grinnell stand out. I attended as many virtual events as possible and even met with a few students and professors. I wanted a school that would give me the flexibility to explore my various interests and provide the financial support necessary to do so. At Grinnell, I have found such a supportive community that is truly invested in my success and wellbeing.

— Nina Bigelow '25 (Ridgefield, CT)

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Does applying in Early Decision increase my odds of being admitted?

Historically, yes. Over the past four years, our Early Decision admission rate has been over 50%, while our Regular Decision admission rate has been 14%.

Why would I choose to apply through Early Decision?

You should consider applying Early Decision if Grinnell is your first-choice school. Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to visit campus and/or attend some of our virtual offerings and you feel like Grinnell would be a good fit for you.

There is also a strategic advantage to applying Early Decision. Typically, the admission rate is higher in Early Decision than in Regular Decision. We want to admit students who truly want to be at Grinnell, and Early Decision provides us with that opportunity.

Regardless of whether you apply Early Decision or Regular Decision, Grinnell will meet your full demonstrated financial need without loans. Additionally, domestic students are guaranteed at least $20,000 in merit scholarship per year when they apply through Early Decision; this is not a guarantee in Regular Decision. Finally, applying through Early Decision means you receive your admission decision months before Regular Decision applicants do, so you can wrap up your college search much sooner.

If I already submitted a Regular Decision application to Grinnell, can I switch it to Early Decision?

Yes. You can switch to Early Decision any time before the Early Decision deadlines (November 15 for ED1 and January 5 for ED2). Please email the Office of Admission to request this change. You will then be asked to complete an Early Decision Agreement Form, which requires signatures from you, a parent/guardian, and your school counselor.

Why can I only apply to one school through Early Decision?

Early Decision is a binding agreement. If you are admitted, you are committing to attending (as long as you are comfortable with the financial commitment, of course), so applying to multiple schools via Early Decision is not an option.

Do I have to enroll if I’m admitted but the financial package is insufficient?

No. We would never expect you to commit to an investment that you and your family are not comfortable with. However, we offer a Net Price Calculator to estimate your need-based financial aid eligibility in advance, and we strongly recommend you use this tool and feel comfortable with the results if you are planning to apply Early Decision. Follow the instructions carefully, and email the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions about your results.

Grinnell meets the full demonstrated financial need for all students without loans. If your family has special circumstances or experiences a change in circumstances, email the Office of Financial Aid to inquire about the reconsideration request process. If your financial aid is reconsidered and you still find Grinnell to be unattainable financially, you may decline your acceptance.

Do all my application materials need to be submitted by the deadline? Can test scores or other materials be submitted later?

You must submit your Common Application or QuestBridge application by the listed deadlines. We may offer an extra day or two for you to submit additional materials after that, but this is not a guarantee, and you should certainly plan to have everything turned in by the deadline.

What are the possible outcomes of Early Decision?

There are two possible outcomes: Early Decision applicants will either be offered admission or denied admission. Admitted students will then be expected to pay their tuition deposit and withdraw all other college applications. Denied students will be free to continue navigating their college search and application processes elsewhere.

We do not defer Early Decision applicants to Regular Decision; if a student was not selected for admission in Early Decision, they will not be considered for admission in Regular Decision.

I am interested in applying Early Decision, but I am worried about the financial commitment. How can I learn more about how much Grinnell College will cost if I am admitted?

Students who apply Early Decision are eligible for the same need-based financial aid as students who apply Regular Decision. We are committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students without the use of loans. Additionally, all domestic Early Decision admits are guaranteed a $20,000 annual award. All Early Decision applicants will also be considered for additional merit scholarships.

To receive an estimate of the need-based financial aid you might receive at Grinnell, we encourage you to complete one of our estimated cost calculators. These tools only estimate need-based aid, not merit scholarship eligibility. Please remember that merit scholarships, including the Grinnell Choice Scholarship, are used to meet your demonstrated need (the difference between the cost of attending Grinnell and your family’s contribution as determined by the Office of Financial Aid). In other words, merit scholarships reduce the amount of need-based aid provided. And, of course, if you have any questions about financial aid at Grinnell, please email the Office of Financial Aid.