I love universities with early decision 2. In fact, when building a college list, I start with the ED 2 list. First question, are there any universities on the ED 2 list that could serve as a reasonable second choice? If yes, is there a reasonable chance of earning an offer? If yes to both questions, I often say it makes sense to be a bit more aggressive in ED 1. If the answer to either question is no, then maybe be a bit more conservative with that ED 1 choice. Early decision 2 helps inform the rest of the college list.
