ED1 vs ED2

Claremont McKenna has been my dream school since freshman year and I am planning to apply early decision in the fall. In order to maximize my chances of admission, I was wondering if I should apply ED1 or ED2. I feel like I should apply ED1 since it’s my top choice, but I’ve heard that ED1 is primarily for recruited athletes. I’m not a recruited athlete but I have a strong, GPA, standardized test scores, and extra-curriculars. Any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated!

Lots of people overthink this. The general answer is no, it does not make a difference. Early Decision is Early Decision.

Is CMC your 1st choice? If so, ED1. Is CMC your 2nd choice? If so, ED1 at your first choice and ED2 at CMC if you’re not accepted elsewhere ED1. The answer to this is pretty straightforward and based on your own preferences.