Lehigh University is a private research university with an ascendant reputation in the elite college space. But with this reputation on the upswing comes an acceptance rate on the, you guessed it, downsping. Amidst record-setting application pools and heightened competition, what is a Lehigh enthusiast who knows without a shadow of a doubt that they’d like to wind up there to do? Well, you’ve already made the wise decision to turn to Ivy Coach in your time of need. We have a solution that is sure to increase your odds of admission to Lehigh, and all it takes is a little commitment on your end.

We’re speaking, of course, about the Early Decision admission rounds offered by Lehigh to applicants who see Lehigh as their top choice of school. Early Decision is a binding admission process, meaning it requires those who are accepted through it to enroll at Lehigh, and it is offered in two rounds: Early Decision I and Early Decision II. Early Decision I applications are due pretty early on in the admission cycle, but admission officers at Lehigh actually appreciate the level of commitment entailed by this move. 

In fact, ED I (and to a lesser extent ED II, since it happens later on in the year) applicants receive the admission boost they receive because they’ve demonstrated their interest in attending. Demonstrated interest is absolutely a factor weighed by Lehigh admission officers, whether they’ll own up to it or not. And what better way to demonstrate your interest than to literally sign a contract locking you into a bachelor’s track from Lehigh upon receipt of your acceptance letter?

But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s back up and review the admission statistics that led us to making such a claim about how Lehigh operates its admission process in the first place:

Lehigh University Early Decision Admission Statistics Over 13 Years

The admission statistics we’ve curated covering the most recent cycles show an undeniable trend: it’s generally getting harder to get into Lehigh each year. But another trend also emerges: ED I and II admits are let into Lehigh at a much higher rate than their RD counterparts:

Admissions Cycle	Lehigh University Class Year	Early Decision I and II Admission Rate	Regular Decision Admission Rate
2025-2026	Class of 2030	Not Reported	Not Reported
2024-2025	Class of 2029	Not Reported	Not Reported
2023-2024	Class of 2028	45.3%	25.9%
2022-2023	Class of 2027	52.7%	29.3%
2021-2022	Class of 2026	66.0%	37.0%
2020-2021	Class of 2025	70.4%	46.0%
2019-2020	Class of 2024	72.7%	49.5%
2018-2019	Class of 2023	66.3%	32.1%
2017-2018	Class of 2022	60.3%	22.3%
2016-2017	Class of 2021	59.9%	25.2%
2015-2016	Class of 2020	59.9%	26.1%
2014-2015	Class of 2019	58.3%	30.4%
2013-2014	Class of 2018	62.7%	34.3%

Breakdown of the Class of 2030 Early Decision Admits to Lehigh University

The Early Decision data for the Class of 2030 is still forthcoming, as is that for the Class of 2029. Really, the only definitive thing we can say about recent ED admits to Lehigh is that they formed 60.23% of the Class of 2028, a statistic we pulled straight from Lehigh’s website. Considering ED applicants are invariably a smaller cohort than RD applicants, this fact underscores just how much admission officers at Lehigh prefer to draw from the pool of ED applicants.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance Moving Forward for Deferred or Rejected Lehigh Applicants

If you’re a student who applied in an Early Decision round to Lehigh and were deferred or rejected for admission, now is not the time to dig your head in the sand. Of course, no one would blame you for shedding a tear or feeling defeated. But you can’t stew in this feeling for long, as it is crucial for you to spring into action! 

To get started, contact Ivy Coach to schedule a complimentary consultation. For deferred candidates, we offer a PostMortem application review and assistance in crafting a powerful Letter of Continued Interest. For rejected candidates, we provide a PostMortem application review. And once we’ve analyzed your ED application for its strengths and weaknesses, we will give you the tools you need to pivot to your remaining Regular Decision applications. But our team of former elite college admissions officers’ assistance can only come after thoroughly equipping you with a brand new strategy oriented around the power of the singular hook.