I am very interested in Dartmouth, but I am not 100% sure right now. I was wondering what "advantage" there is if I apply Early Decision?

For an applicant, the "advantage" to applying under Dartmouth's binding Early Decision plan is that you will learn of the outcome of your application in December rather than April. If admitted, you will not have to file other applications. If denied admission or deferred to the Regular Decision round, you'll have an "early read" on your application to Dartmouth that can help as you apply to other Colleges.

Since Dartmouth's Early Decision program is binding, an applicant for Early Decision really needs to know that Dartmouth is their clear first choice. It would be a mistake to apply to Dartmouth under the Early Decision plan as a "strategy" for increasing your chances for admission.

For most applicants, the rate of admission during Early Decision as compared to Regular Decision will be similar. The rate of admission during Early Decision is in fact higher than the overall rate of admission to Dartmouth, but the higher rate of admission during Early Decision is a bit misleading.

Why is the higher rate of admission during Early Decision somewhat misleading? Most highly recruited Division 1 athletes who apply to Dartmouth do so under the Early Decision plan, and these recruited student athletes typically do not file an application to Dartmouth unless their credentials have been reviewed in advance by members of the Admission Committee. Many student athletes who communicate with Dartmouth's coaches are encouraged not to apply to the College or are informed that the coaching staff has not identified them as a "priority recruit" and as a result those who do end up applying to Dartmouth are admitted at a higher rate (having already been "pre-screened").

With highly recruited Division 1 athletes removed from the Early Decision applicant pool, the rate of admission during Early Decision falls back to a level that is more comparable, although slightly higher, than the overall rate of admission.

So, there is a small statistical advantage to applying to Dartmouth under the Early Decision plan, but the advantage is not so great that it should be the "driving force" behind an applicant's decision to apply early.