The Office of Admissions received 743 applications by the end of its early decision I period on Wednesday, signifying an approximately 25 percent increase from last year’s 604 applications.

This year’s ED I applicants represent more than 550 high schools, marking an increase from the 470 schools represented in last year’s applicant pool.

“The increase in breadth of schools represented is significant,” wrote Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Whitney Soule in an email to the Orient. “In other words, not just more applicants coming from the same schools, but more applicants coming from more schools means that more students are finding Bowdoin from places that have not traditionally sent us applicants.”

The College offers early admission through ED I and ED II application processes, both of which are binding commitments, meaning that accepted students are expected to enroll, financial conditions permitting. Bowdoin’s ED II deadline is January 1.

“We have more students who apply in early decision round one than [in] round two, but the process for review and the standards for admission are the same in both rounds,” said Soule in a phone interview with the Orient. “We have never in my experience explored a conversation around early action, which would be a non-binding way of applying early and getting in early decision.”

According to Soule, the College values the level of commitment and diversity that the early decision process allows.

“Our early decision pool is incredibly broad in its diversity and socioeconomic diversity and geographic diversity,” said Soule. “And so we see more students of color and first generation students in our early decision applicant pool now, certainly than we did probably 10 or 15 years ago.”