DECISIONS, DECISIONS: What to do when the waiting game is over
Haven’t heard….Accepted…Deferred…Waitlisted…Denied….
What are my next steps?
A Q&A on the Different Admissions Decisions
“Why haven’t I heard yet when some of my friends have?”
What to do:
Rolling Decision schools tend to send decisions in waves, and these decisions can depend on the institutional priorities and enrollment limits of colleges within the universities, whereas ED, EA, and Regular Decision schools usually have set published notification dates. Check the college’s website for notification dates.
If you still feel you should have been notified after doing #1 and checking your portal to see that all materials have been received, call or email your admissions rep to determine the status of your application. Make sure to have your student ID at the ready.
Some colleges accept updates and may also request mid-year reports from your counselor. Keep checking the portal and your email for messages. You should receive information from the college as to whether they require or accept updates.
“I got deferred….now what?”
“Deferred” means that your application has been moved to the regular applicant pool, which means you should be notified whether you are accepted by the regular decision notification date.
“Waitlisted” means that your name is on a list which opens up once all of the decisions have been provided to the school, and the school still has openings. This notification usually occurs after May 1.
What to do:
When deferred, you usually have to accept or decline the decision, which means you need to notify the admissions office as to whether you still want to be considered. Let the school know your preference immediately.
Continue applying to your other colleges. It is very hard to predict whether you will be accepted or come off of a waitlist. If you are still on a waitlist on May 1 when you must accept another offer, you should accept the other offer. If you then come off of the waitlist and decide to attend that school, you will let the other university know you are withdrawing and accept that you may not get your deposit back.
If you accept the deferral status, determine whether & what information the college still wants or whether they do not want additional information. Examples of additional information might include
updates of grades
recommendations
SAT/ACT scores
letter of continued interest
Visit the college if you have not done so already. This might help demonstrate your interest or help you re-evaluate whether the school is really the place for you.
“I got accepted to my first choice!”
Congratulations!
What to do:
Do I have notify the college immediately with my decision? If you are 100% certain this is the college for you and that you can afford it, you can accept the offer right away in order to start your housing application. If you are still unsure about the school or the costs, you usually have until May 1, so you can weigh your other options or (re)visit the school.
Can I afford it? Read and fully understand your financial offer to determine what you will be expected to pay before accepting an offer. These offers usually come within 2 weeks of your admissions decision so continue checking your emails and portals! It is a good idea to see what other financial offers you receive from other universities as you may be able to negotiate.
Make your housing deposit if this is an option. Housing options may be “first-come, first-serve.” However, you may or may not get a deposit back if you choose not to attend the university, so make sure you know the policies.
Write thank you notes to teachers and advisors letting them know the good news!
“I got denied from my first choice school. Should I appeal this decision?”
Universities have different policies, rules, and guidelines around appealing an admissions decision. If a mistake was made on your transcript or you have extenuating circumstances that affected the accuracy of your application, you may be able to pursue an appeal. Check the websites or email the college reps as to your next steps.
Try to move on, knowing that this is not personal. Remember the quote, “When one door closes, another door opens.” This is why you have a college list! Time to explore your other options.
Please contact me for advice and guidance if you have further questions on how to proceed with your admissions decision!