During the months of February and March you should expect to hear the admission results of the most, if not all, of the applications you submitted.
There are three results that you might encounter as your admission decisions come in:
Admitted
Denied
Waitlisted
Whatever the decision, it’s important to remember that this can be a very stressful time. Here are the best tips for what to do next when your college application is admitted, denied, or waitlisted.
Let’s start with the hardest decision to tackle and work from there.
What to Do If Your College Application Is Denied
Allow Yourself to Feel Disappointed – Rejection is never fun, and depending on your feelings about the college application process, you might have a lot of emotional capital invested in particular universities and the admission results. It’s normal to feel similar emotions felt during times of grief. Let yourself feel these things, but don’t wallow.
Focus on Being Action Oriented to a Solution – Where did you get admitted? What alternative pathways to college or higher education have you considered – community college, gap years? What are you going to do with the rejection? Where do you go next?
Admission Decisions Are Final, But You May Be Able to Appeal – Let’s start by saying that appealing admission decisions should not be your default action. Appeals are RARELY approved, as admission offices have spent the last several months reading applications, selecting students, and shaping a class. However, if you feel that your appeal would actually have merit, i.e. there is new or different information not originally included in your application that you can share, there was a glaring mistake in your application that should be considered, an appeal might be warranted.
TIP: You should never appeal a decisions simply because you don’t like it. There must be more, different, or new information for the admission office to consider.
Stay Positive – A rejection can sting, but don’t let the sting of a rejection take away from the joy and excitement of admission that you have earned at other colleges!
What to Do If Your College Application Is Waitlisted
If You Wish to Stay on the Waitlist (and You Don’t Have To!) – read the waitlist offer sent to you and follow their guidance.
Some colleges and universities will give you instructions on how to remain on their waitlist. Follow those instructions if you want to remain on the list.
If you are given a list of things NOT to do or additional information NOT to submit, follow those instructions too.
Be Realistic With How You Move Forward– Admission from the waitlist is not assured, so you need to be mentally prepared to remain on the waitlist while you are making plans to commit to another university where you have been accepted.
Write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) – LOCI are an opportunity for you to let the university know that you do wish to remain on their waitlist, that they remain a top-choice for you, and to provide any updated information to your academics or extracurriculars that might have changed since your application. Read here for more tips on crafting a LOCI.
If You DO NOT Wish to Stay on the Waitlist (and You Don’t Have To!) – focus on the other offers of admission that you do have and simply move on.
Move Forward with Other Admission Plans – Waitlist offers are not guaranties of admission. You are going to wait past the May 1st commitment date to colleges and universities where you have been admitted to learn if you come off the waitlist. Be ready to commit to another school by May 1st. A waitlist status should NEVER keep you from enrolling where you have been offered admission.
Consider Financial and Housing Implications – If admitted off the waitlist, financial aid and housing options may differ from initial offers.
For International Students:
Keep Visa Timelines in Mind – A late admission from the waitlist could impact your ability to secure a visa on time.
Check Scholarship and Aid Availability – Some financial aid packages may not extend to waitlisted students, so confirm before accepting an offer.
Ensure Housing Availability – Late admissions may limit on-campus housing options, so consider backup plans.
What to Do If Your College Application Is Admitted
Celebrate! Getting accepted is big deal. It’s important to take time and reflect on the hard work and determination you demonstrated throughout high school to get to this point. YIPEE! You did it
Review Finances – Financial aid offers and the cost of education vary from school to school. Take time to compare your offers and make a decision that makes you comfortable.
Plan to Attend Admitted Student Programming – While it might not be possible for you to attend admitted students programs at all the places you are admitted, making it a priority to attend events for admitted students at your top two or three choices can really help you sort out the nuances of enrolling at each place, ultimately helping you arrive at your final enrollment decision.
Don’t Miss Enrollment Deadline! In most cases, the deadline to submit your enrollment deposit is May 1st. Don’t miss this date!
Decline Other Offers – Once you commit to one university, make sure to withdraw your other offers of admission. This let’s the universities know that you do not plan on enrolling with them, and allows them to move forward with offering students on the waiting list admission, if they need to.
Graduation is Near, Keep on Track – Your college/university will require that you submit a final, official high school transcript that shows your grades through the end of the school year and proves that you met the requirements needed to earn your high school diploma. Keep it together throughout May!
For International Students:
Secure Your Student Visa – Begin the visa application process as soon as possible to avoid delays.
Understand Travel and Housing Logistics – Plan for travel expenses, health insurance, and housing arrangements in advance.
This is the end of what has been a major milestone – applying and earning admission into a college – in your educational career. The journey is often marked with emotional highs and lows, which are great lessons in personal growth, resilience, and maturity. You can handle each of them with gratitude and a sense of pride in the work you have put in to get where you are!
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