After months of preparing your applications and anxiously awaiting the results, you have finally received responses from the schools to which you applied. Whether you are celebrating acceptances, weighing your options between schools, dealing with the sting of rejection, or facing the uncertainty of the waitlist, the college decision season is a time of swirling emotions and deliberations about the future.
Regardless of the decisions you’ve received, you may be unsure of the next steps to take. From choosing between colleges to which you have been accepted, to dealing with rejection, our decision outcomes guide has answers to all of your questions to minimize the stress of decision season.
While the continued wait for a decision may feel agonizing, there are still things you can do to use your time wisely after you have been deferred. After you have received news of your deferral(s), consider doing the following:
If you still want to attend your EA or ED school, you can boost your chances of getting accepted by putting in the effort to write a letter of continued interest. A letter of continued interest is a brief note to the school that expresses your continued intention to attend the school should you be accepted.
In addition, a letter of continued interest should provide the school with a brief snapshot of your accomplishments since you initially applied—whether a boost in your GPA or an award for academic or athletic achievements. For more information about how to write a letter of continued interest, check out our comprehensive guide!
Since acceptance to your EA or ED school is not guaranteed, you should continue to work hard on your other RD applications, particularly any supplemental essays you have yet to write. A stellar supplemental essay will show the college that you have done your research into the school and programs of your choice while also demonstrating what you will add to the campus community.
As you finish writing and reviewing your applications, you should evaluate what you can do differently in your activities list or essays. Try to showcase your unique accomplishments whenever possible and show, rather than tell, what you are passionate about. Continuous editing and revision will also highlight any spelling or grammatical errors that you didn’t catch in the first draft.
So you have received the exciting news that you were accepted into a school you applied to ED. Applying ED can seem like a great idea when initially applying. Among the uncertainty of applications, it can be attractive to increase your own chances at schools by committing to going if you’re accepted. While the news of your acceptance might initially come as a welcome relief, what happens if, in the month and a half since you sent in the application, you’ve found schools that are better for you? What if you’ve realized you don’t want to go at all? What do you do if your ED acceptance goes from exhilarating to suffocating?
Even the most qualified candidates can open their inbox to find an “I regret to inform you…” email. In the face of a college rejection, you might be feeling defeated, confused, and even hopeless. As with any difficult situation, you need to give yourself time and permission to feel whatever emotions you’re feeling, and to process your sadness and disappointment. Talk to your friends and family about how you’re feeling rather than trying to act like it’s okay. If you like journaling, write about how you’re feeling.
After allowing yourself time to acknowledge your feelings, start focusing on your next steps. Moving forward and focusing on your future is essential.
Rather than getting stuck in a negative mindset, think about the positive qualities of your other options. Your next steps depend on whether you didn’t get into the college(s) you hoped to attend, or if you didn’t get into college at all. If you haven’t heard back from all of your colleges, don’t worry prematurely about being rejected from colleges altogether. As long as you had a balanced college list, it’s highly unlikely that you didn’t get in anywhere. However, if that’s the position you find yourself in, take heart. This isn’t the end of your educational journey!
It’s hard to let go of a dream. Perhaps you had dreamed of attending this college since you were a child or fell in love with the school as soon as you stepped on campus. Even if you were accepted to other colleges that you do like, those victories may seem pale in comparison to the defeat you feel right now. However, try your best to celebrate the significant accomplishment of getting into other colleges.
Getting accepted into college—even a college that was not your top choice—is proof that your work wasn’t wasted. If you’ve been working hard throughout high school and approached your college applications with determination and integrity, you likely got into some other great colleges!
Remember that regardless of where you enroll, your college experience will be what you make of it, so try to adopt the mindset that you will thrive wherever you end up. Shift your energy to excitedly researching the other colleges you were accepted to. Identify classes, clubs, professors, and other aspects of these colleges that you are enthusiastic about. Think positively and make the most of it. Doing so can help you become more hopeful for the future and, in turn, less disappointed with the present.
With all of this in mind, if you really aren’t ready to let that dream go, you do have one more option. If you have new information, such as a previous grade that was incorrect and is now fixed, or you have retaken your SAT/ACT and improved your score significantly, you can write an appeal letter.
Sending an appeal letter encourages your admissions officer to reconsider your application in light of this new information. If you have an “it doesn’t hurt to try” mentality, then go ahead and write one! You should put a decent amount of effort into writing this, but don’t expect your rejection to turn into an acceptance. As you wait for a potentially new decision, you should simultaneously be considering your other college options and getting excited for them.
Many ambitious students fill their college lists with highly competitive top-tier schools. Even for the most competitive applicants, admissions at prestigious universities can be a numbers game. Elite colleges like Harvard, UChicago, Stanford, etc. receive tens of thousands of applications each year, but they have a limited number of dorm rooms, professors, and advisors to accommodate the students they admit. So, it’s inevitable that some really strong candidates end up being rejected.
It’s also possible that a single strong candidate can be denied admission to all of their reach schools. If you find yourself in that position, you might be feeling discouraged. Remember that this doesn’t mean you’re not smart, talented, or capable!
College isn’t just about prestige. Having an Ivy League college on your resume might help you land your first job out of college, but what really matters is how you make the most of the next four years, no matter where you are. Wherever you go to school, you can do things to set yourself apart such as meaningful internships, extracurriculars, or conferences that help add impressive material to your resume.
Every individual rejection can be heartbreaking in its own way, but if you don’t get into any of the colleges you applied to, a different type of dread may set in. You might be wondering what to do next, and your friends and family might not have the answers you’re looking for. But don’t worry—there are several things you can do over the next several months or year to make sure you end up in college.
There are many benefits to taking time between high school and college, and though this might not be the path you envisioned, try to view the extra time as an opportunity you can take advantage of.
Whatever you decide to do, stay positive! Try not to take this as a reflection of your intellect or academic potential. Luck is a huge factor in college admissions, and you may have been really unlucky. You shouldn’t give up if your future goals or career plans require a college degree. Try again until you get where you need to be!
Regardless of any college rejections you may be facing, this isn’t the end of the road. On the contrary, it’s just the beginning of a new, exciting chapter in your educational journey.
If you start at a college next year that you didn’t plan on attending, you will still likely have an enriching experience. You’ll meet incredible professors, make lifelong friends, and gain a deeper understanding of the subjects you’re passionate about. However, if you try your best to make the most of your situation and still find yourself unfulfilled, you always have the option to transfer.
While you shouldn’t enter a college with the intention of transferring out of it, it might help to keep that in mind as you make your next move. Nothing is permanent, and you can command your own future.
Apply to a school with rolling admission. These colleges don’t have hard deadlines, so you can still apply to some of them even after you’ve heard back from all of your Regular Decision (RD) schools.
Apply for spring enrollment. Most often, freshmen start college in the fall, but several schools offer a later application deadline for enrollment in the spring semester. Research some of those colleges and see if any of them are a good fit for you.
Attend community college. If you applied to a four-year university, community college probably wasn’t even on your radar. However, attending community college is a great way to continue learning while you wait for the next round of RD applications, hopefully get a few more good grades on your transcript, and demonstrate your preparedness and devotion to higher education.
Take a gap year. For some students, a mental health break or simply some time in a non-academic setting is a time for enrichment and experiential learning. Taking a gap year can make you feel more refreshed, mature, and self-aware when you tackle the next round of college applications.
Retake your SAT or ACT. If you think your scores were holding you back, hunker down and study for your standardized tests so that you earn the scores you need to all but guarantee college admission.
Create a balanced college list. Take some time to reflect on why you didn’t get into college the first time. Maybe your college list was too small, too top-heavy (filled with mostly reach schools), or had a lot of schools that prefer in-state applicants. Whatever the issue was, make sure you correct it when you make your next college list. Your college list should include 5-7 reach schools, 5-7 match schools, and 3-5 safety schools.
Work with a college consultant to craft a better application. Working with a professional can help you avoid classic mistakes as well as make your application stand out to admissions officers.
Discovering that you have been placed on the waitlist at one of your top schools can feel agonizing. You have spent weeks awaiting a decision, and despite thinking that the wait is finally over, you find that you are still unsure of your future at the school. First and foremost, it is important to recognize that being on the waitlist does not mean that your application wasn’t competitive—plenty of well-qualified candidates are placed on the waitlist after a college reaches its maximum number of acceptances.
While ultimately you could be accepted after others who have been offered a spot choose whether to enroll, you will not know definitively until late spring. For this reason, it is important to continue researching your other options and seriously consider your other acceptances in case you do not get accepted off the waitlist at your top school.
If you have been accepted to another school on your list that you would be equally excited to attend, you can choose to accept that offer and contact the admissions office at your waitlist school to decline your spot. You should only do this if you are entirely confident in your other option and do not feel that an acceptance at your waitlist school would be worth the additional wait.
Alternatively, if you want to remain on the waitlist in the hopes of ultimately being accepted, you should contact the admissions office promptly to accept your place on the waitlist. From there, you can choose to either put a deposit down on your #2 school (or another desirable school on your list to which you have been accepted) or wait until the May 1 deadline to make a decision (though this is by far the less desirable option).
As you remain on the waitlist, you should take proactive steps to show the school that you are continuing to work on your candidacy and demonstrate interest in their program. This can include:
A letter of continued interest is just what it sounds like; it’s a space for you to demonstrate your ongoing interest in a college and your determination to attend that school. You should show off your personality and passion about the school in a friendly letter to your regional admissions officer. For in-depth instructions and advice on how to write a letter of continued interest, check out our guide.
So your hard work has paid off and you’ve been accepted to more than one of the schools you applied to! Now comes the challenging decision—which school will you choose?
With so many different considerations to take into account—from finances to academic programs to location—deciding between the schools to which you’ve been accepted can feel overwhelming, especially if you do not have one clear favorite among your acceptances. Choosing where to go to college is, after all, a very important decision, so giving yourself some time to think about where you will spend your next four years is crucial.
As you choose which school is right for you, these are the most important factors to take into consideration:
If you have a specific academic or career goal, comparing the academic programs within your subject area can serve as a great starting point to make your decision. Colleges can vary substantially in their academic offerings, and specific degrees like Marine Biology or Aerospace Engineering will not be offered by every school. Additionally, many colleges have specialized, niche programs that could offer you much more support in unique fields of study.
If you do not yet know which major you want to pursue, the college with the most interdisciplinary opportunities may be a better fit for you. A program that allows you to explore multiple areas of interest will help you narrow your focus while also providing a variety of options so that you do not corner yourself into a major prematurely.
Finally, consider the faculty in your intended discipline along with their research and publications. This is an indication of the caliber of the program and the network of scholars that you will learn from. In particular, if you are thinking about pursuing graduate school after you complete college, these professors will be able to help recommend you to prestigious programs.
How important is the ability to easily go home for a weekend to you? Will you have to fly home for holidays and family visits or will you be able to drive? Some students may intentionally attend college far from home to push themselves to become more independent or branch out from their established friend group back home, but others may prefer the familiarity offered by attending a college within a few hours of their hometown.
When selecting a college, you want to set yourself on the best course to enter your desired professional field after graduation. One metric to consider when weighing this factor is the college’s job placement statistics. Most colleges publish these on their website (sometimes under their Career Services page), but you can also check out the Princeton Review list of Best Value Colleges, which provides school rankings based on career placement.
Your college’s location will have far more impact on your life as a student than you might initially realize. Are you an athlete looking for a more charitable climate? Do you intend to stay close to home? Are you someone who’s looking to engage in extracurricular or professional pursuits beyond what a school can offer? For instance, people looking to do musical theater in their free time would be well-advised to check out schools in New York City, just as those looking to get involved politically might be drawn to Washington, D.C..
Weather is also one of the most common subjects of conversation, and often a surprisingly poignant factor in deciding on colleges. It is very reasonable to consider weather as a factor in your decision if you have noticed it plays a large role in your happiness and wellbeing. Most importantly, the location of your college will likely determine where you establish connections and roots over the next four years. Internship opportunities and, when it comes time, full-time jobs, will often be easier to find depending on a college’s connections to companies in the area.
It is important to consider the cost of the college you’re planning to attend. If you and/or your family will have difficulty paying the steep price of an elite college, you should weigh the different financial aid packages offered by the competing colleges to which you have been accepted. You might also receive merit or athletic scholarships from one school that another school does not offer.
You should also consider the cost relative to the future earning potential of the career you hope to pursue in the future. For instance, the cost of an elite college might be justified for those studying law or medicine, as those professions yield higher annual incomes and require graduate school, for which your undergraduate connections and recommendations are critical.
Ultimately, the financial ramifications of attending each of the colleges on your list should be strongly considered, particularly if they will pose a serious burden on you and/or your family.
Weather is also one of the most common subjects of conversation, and often a surprisingly poignant factor in deciding on colleges. It is very reasonable to consider weather as a factor in your decision if you have noticed it plays a large role in your happiness and wellbeing. Most importantly, the location of your college will likely determine where you establish connections and roots over the next four years. Internship opportunities and, when it comes time, full-time jobs, will often be easier to find depending on a college’s connections to companies in the area.
While the location of a college matters for internships and establishing connections, the resources and opportunities available to you may vary wildly between colleges in the same area. Study abroad options, pre-professional programs, a strong career advising department, and excellent connections through an alumni network are important factors to consider when deciding between colleges. Every college will claim to have the best resources available, so it’s important to research each school’s specific resources and understand the differences between your options.
Many students and parents become hyper-focused on this factor, but it is absolutely an important consideration. The prestige and reputation of a top college can open doors for you in the years to come. In addition to the college’s primary ranking, check to see how the programs that you’re interested in attending are ranked. A school that you might not consider prestigious may actually be extremely well-ranked in a specific field like business or engineering.
College is not all about academics and your career—it’s also a fun time to explore your interests! While every college will offer various clubs and activities, it is worth it to check out each school’s clubs to see how you could continue to pursue your interests or find a new one. An avid outdoorsman might want to look into the hiking or adventure club, for example.
While official student-athletes may want to consider playing at their level of competition (DI-DIII), students who want to continue their sport in a less competitive manner may want to research the club or intramural options offered by a school. When trying to decide between very similar colleges, the different opportunities to pursue your passions and interests can be excellent tiebreakers!
The size of a student body will play a large role in your social life and academic experience. Smaller colleges will have far more intimate and tight-knit communities, while larger schools offer the opportunity to constantly meet new people. Smaller colleges are often able to offer small class sizes, but larger schools will provide a larger network once you’re out of college. While it can be hard to know which experience you prefer, comparing your own high school’s size and student body with your potential schools’ student populations can offer some insight into what size school you might prefer.
This factor generally requires visiting the college itself, but talking to current and prospective students can offer a glimpse into what kinds of people you’ll be surrounding yourself with over the next four years. While it may be impossible to judge with any hard data, connecting with the students you interact with is an essential factor when making your decision.
Additionally, ask current students what they do for fun on campus and find out what the social scene is like. Even if you’re convinced that only the academics and prestige of a school matter, asking yourself where you would be the happiest socially can help you break a tie between similar colleges.
Touring a college campus is an exciting experience for prospective students. The libraries, academic halls, dining rooms, dorms, gyms, and student centers can be dazzling and outfitted with new technologies and other alluring features. Although colleges might have similarly impressive libraries or all-you-can-eat buffets at their dining halls, sometimes you will just feel more at home on one campus than another. Take the time to talk to students and thoroughly explore the campus, including some of the popular hangout spots on campus.
If you’re still deadlocked in your decision, trust your gut when you’re visiting the college and ask yourself how being there makes you feel.
The best way to find out how much you like a college is to go visit it in person! Visiting the campus, and talking to students offers valuable insight into what life there would be like. If you go to a college campus but tours are not available, try speaking with students on the quad. Some colleges also offer overnight options for admitted students, which will give you the opportunity to stay with current students and experience what it’s like to attend the college. If these opportunities are available to you, it is advisable to take advantage of them.
If these in-person options are not available to you, there are still plenty of ways to make an informed decision. While you may have already done quite a bit of research during the application process, now is the time to further research each potential school. Websites like CampusReel and each college’s official website offer glimpses into students’ daily lives and available resources.
If the school has an admitted students’ social media group, join and reach out to other prospective students. While it’s not the same as meeting people in person, social media groups offer a chance to connect with your potential classmates. Try asking if anyone in your family or friend group knows a current student or alum that they could connect you with over social media, text, or email. While it may seem intimidating at first, many college students will happily talk to you for a few minutes about what they like/dislike about the school and answer your questions.
When choosing between colleges, it is important to identify the best fit for you. Often, this means that school prestige is less important than ‘fit.’ Really think about your personality and interests and consider what would be best for you between suburban or metropolitan campuses, schools close to home or across the country, ‘preppy’ vs. ‘artsy’ campus cultures (although keep in mind that you can find your niche anywhere), small and large class sizes, liberal arts colleges and research universities.
As you consider your options, don’t let sticker shock or preconceived ideas about a school discredit institutions on your list that may otherwise be a good fit. ‘Cheaper’ in-state schools can often end up costing more than ‘expensive’ private colleges with need-based aid and no-loan policies. Compare your financial aid packages carefully, and remember to negotiate, especially if you have a better offer from an equivalent school.
Even the most qualified candidates open their inbox during college decision season to find an “I regret to inform you…” email. The sting of rejection from your dream school may make other acceptances feel less exciting; however, you should try your best to celebrate the accomplishment of getting into other colleges. Remember that getting accepted anywhere is proof that your hard work has been recognized. Try to adopt the mindset that you will thrive wherever you end up, and the college you ultimately choose is likely the best fit for you. Shift your energy from waiting anxiously to excitedly researching the other colleges you were accepted to. No matter where you go to college, your experience will be what you make of it. Identify classes, clubs, professors and other aspects of your college that you are excited about. Think positively and make the most of it. Doing so can help you become more hopeful about the future and, in turn, less disappointed with the present.
Sharing your college decision with friends and family members can be an exciting and nerve-wracking decision. When it comes to how you should share, first and foremost, own the decision you have thoughtfully come to. You don’t have to justify the decision that you will attend a school far from home, that you chose Princeton when your grandfather wanted you to choose Yale, or that you’re attending an elite university in the first place. Give yourself permission to confidently share and humbly celebrate your choice!
It might be the case that you are afraid of the negative reactions, most likely in the form of jealousy or judgment. If you receive some negativity, openly explain and share what you like about the school and how excited you are. If you’re going to a school that someone hasn’t heard of or a school that others don’t regard as highly as you do, see it as an opportunity to tell them more about the school and a platform to share your reasons for why you think it’s the perfect and right fit for you. Understand that people who are secure in their own decisions and truly care about you will be able to be happy for you. Share your decision with these people and let any negative comments roll off your shoulders.
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