So You Got Into College… What Happens Now?
Congratulations! Your hard work has paid off, and you have been admitted to some of the colleges you worked so hard to apply to. So what happens now? You will need to decide where you are going! Chances are you received more than one acceptance letter. Here’s how to decide which offer you ultimately accept.
Revisit the reason you applied in the first place
When you were building your college list you researched the size, location, academic strength, and general vibe of each college. Open up your Excel sheet or notebook and remind yourself of these details. Ask yourself questions about the importance of each characteristic and if your values have changed since making your initial list. For example, will you really be happy at a college across the country from your home, or do you prefer somewhere a short or medium drive away?
Visit Campus
Stepping foot on campus is often one of the easiest ways to figure out if you can imagine yourself attending a specific college for four years. While it may not be possible to visit every college you were accepted to, seeing the top one or two in person before committing is hugely beneficial in the decision-making process. Bonus points if you can time your visit while the college hosts an admitted student day.
Talk to current students or alumni
If you are deciding between a handful of schools and feel stuck, talking to someone who actually went there can be helpful. Someone with first hand experience can answer your questions and give you an idea of what it feels like to attend that college. Plus, if a strong alumni network is important to you (it should be!), then speaking with an alumni is a great way to view what life is like post-grad and how that college supports its lifelong learners.
Compare Financial Aid Offers
Cost is an important factor in the decision to attend college. Revisit your plan to pay for college and review each financial aid offer you receive. College Board’s BigFuture offers some great tips and trips for comparing offers.
As you may have heard, issues with the new FAFSA have delayed colleges in being able to issue financial aid award letters. Expect those letters to start coming in the next month or so. Because of this delay, many colleges have extended their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) date beyond the traditional May 1 deadline. For a complete list of updated SIR dates, see here.
Submit your SIR
Once you’ve picked “the one” you will need to accept their offer of admission. This is often done through the college’s online admissions portal. At this point you will need to pay your deposit as well. Make sure to follow any other instructions regarding financial aid and housing, which varies from college to college. Congratulations!
Notify other colleges of your decision
While not a requirement, it is a nice thing to do so your “no” colleges can offer your space to another student on their waitlist.
What if you're waitlisted?
As college admissions become more competitive, more colleges are turning to waitlists to manage their enrollment, especially within the UC and CSU systems. If you are waitlisted, it means you are admissible (which is great!), but the college needs to see how their enrollment numbers shake out before potentially offering you a spot. You will usually need to officially accept your place on the waitlist via the school's online admissions portal, so make sure to follow the instructions the college provides. It is impossible to predict how waitlist decisions will go, so make sure you submit your SIR to a college you have been accepted to while waiting to see if you get taken off any other waitlists.