The Real March Madness? College Admissions Decisions

ByAimee Heller

March means time for NCAA championship basketball and final college admissions decisions from colleges. Colleges across the US are now letting students know if their application has been accepted, waitlisted or denied.  

After the colleges’ decisions come the champion-level decisions. 

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DECISION: ACCEPTED

Wooot! Getting into any college deserves celebration. If your student has been accepted by more than one school, they now have an exciting choice to make. Students should keep these factors in mind when making their final decision:

  • Fit: Students should choose a college that feels comfortable. To figure this out, your child should do more research on the schools that admitted them. Some direction for students: Learn as much as possible. Contact current students and alumni and/or admissions representatives and get answers to any lingering questions you might have. If possible, visit the campus (even if you’ve already been there; now you know for sure it’s an option). Explore the dorms, tour the campus, and meet with people who are knowledgeable about your programs of interest. If a student can’t visit the school, they should take a virtual tour online.
  • Economics: Students who have been offered a generous financial aid package or have received a scholarship should weigh it in their decision making. Review the offers carefully to determine which makes the most financial sense for your family.
  • Deadlines: Do not miss the deadlines! Unless a student applied ED1, they typically have until May 1 to notify the colleges whether they’re going to enroll. However, there will also be deadlines for housing deposits and Honors College, some of which may require attention sooner than May 1st. Turn in forms and deposits on time, or your child may risk losing their place. 
  • Grades: Seniors must say no to senioritis! Keeping their grades up and making sure their behavior is beyond reproach, both in real life and on social media, is critical. Colleges have been known to rescind admission for students who let their grades drop, or whose behavior goes against their community standards.

Still need help navigating college admission results? Talk to a college advisor at International College Counselors. We can help you and your child decide which school is the best fit.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS VERDICT: WAITLISTED

Being placed on the waitlist means the college has decided that your student is qualified for admission, but there were more qualified applicants than spaces available. Whether or not your student ultimately gets admitted from the waitlist depends on how many accepted students decide to attend. If fewer students decide to attend than the college was aiming for, they will admit more students from the waitlist (which, by the way, are not ranked).

To stay on the waitlist, students typically need to accept their place on it using an online form (see your admission email). At the same time, they need to solidify plans to attend another college, including making a deposit, in case they don’t get into the school/s where they’re waitlisted. You are permitted to remain on more than one waitlist.

If a school is going to admit from their waitlist, they will do so close to or shortly after May 1, and some schools will continue adding from their waitlist throughout the summer. Students who want to improve their chances of turning a “maybe” into a “yes” need to do the following:

Make an appeal:

  • Follow the college’s directions. If an email is permissible, send one to the school (preferably addressed to your regional counselor) letting them know why you would be excited to attend and the reasons it’s still the best-fit school for you. Include any updated information, especially any new accomplishments or achievements.
  • If the school offers the chance to appeal in the admission portal, use that space instead of sending an email.
  • Get the best grades possible.
  • Submit higher SAT/ACT scores, if possible.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS RESULT: DENIED

All students will not get the college admissions decisions they were hoping for, which can be upsetting. Feeling disappointed is normal and okay. Give your child some time to adjust. Applications are turned down for so many reasons, none of them personal. Remind your student how capable they are and how far they have come. There’s no one perfect school. If students have done their homework and applied to a balanced list, they should have some other excellent options.

  • Check out the colleges that have sent acceptances. Once a student opens their mind to other options, they may see there are many possibilities and opportunities out there.
  • Remember that a student can always try transferring in a year or two if they are still set on one particular school. Call us at International College Counselors to see how we can help with the transfer process.
  • Meet with a college advisor to review the college admissions results and options and find the best school for your student right now.

We wish all of our students the best of luck with their college admissions decisions. After all the madness, no matter what happens, there will be calm as you settle in and get ready for the next chapter of your life.

For any and all help with acceptances, waitlists and denials, choosing a college, and/or with the college admissions process, contact International College Counselors. Visit https://internationalcollegecounselors.com/ or call 954-414-9986.