The stocking are hung by the
chimney with care, students who applied under an early program will soon see
how they fare!
While December 25 may be the date that children around the
world look forward to, it is December 15 that can bring the biggest present to
high school seniors: a thick
envelope and acceptance to the college of their choice! What should students do as they
nervously await their decision?
Know how and when you
will hear. While most colleges
will inform students via email or students can check their account online, some
still insist on sending the news via snail mail. Know what mechanism your college uses and when exactly you
can expect to hear. Typically this
information is posted on the college website, but if not, it is not
unreasonable to ask your college counselor or even to call the admissions
office.
Don't check the
decision at school. While it
may be tempting to sign on in the school library or use your smart phone, wait
to check in private and without an audience. If the news is bad, it will give you a chance to compose
yourself. And if the news is good,
you won't make your friend, who did not get in, feel worse.
If the decision is
yes. Inform and personally thank your college counselor and the teachers
who wrote letters of recommendation for you. You might even want to consider writing them a note or dropping
off some small gift. They wanted
you to get in almost as much as you did!
If the decision is no. Don't despair. Take some time to digest the news and
forget about the college process--go to a movie, go for a run, meet a friend
for coffee. Keep in mind there are
many other students out there who were also deferred, but they are also keeping the news to
themselves. You will get in and go
to college!
Make an appointment with your college counselor to discuss
your list and your plan of attack. Do your best work on the remaining applications and do not
assume that, because you did not get in, your essay was bad or your teacher did
not write a good letter of recommendation. This process is very unpredictable.
If you were deferred
or postponed. It may not mean NO,
but instead Not Now! File all your
other applications, then refocus on the deferral. If you do nothing, you will likely not be admitted. Follow the instructions given by the
college. They probably want to see
seventh semester grades. In
addition, unless the college explicitly tells you otherwise, write a letter
updating the college on how disappointed you were not to get in, what you have
done since you applied, and why the college is such a good fit for you. You may want to consider asking another
teacher, coach, or employer for another letter of recommendation.