College Decision Day Is Almost Here

Wed, Apr 26, 2023 11:30 AM

Congratulations to your high school senior for staying strong these last few weeks of the school year. It is easy for them to get distracted with all of the end of year exams and deadlines that are coming at them fast. One of those that was/is highly anticipated is National College Decision Day, May 1^st. This Date was much more prominent before the Department Of Justice sued and said colleges could not force students to make a binding decision by that date; However, when many colleges still expect to hear from students to lock in scholarships and admissions to their college in the future by May 1st. Why, because whether you like it or not – college is a business – and they are desperately trying to meet admissions numbers so that they can balance their budgets.

So, what do you do if your student/family is still negotiating with colleges for additional need based financial aid or merit money or your son or daughter is still on the fence on where they want to go? For seniors, this is one of the biggest decisions in their life up to this point and for some it can be a paralyzing process to officially commit to just one college. So many options, questions, and doubts can come up.

Just know that there is still time to decide. Worse case, students can contact the college admissions representative who has been communicating with them and request for an extension. But your student needs to be prepared to explain why they are asking for the extension – has an appeal for more financial aid or merit aid been submitted, are they waiting to hear from other colleges, or maybe exploring the idea of taking a Gap Year (more on this on a future post). By communicating this effectively with an admissions representative they can help you determine next steps that need to be taken. Please note, delaying impacts other parts of the enrollment process too, for example: scheduling their college orientation date, locking in housing, etc. The longer they wait, the more likely they will get stuck with 8:00 am classes or Friday classes or the less desirable tower housing options on the other side of campus.

If your student has made their final college decision, congratulations! Now it is time to take the next steps of the process. This includes making a deposit, locking in housing, and attending an Admit or Orientation Day at their future college where they will schedule their first semester classes. And of course, there is also making the plans for their graduation party, and shopping for the list of things they will need for their dorm, plus so much more. Plus, don’t forget to have them continue to actively research and apply for more college scholarships. At the end of the day, we want them to be happy with their final decision especially since this school will be their home away from home for the next 3 or 4 years!

Need some guidance helping your son or daughter make their final college decision or with appealing their financial or merit aid offer? Schedule a FREE 15-minute Discovery Zoom Meeting with Me TODAY!