Have you Heard from your Early Action or Early Decision Schools?

It’s December! Holidays, family, days off from school – and college decisions?! That’s right, if you applied to any of the schools in the first round of early action or early decision, you’ll probably be receiving decisions soon (if you haven’t already). This month be sure to:

• Watch out for admission emails or letters from colleges.
• Decide on your next steps.

Which type of early application did you complete? Pick the type from the following list.

Next Steps

As decisions start to roll in, what should you do now?

1. I was admitted Early Decision. Congratulations!! You are done!! Early decision means you are required to attend if the school offers you admission. This means no more applications for you! Call any other school to which you have applied to withdraw your application. Also, you should not submit any new applications. Revel in the freedom from college applications for the rest of your senior year!
2. I was admitted Early Action (or Restrictive Early Action or Rolling Admission). Congratulations!! This is good news but you’ve got some thinking to do. Early action admits have until May 1 to decide whether they want to enroll. You should spend some time over the next few months comparing schools, academic programs, and financial aid awards. School visits (or second visits) can also help you make your final decision.
3. I was deferred.  It’s not over yet. The school has not made a final decision on your application. They’ve decided they want more time to consider you. You should follow up with the college to inquire whether you can submit any additional information like senior mid-year grades, new test scores, an additional recommendation, etc.  Consider submitting additional applications so that you have some back-up options.
4. I was denied. So perhaps you were not admitted to your early application school(s). That’s ok! You might have known it was a “reach” when you applied Early Decision but it still stings when you aren’t offered admission. Take time to process that and then refocus on your other options. Submit any applications that are still pending and consider submitting as an Early Decision II or Early Action II candidate. The second-round early deadlines can still give you an edge with your new first-choice school.

Take Action 

It’s time to go back to your college list spreadsheet. Add a column for “Decisions” to record admissions, deferments or non-admissions. It will give you a clear picture of college options, and help you plan for round 2 applications if needed.