College Admissions Decisions Are Coming Out!
March is the month of many changes. Winter turns to spring. The old SAT gets redesigned. And seniors receive their college admission results.
That’s right! From the middle of March all the way to the beginning of April, colleges and universities release their regular decision admission notifications. It is that time when making the transition from high school to college becomes real.
This week I will provide you a list of colleges and either exact or approximate admissions decision release dates. NOTE: this information changes abruptly sometimes, so I’ve included links with each date. If you want to see any potential updates, just click the date.
Baylor University
April 10, 2016
Boston University
March 19, 2016
Brown University
March 31, 2016
Caltech
March 12, 2016
Carnegie Mellon University
By April 15, 2016
Columbia University
March 31, 2016
Cornell University
March 31, 2016
Dartmouth College
March 31, 2016
Duke University
April 1, 2016
George Washington University
Late March/Early April
Georgetown University
By April 1, 2016
Harvard University
March 31, 2016
Harvey Mudd
By April 1, 2016
Johns Hopkins University
March 18, 2016 at 3pm EST
MIT
March 14, 2016 at 6:28 pm EST
New York University
April 1, 2016
Northeastern University
March 15, 2016
Northwestern University
Week of March 14
Notre Dame
Late March/Early April
Princeton University
March 31, 2016 at 5 p.m. EST
Rice University
By April 1, 2016
Stanford University
April 1, 2016
Texas A&M
Mid-Late March
UCLA
Late March
University of California - Berkeley
March 24, 2016 in the evening
University of Chicago
March 16, 2016 in the late afternoon
University of Michigan
April
University of Pennsylvania
March 31, 2016
University of Southern California
Mailed March 23, 2016
Available online March 26, 2016
University of Texas - Austin
March 1, 2016
Vanderbilt University
April 1, 2016
Yale University
March 31, 2016
What should I do if waitlisted?
Nobody likes being waitlisted. It is the A-/B+ of college admissions; you did pretty well at catching the admissions officer’s attention, but not quite enough to warrant a full acceptance. So what do you do? Well, you should definitely not wait. You need to be proactive and show the university or college that you are still interested in attending. If that’s the situation (you may decide that the school is actually not right for you, in which case you should let the school know as soon as possible), then follow these tips:
1. Write to your admissions representative and also send a copy to the Dean of Admissions stating more reasons why you are a good fit. Try not to retread old information, and instead provide new key insights that will help show you are serious about attending the school.
2. Send an updated report of your academics, extracurriculars, and other activities or awards you may have done or received. Basically, you want to show how much you’ve grown as a student since you first sent in your application. Also, if possible (or accepted), try to get another letter of recommendation.
3. Don’t lose sight of the reality. Chances are you will probably not get accepted to a school that has waitlisted you. That’s the sad truth, so you should make real sure it is worth the effort for a huge maybe. You should also start considering other universities so you don’t lose your enrollment placement. Most universities require you to save your spot with a deposit by May 1. But you may not know if you are accepted off the waitlist until as late as August 1. You should definitely not take such a risk, otherwise you may be out of options in the fall.
For some additional information about waitlists, check out our ED/EA article. You should be able to find some helpful points that are still relevant to RD (Regular Decision). Also, I plan on talking about waitlists in more detail next week.
What should I do once accepted?
This, of course, is a much better feeling: now you know where you will be going to school this fall, or even better, you have options. What exactly should you do once you’ve received an admission offer?
1. If you have multiple acceptances, make sure you give yourself time to think it over. The reasons people choose to go to particular universities and colleges are far-ranging. You need to make sound considerations about academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, faculty members, and financial concerns. Don’t make your ultimate decision lightly.
2. Only accept one offer. So don’t place your deposit at multiple schools and then make a decision some time in the middle of summer. Colleges and universities frown upon this practice and it could actually hurt your admission status. If necessary (and possible), request a decision extension.
3. The journey to college is not necessarily over. You still have to get good grades and do well in your senior year. Don’t get senioritis and get a bad academic standing. If you do, you might lose your admission acceptance.
Final thoughts
Hopefully soon you will be hearing good news about your future college career. As always, if you need help navigating your college plans, we have programs and consultations that can help you! At Berkeley2 Academy, we are glad to show you the best ways to begin this exciting and important chapter of your life. Cheers!
