College Admissions: Seniors, What To Do While You Wait

For high school seniors, the beginning of January generally brings a sense of relief. After months of writing essays, filling out applications, and stressing about your college choices, your applications are finally in! Pretty soon, though, you may find yourself feeling a new kind of stress—the kind that comes from waiting to hear your college admissions decisions. Most colleges won’t release their regular-round results until late March or early April. So, what can you do in the meantime to improve your candidacy and fend off nervousness?

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: SENIORS, WHILE YOU WAIT…

MAKE SURE YOU ARE CONFIDENT ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION STRATEGY

Now that your applications are in, it’s a good idea to review where you applied and make sure your list of colleges is well-balanced. Have you, perhaps, applied only to “reach” schools with very low acceptance rates? If so, you may want to add a safer option or two from our list of colleges with late application deadlines. Do you find yourself wishing that you had applied to one of your schools Early Decision II, rather than in the regular round? If so, consider reaching out to the school’s admissions officer for your region and asking to move your submitted application to the EDII pool. It’s not too late to make adjustments!

AVOID SENIORITIS

You’ve been working overtime on school and college applications for months, and all you want to do now is take a break. We know it’s tempting to slack off, but hang in there! If you find yourself waitlisted at your top schools this spring, you’ll be glad to have excellent grades to help boost your candidacy. Keep in mind, too, that college acceptances are conditional. Your dream college might withdraw your acceptance if your grades drop steeply or you face a disciplinary infraction during the spring term. We encourage you to keep up your hard work for just a few more months—you’re almost there!

APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Were you on a roll with application essays? Channel that energy toward scholarship applications, many of which have spring deadlines. Are you in need of financial assistance to study computer science or engineering in college? Consider applying for the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship. Excited to discuss the work you’ve done to make a positive impact on your community? The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes could be a good fit for you. Students who have done impressive work in science, technology, engineering, math, literature, music, or philosophy might also consider applying for a Davidson Fellows Scholarship. If you start researching merit scholarships, you’ll find many that are a perfect fit for your background and interests.

Seeking guidance on scholarship applications or a letter of continued interest? We can help!

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PREPARE NOW IN CASE YOU ARE WAITLISTED

It’s painful to consider, but there’s always a chance your dream college will waitlist you, dragging the application process out even further. In terms of action items, being waitlisted is a lot like being deferred. You’ll want to accept your place on the waitlist, stay engaged with the school, and have your counselor follow up to advocate for you. You’ll also want to write a letter of continued interest explaining why the school is the perfect place for you and what you can contribute to it. In this letter, it’s always helpful if you can mention recent accomplishments (awards, publications, community initiatives, etc.). If you begin collecting such achievements now, you’ll have plenty to write about in any future letters!

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

Now, more than ever, it’s important to take care of yourself. Even as you work hard in school (and, perhaps, submit a few scholarship applications), we encourage you to take some time for fun and relaxation. Bond with your family, spend time with your friends, and enjoy the final months of your senior year. This period of waiting is stressful, but it will come to an end. You’ll be off to college before you know it!

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Dr. Eliza Fox

Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions

Eliza has years of experience at Top Tier Admissions, helping students gain admittance to top-flight colleges and pioneering the Writing Center. She holds a B.A. in English with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University, where she was a two-time recipient of Stanford’s Rebele Journalism Fellowship. She earned her MA and PhD in English Literature at the University of Virginia. Prior to working at Top Tier, Eliza taught in UVa’s English Department and its Academic and Professional Writing Program. The effectiveness of her teaching and her commitment to her students earned her multiple awards, including the All-University Graduate Teaching Award and honors from UVa’s Seven Society. Eliza’s own writing has appeared in publications ranging from academic journals to The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also has experience in publishing, digital humanities, and study abroad programming.

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