For many seniors, the coming months seem like a time to relax. You’ve submitted your applications, checked your portals, and now you are waiting for your results to roll in. Those of you who have heard good news from your Early Decision and Early Action schools can start looking forward to your freshman year of college. But even as you celebrate heading into the home stretch of the college admissions process, there are a few key points you’ll want to keep in mind.
SENIORS: FINISH THE YEAR STRONG
Keep your grades up: Especially for students who have been admitted in the Early Decision round, it’s easy to assume you can take the spring off. Not so fast! If you check the fine print on your offer of admission, you’ll likely find that it’s contingent on your continued strong academic performance. Colleges reserve the right to rescind an offer of admission if your final grades differ significantly from your profile at the time of acceptance. This doesn’t mean you need to panic if you slip from an A to a B+ in your super hard AP Chemistry class. If, however, your grades drop precipitously in one or more classes, you may need to reach out to the admissions office at your ED school to explain the change in your record—and hope they are understanding.
Stay out of trouble: When it comes to college admissions, character counts. Admissions officers care deeply about personal integrity, and as we’ve noted before, they have been known to revoke offers of admission for legal infractions, disciplinary violations, and even problematic social media posts. As tempting as it might seem, now is not the time to hold wild parties or take shortcuts on your assignments with ChatGPT. Instead, continue to showcase your good character and set a positive example for your peers.
Check your messages: Especially for students who have applied to regular-round schools, the admissions process isn’t over! While your applications might be in, you still want to stay on top of your communications with schools, regularly checking both your email and your application portals. Interviewers will be reaching out to set up meetings, and admissions officers may contact you for clarifying information. Even if you’ve already been accepted to your top-choice school, continue to monitor your accounts. Your college may reach out with information about scholarships, honors college applications, admit weekends, etc., and you don’t want to miss those notifications!
Continue looking for ways to boost your profile: Especially if you have applied to regular-round schools, there is always a possibility that you will be waitlisted. As the number of applicants to the most competitive colleges rises each year, colleges are increasingly unable to predict their yield (the percentage of admitted students who will enroll), which—in many cases—has led to an increase in waitlist offers. If you are waitlisted, you will want to write a letter of continued interest (very much like the one you would write after a deferral) that speaks to your love for the school and highlights any recent accomplishments. Have you won additional awards or scholarships? Published a peer-reviewed paper? Expanded a community initiative? Exploring these opportunities now ensures that—if you are waitlisted—you’ll be able to submit a compelling letter later this spring.
Enjoy senior year: Despite all of our warnings and caveats, there’s still lots of room for celebration. You’ve worked hard throughout high school, submitted excellent college applications, and you deserve some time for fun and relaxation! So even as you continue to work hard in your classes and pursue extracurricular achievements, make sure to spend some time hanging out with friends and family and enjoying yourself. You’ve earned it!
Follow us on Instagram @toptieradmissions for more tips and the latest admissions news!
- Applying to U.S. Colleges as an International Student - May 7, 2024
- Seniors: How to Finish the Year Strong - January 18, 2024
- Discover Stanford - November 16, 2023
