So you have finished your applications and are now waiting to hear from the schools about a decision. Each day you check your email, run to the mailbox, or log in to the school’s website to check your status. It does not help when friends and family going through this process might have already heard from their school and are posting all over social media, “I Got IN” photos. Very few people jump on to tell the world they were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.
So we are really in No Man’s Land. That space where you just have to wait. Some people are better at this than others. If you have not received the envelope yet, you are probably wondering WHY?
Add COVID into the mix and you are probably wondering if there is a path out of NO Man’s Land. Here are a few things you can do.
Stay Calm – Don’t stress out. There are so many factors and you should take a moment to enjoy the relief of completing your college applications.
Don’t pick up the Phone First – The last thing you want to do is pester the admissions department. Calling and saying – “Where’s my letter or Why didn’t I get in?” Is probably not going to get you anything.
CHECK YOUR EMAIL – Yes that is all in caps for emphasis. I have no idea why, but high school students really don’t like email. But schools still use email to communicate key pieces of information. Not only Check your email…READ your email.
Check the School’s Web Tools – It is really important to make sure YOU are NOT missing something or your application is incomplete. Also, you might see an update on your status online, before you get anything in the mail.
COVID IS having an impact on the process – Each College is working their process through the lens of a pandemic. The number of applications might have changed, which changes the formula that they might have used in the past. The Fall enrollment might have been down so they are trying to figure out how many students to accept. Be patient, this might work in your favor.
Do Your Homework and Reach Out if appropriate – Some Admissions teams really WANT to interact with students! Schools are going to extraordinary lengths to reach out to students. These offices missed in person interaction in the fall. They are setting up zooms, virtual hours, and social media live events. Check into the school’s policy on interacting and reach out to those departments.
I am tired of hearing and saying that this year is different, but it really is. If you have real questions and you have done your homework reach out. They know this year is different and they want to make sure you have a path to communicate. Follow these steps.
If the published dates pass and you have not heard, or you have not gotten the response you were hoping for, reach out to your Crosby Advisor. We are here to help. You can also email me at jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org. I would love to help in any way I can.