Waiting for Admission Decisions
It’s a crazy time of year! At this point, all our admission deadlines have passed, and we are spending every hour of every day reviewing applications to get you your decision! Since you’ve already submitted your first-year application, you’re probably eagerly awaiting your last few months of high school, spring break and hearing back from all your colleges! Hopefully, you’re not stressing out too much, but I know many of you will no matter what I say—because waiting is the worst. You’ve just spent months getting all your applications in order and the change in pace can feel quite unsettling and anxiety inducing. So how can you use your time effectively as you count down to decision release day?
DO check your email every now and then for updates and communications from colleges. At USC, we are in the process of requesting fall grades (also known as mid-year grades) from many of our applicants. If you want to be proactive, go ahead and send your fall grades to colleges now. We also send notifications if we are missing something in your file, such as a transcript or test scores (if you are choosing to report them). These notifications will also be posted in your USC Applicant Portal.
DON’T panic if your admission counselor doesn't respond right away. We are getting tons of calls and emails right now, so I encourage you to use your resources in the meantime by checking out our other blog posts, the admission website, your USC portal, our social media, etc. You can also check out askUSC, which has answers to over 800 frequently asked questions. You may find what you’re looking for immediately! Remember, we’re still reading applications, and we want to make sure each one gets our full attention. Of course, we’ll eventually get back to you. It may just take a little longer than usual right now.
DO continue to work hard in your senior year classes! The college you attend will request your final high school transcript to verify that your academic performance remained consistent throughout your senior year. We know senior-itis can hit hard this time of year, so keep doing your best in your coursework.
DON’T compare your academic achievements, extracurricular involvements, etc. with other applicants. Many colleges (such as USC) have a holistic admission process, which means we consider a variety of factors when making decisions. Just because one student may have “stronger” quantitative factors than another student does not mean that one student necessarily has a better chance of being admitted.
DO relax and enjoy your senior year! In a matter of months, you may be leaving the only place you’ve known all your life or your closest friends and family as you begin your college career. Take advantage of the time you have left in high school. Your first day as a college student will be here before you know it.
DON’T feel like you have to know where you’re attending college right NOW, even if your friends/parents/teachers are pressuring you. You’ll get all your college acceptances by early April, and you’ll have until May 1 (the National Candidate’s Reply Date) to decide where you want to go. It can be tempting to fall in love with the school(s) you were admitted to early on, but give the process time to play out in order to ensure you have selected the right choice for YOU.
Finally, remember a little bit of kindness goes a long way, especially during this time of year and especially in your community. There are so many people who helped you get to this point, so we recommend you:
Support your friends. If you're anxious to hear back from colleges, it’s likely your friends are feeling the same. Distract them (and yourself) from the college process for a while. Go grab a late-night snack together at your favorite local ice cream place. Binge watch a new show on Netflix (or whatever streaming service you prefer). Reminisce about your favorite parts of high school so far. When you all start hearing back from colleges, make sure you cheer for their triumphs and comfort them through their tribulations knowing they’ll do the same for you.
Thank your counselors and teachers. The people who really deserve thanks are the counselors and teachers who dedicated so much time advising you, editing your essays and writing you fantastic letters of recommendation. Now that your application is in, maybe write them a nice thank you note or pop into their office just to say hi. Find a way to let them know that you value their help in this process and that their effort is seen and appreciated.
I hope you embrace some of these recommendations and that they help during this stressful waiting period. I'm proud of all the work you’ve done, and you should be too! Here’s to you!
Written by: Natasha Hunter - Senior Assistant Director, Office of Undergraduate Admission