Many seniors sent off their first college applications last week, and others are preparing to do so in the coming weeks. So now they should just wait, right? Well, kind of. Here’s what we recommend that seniors do while they wait to hear back from schools.
- Congratulate yourself! Sending in a college application is a big deal, and you should be proud of yourself for the work you’ve done to get this far. A lot of time and energy went into those applications, and submitting is an accomplishment in and of itself! Give yourself a big pat on the back and a well-earned break from college stuff for at least a couple days.
- Check your email. A lot. This is how colleges will communicate with you to give you instructions to create your online account with them. It’s also where they’ll let you know if anything is missing, or, in some cases, reach out about scheduling an alumni interview. We know that you get a million emails from colleges, but now is the time to really read them. This includes checking your spam folder, too!
- Get organized for Regular Decision (RD) deadlines. Now’s the time to think about final adjustments to your college list. Do you need to add a couple of “likely” schools? Or maybe, if you get in somewhere Early Action, you’d feel comfortable stretching for another “reach” school? Consider how the news you’ll get in December could impact the rest of your school list.
- Get to work on those RD applications. We know, we know, you just finished the mountain of ED/EA supplements—but trust us, you don’t want to be that person writing supplemental essays on December 31. Better to plan as if you’ll be applying to all your RD schools.
- Breathe. The next few weeks can be hard—for a lot of students, the waiting can feel like the worst part! It’s okay to feel stressed. Lean on your parents, friends, teachers, and favorite de-stressing tactics (Netflix, anyone?).
Feel free to contact our College Admissions team if you have questions or need support.
