So now, you’ve sent everything off into the vast beyond. Your applications have gone, along with the magnum opus of an essay, supplements, rec letters . . . now you can relax, right? Right?? Wrong. Now you’ll sit, looking at the clock and calendar, staring as the seconds, minutes, hours, days, and weeks tick by, wondering if things got lost in the mail or cyberspace, wondering if you said the right thing in the essay, wondering if The College Board really sent your scores and not some other kid’s who never spent all those hours doing practice tests at the kitchen table.
You really should take a deep breath. If the college is missing something, the admission offi ce will send you a notifi cation saying so. Don’t be alarmed if you receive a postcard or email saying you didn’t send something when you know you did. Often, with the amount of paperwork admission offi ces receive, there’s a normal delay in processing.
Many times, students have called to learn that yes, the transcript did, in fact, arrive. If the college still insists that it didn’t receive anything, don’t worry about this either: the folks there know this happens. (And, though you don’t need to say this to them, more often than not, the item was lost in the mix right at the admission offi ce.) Find out what the missing item is, politely express your concern since you did send it, and then let them know you’ll be sending along a copy immediately. You did keep that copy we talked about, didn’t you?
While you wait, remember a few things:
1) Stay in touch with the colleges you’ve applied to. Remember, with the Common App and electronic applications, it’s easy to apply to too many schools. How will a college know whether you’re really interested or just applying there “in case . . .”? One of Lynda’s advisees, a sweet, bright girl who was a terrific student and an excellent writer, applied early to a very long shot and regular decision to a few good, small liberal arts colleges—all good matches.
After she was deferred by Fancy-Pants U, she fi gured that her targets would work out. She was a well qualified applicant for all of them, despite her rather modest standardized-test scores. Then came the first week in April. The news was not good; she was accepted at only one school and wait-listed at another. Lynda called a friend in the admission office of the college where her advisee was wait-listed to ask what the deal was. The informative reply was that because the student had never visited, never done the optional interview, never introduced herself to the rep, and never even phoned or emailed to ask a question, that the
admission offi ce assumed the girl was not really interested in the school. Lynda knew otherwise, but it was too late. The student had feared seeming too pushy and hoped that her application would speak for itself.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, another of Lynda’s advisees, a young man with great personal charm and only reasonable grades and scores, never missed an opportunity to make contact with his colleges. He sought out the reps at fairs, made sure to remember their names, wrote thank-you notes after visits and interviews, and generally made a positive—and lasting—impression on everyone he met. Even so, we were pleasantly surprised when he was admitted to his fi rst-choice college. Interestingly, the rep from his most impossible, longest-shot school told Lynda that although there was no way the student could be admitted there, he thought he’d be a great guy to hang out with. (Whatever, right?)
2) There’s a difference between staying in touch and making ridiculous overtures in an attempt to win over the admission office. The personal note to the officer you met with during your visit is a great idea. But gifts? Not so much.
Admission reps have told us crazy stories about things applicants have sent in an attempt to make an impression. One student sent a cake with his face on it. “We were at the point of admitting him,” the rep explained, “until the cake came . . . then we just couldn’t.” Another student sent a box of balloons with (yep, get ready for another face story) her grinning mug on each. “By the end of the week, we had all these half-deflated balloons with this girl’s crumpled face floating around the offi ce, and it was just sad.
It sort of reminded us of her defl ated hopes.” Then there was the kid from the steamy south who mailed an air conditioner—that’s right, a whole air conditioner—to Stanford’s admission office, explaining that he wouldn’t need it in Palo Alto’s perfect climate. Needless to say, he’d have been better off keeping his cooler!
Many stalkers and creepoids think they’re “in love” and that they just need to convince the other person. In relationships or in college admission, persistence might pay off sometimes, but obsessive clinginess never does.
3) Keep up with your activities and your sports. Have fun with your friends and family. Have a life!
4) DO NOT come down with the dreaded “senioritis.” As a senior, you might feel like you’ve earned some down time. You haven’t. You’re still a kid. “Senioritis” should belong to those seventy and older. But here’s the scenario: a student will receive an acceptance from any one of the colleges she’s applied to, and suddenly,
she acts as if nothing else matters. School’s over; she’s finished.
Cruise control from there on out. But hold on. Because of the increased levels of competition, colleges are keeping a closer eye on their admits than ever before. Every year, a student or two in our senior class will receive a letter explaining that the university is sad to notice that so-and-so’s grades have dropped, and that, for the fi rst semester, the student will be placed on . . . (gulp) . . . academic probation. Every now and again, an acceptance will actually be rescinded. The point is, while you may be able to relax a little more once things are sent, you’re still a student, and going to high school is still your job.
Read More : Waiting An Answer From College Admission
