STUDENT-CENTERED SOLUTIONS FOR COLLEGE PLANNING

Do you know you have rights as a college applicant?

Well, you do. As you apply to colleges, you have the right to certain information about them including information about how much it will cost you to attend. According to the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), a member organization that includes more than 11,000 college access professionals around the USA and beyond, you have the right to:

• “Receive factual and comprehensive information from colleges and universities about their admission, financial costs, aid opportunities, practices and packaging policies, and housing policies. If you consider applying under an early admission plan, you have the right to complete information from the college about its process and policies.”
• “Be free from high-pressure sales tactics.”
• “Wait until May 1 to respond to an offer of admission or financial aid.”

In order to make good decisions, you need good information and, quite often, a reasonable amount of time in which to consider your options. Toward that end, NACAC further stipulates that:

• “Colleges that request commitments to offers of admission and/or financial assistance prior to May 1 must clearly offer you the opportunity to request (in writing) an extension until May 1. They must grant you the extension and your request may not jeopardize your status for admission and/or financial aid.”
• “Candidates admitted under early decision programs are a recognized exception to the May 1 deadline.”

It is important to note that May 1 is regarded as the “Candidate’s Reply Date”—the date by which admitted applicants must make their final college choices. That date was established years ago to allow students a reasonable amount of time to consider their college options and to give colleges a date by which they could begin the registration process (course selections and housing) for the coming year. If you are not an Early Decision candidate, then, you should be afforded time to process admission decisions and financial aid awards that you receive from various colleges and universities.

That said, it is easy to fall prey to pressures to make enrollment commitments before you are ready. For example, you may have already encountered enticements such as early or “priority” application deadlines associated with scholarships or housing preferences. Some colleges may offer you scholarships that you can only claim by enrolling well ahead of May 1. And, if you applied to schools that offer “Rolling Admission,” you may be offered admission with the expectation that you will submit a non-refundable enrollment deposit—as soon as possible!

If you feel uncomfortable about the conditions that seem to be placed on your admission status, there is probably a good reason to proceed with caution. Listen to your instincts. And recognize the circumstances for what they are. The colleges in question are attempting to secure as many enrolled students as early in the process as possible.

If you don’t feel you are in possession of the information necessary to allow you to move forward comfortably with a particular college, ask for an extension. It’s not likely that your enrollment opportunity will be withdrawn if you miss a deadline (May 1 is the possible exception). And communicate your concerns with your college advisor as well. If the college remains insistent, ask yourself whether this is the sort of place with which you want to be associated for the next four years.

NACAC has produced a number of important documents that help to define ethical, albeit not legally binding, behavior for everyone involved in the admission process. You can learn more about your rights and responsibilities as an applicant at the Policies and Statements page on the NACAC website. Click on “Statement of Students’ Rights and Responsibilities in the College Admission Process.” In addition, you may find the “Statement of Principles of Good Practice,” a document that guides the actions of colleges and universities, to be instructive as well.

Within the next few days, the annual college admission lottery will finally be played out. By the time all of the mail is open and the admission decisions are in, you should have options—quality options. If that’s the case, congratulations! Your hard work has paid off and you get to make the final choice of a college destination.

Choosing well, however, is critical to the experience you will have once enrolled. Now, more than ever, you need to be attentive to the details. As you enter the final phase of decision-making, start by rechecking your priorities. What was important when you initially constructed your list of colleges? Has anything changed? Why? The answers to these questions will be your compass bearing as you make decisions in the coming weeks.

The elements of a good college fit apply now more than ever. Even the “best” college (by acclaim) won’t help you reach your goals if getting through four years at that school is likely to be a struggle academically. Choose wisely. Stay within your ability to comfortably embrace the academic programs and achieve the educational goals you set for yourself.

Using your priorities as a guide, take another look at the colleges that accepted you. You have until the end of April to choose one of them. Return to their campuses where you can immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and overall culture of the places. How do they feel to you? In doing so, try to accomplish the following:

• Spend a weeknight in a residence hall, eat at least two meals in the dining facilities and go to two classes in different disciplines including an introductory first-year class.
• Talk with professors from the academic departments that interest you as well as the appropriate pre-professional advisor for those programs. Do you see a home for yourself in those environments?
• If you are a recruited athlete, visit with the coach as well as members of the team. These folks may be your support system for the next four years. Where will you fit best?
• If you have academic support needs, talk with the person on campus who coordinates the Special Needs Support Center or the Writing Center. Look for evidence that you will get the support you require.
• If you have financial concerns, make an appointment with the financial aid office. Take copies of your financial aid application as well as any relevant tax returns for reference. Don’t assume that troubling financial differences will be worked out later.
• Hang out. Watch people. Listen to them talk. Ask them what they think about campus life, politics, sports, religion, or whatever is important to you.
• Inquire about safety information, crime statistics and campus escort programs.
• Use good judgment as you explore the social scene. Know your limits…

In other words, take in as much as possible. It might be tough because you’ll also have to juggle academic and social demands at school. On the other hand, the choice of a college is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. In the end, you can only choose one college! Do what you can to make sure you get it right the first time.

Most students who emerge from this process acknowledge that much of the decision-making comes down to a gut feeling. Let your gut go to work for you. Make sure the college you choose fits comfortably and feels good before you commit yourself.

Finally, a word of caution: Much of the stuff that goes on in the weeks prior to your enrollment decision is staged by colleges for your benefit. You’ll be invited to parties and open houses in your honor. Prominent alumni will call to wish you well. Some schools may even offer to fly you to their campuses for the weekend. In the midst of all the ego food being tossed your way, however, you need to stay focused. Do your own detective work and remain true to your priorities. Sort through the excitement to find evidence that the school in question truly values you for what you do well.