College Acceptance Deadline: May 1
Friday, April 24th, 2009College decisions are due May 1st. Now’s the time to make your college decision for the fall.
Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones and you got into your first-choice college.
Or maybe your college choice is a little tougher than that. You could be waitlisted. Or maybe you didn’t get the financial-aid package you need. Maybe you got into your last choice and are dreading next year.
Or maybe you… just don’t know where to go.
Whatever the scenario, this week you’ll make one of the biggest decisions of your life. But no pressure!
Over the next 7 days follow the Countdown to College Acceptance. Check back daily to get critical advice on making the right college decision for you.
7 Days To Go
To kick off this week of soul-searching, start thinking about what really matters to you.
Let’s face it, no matter where you go, you’re going to get a good education. So pick a school where you can really picture yourself.
When you think about where you want to be next year, what do you see yourself doing?
- Playing Frisbee on a beautiful green quad surrounded by ivy covered buildings?
- Studying in a world class library and taking classes from expert professors?
- Attending a killer party with ten of your new best friends?
Whatever it is, compare colleges by what matters to you.
Pick the school that gives you what you want. CompareSchools side-by-side to instantly see which college is most compatible for you.
6 Days To Go
Are you stuck in college acceptance purgatory? There’s nothing more frustrating than being waitlisted at your top-choice college. 
But there ARE some things you can do about it. Experts agree on 3 tips to get off the waitlist:
- Call the college admissions office. Ask if they have any comments on your application. Send them any supplemental information they ask for and always remember to be polite. Respond positively to any criticism they may offer. Even if they don’t have any advice to offer you, calling the office lets them know they’re still your no. 1.
- Write to them. Think of this as your admissions essay, part two. Explain why they are still your first choice, and how they may have overlooked your application.
- Have your school counselor contact the admissions board to find out more about this year’s application pool and to plead your case. There’s no guarantee, but it can’t hurt to try.
If you’re not hearing back from them and the deadlines to accept your other colleges are approaching, it might be time to let that dream go. Even if it’s not your first-choice, chances are you’ll love wherever you choose to go.
5 Days To Go
Sure, you may love Vanderbilt University. But do you $35,278-a-year in tuition love Vanderbilt University?
There’s so much more than tuition when budgeting for college. Should you budget for room and board or rent? For gas and parking or public trans? And the eternal dilemma, for books or beer? These expenses vary from place to place, and can add up to be a little, or a lot.
You need to figure out the cost of college life, not just the cost of college tuition. This can seem scary, but don’t worry… The College Cost Calculator makes it fast and easy to estimate your yearly expenses. It already has all the info built in, even local rents and groceries. Instantly see the cost of living at over 3000 U.S. schools, so that you can decide where to get the most bang for your buck.
4 Days To Go
Sure, an Ivy League college education is great. Your Grandma could brag to all her bingo buddies, and you know you’d leave with a world class degree that is instantly recognizable the world over.
However, more people than not find that an Ivy League school is just out of their reach. Unless you’re a wunderkind, this week you might find yourself facing the reality of competitive college admissions. If this applies to you, fear not. There are a ton of amazing (world-class, brag-worthy) schools out there that you did get into.
Here’s our selection of B-list Colleges that get A’s.
Acceptance Rate: 77-85%
Why we love it: This tiny liberal arts school in Annapolis, Maryland provides the charm of a small campus with the curriculum of a “Great Books” school, focusing its entire curriculum on a list of great classical works, from Plato to Orwell.
9. Indiana University-Bloomington
Acceptance Rate: 66-74%
Why we love it: A world-renowned music school, this research university also offers programs in over 3 dozen foreign languages as well as innovative liberal-arts studies like folklore.
Acceptance Rate: 35-43%
Why we love it: With an impressive internship and co-op program that gives students real-world job experience, no wonder Northeastern boasts high post-grad employment rates. It has also partnered with Tufts Medical School to offer a direct BA to MD program.
Acceptance Rate: 26-34%
Why we love it: Of all the Liberal Arts colleges, Bucknell has the highest post-grad salary averages, according to payscale.com.
6. University of Missouri-Columbia
Acceptance Rate: 82-90%
Why we love it: The world’s first journalism school is housed in this state school’s flagship campus, and for over 100 years it has stayed strong.
Acceptance Rate: 26-34%
Why we love it: 70% of Carleton alumni who apply to medical school and maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher while at Carleton are accepted; the national acceptance rate is 40%.
Acceptance Rate: 31-39%
Why we love it: UVA has one of the most picturesque campuses in the south, and has drawn such distinguished alumni as Katie Couric and Bobby Kennedy.
3. University of Wisconsin-Madison
Acceptance Rate: 52-60%
Why we love it: Consistently ranked among the top for grad programs in Psychology, Engineering, and the Social Sciences, beating many Ivy’s.
2. Ohio State University-Columbus
Acceptance Rate: 55-63%
Why we love it: Ohio State is known for having one of the most diverse campuses in the country, and is consistently awarded honors for being multicultural and LGBTQ friendly.
1. University of California-San Diego
Acceptance Rate: 39-47%
Why love it: Not only does it have world-class biomedical research, but UC San Diego is known for having some of the happiest undergrads around. Probably because it’s on the beach.
3 Days To Go
College admissions decisions are in: You’ve been accepted to college. Now it’s your turn to accept them.
But how will you decide?
There’s so many stats to cover about each and every college. You could read about admissions requirements and academics, financial aid, safety and security, and you still wouldn’t know what life is really like on campus.
Get info on all aspects of college life, from Greek life to the dorm scene, strait from the source.
See what grade real students gave your college, and get the truth about life on campus.
Social Life: B-
Not really sure, i am not really into that scene but it is a large city school so I do not doubt there is a scene.
Attractiveness: A+
Coming from a guys perspective, the girls are pretty amazing looking. It was a pleasant surprise to arrive on campus and see beautiful girls all over the place.
After College: B+
Not there yet but I’ll get back to you, I have great expectations for this though because of Northeastern’s reputation and the Co-op program.
Get the skinny on more colleges, and find out what college life is really like before you decide.
2 Days To Go
Are you stumped by the Financial Aid Office?
Don’t know the difference between a grant and a scholarship? Not sure if you’re being sent a bill or an award?
Decipher your financial aid package, so that you know exactly how much money your college really costs.
Merit-Based Financial Aid: Financial aid award based on talent (academic or otherwise). Merit-based aid can be awarded for athletics, art, music, academics, community service, leadership, and many other factors. The factors considered really depend on the college and scholarship providers.
Need-Based Financial Aid: Financial aid awarded based solely on your financial situation. Need-based aid eligibility is determined by the FAFSA, and sometimes additional financial aid forms may be required by a college.
Grant: A grant is free money from the government or non-profit organizations that does not need to be repaid. Grants are usually determined by financial need but can also be influenced by academic merit.
Loan: Student loans are money loaned from an academic institution, financial institution, or federal government that must be repaid. If they are issued from the government of a college, you will need to fill out the FAFSA. Private loans have their own application process.
Scholarship: Scholarships, like grants, are free money, but they are generally offered through colleges, businesses, private individuals and outside sponsors. Those awarded by the college itself are often called MERIT AID. While grants tend to be issued according to financial need, college scholarships are awarded on a broad-base of criteria, the most common being academic merit. Often, they have their own application process and criteria separate from the FAFSA. You can search for college scholarships on FindTuition.com, a great website with a complete list of scholarships for tons of majors, backgrounds, and interests.
Work-Study: The Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) is a campus-based program that provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, that allows them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the recipient’s course of study.
Want to find out more? Check out the Financial Aid Glossary and Financial Aid FAQ’s
Last Day Before Deadline!
The college acceptance deadline is tomorrow! Don’t forget to send your confirmation letter in the mail-or you may lose your spot.
What about those colleges that didn’t make the cut?
It’s time to tell them: It’s not you, it’s me.
How to Break Up with a College:
Dear John Smith College,
I’ve been thinking about this a lot. And there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to spit it out. I’m not so sure it’s going to work. Attendance-wise I mean. I know, I said I liked you for who you are. The cinder-block dorms. The 1970’s-esque buildings. The bedbugs.
But the thing is, I just feel like there’s someone better out there. For me, I mean. Because it’s not you, it’s me. I just don’t know how to accept your love. I don’t know if I deserve it.
You have been so good to me, accepting my application, giving me a scholarship. It’s just that this other school, well, we’ve kind of been seeing each other too. I didn’t plan on it! You can’t plan on these things!! I had no idea in a million years my dream school would like me too! It’s rolling hills, ivy-covered walls, and smoking hot student body. Can’t a college freshman try to be happy? I owe it to myself to at least try.
I hope you can forgive me, and I hope someday soon we will be good, good friends. Hey, maybe I’ll even visit my friend who is attending you because she can’t do any better. I’d really like that.
Oh, and I’m keeping the sweatshirt.
Always yours (well, not really),
Applicant
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