What do I do once I’ve been accepted?

So you’ve been accepted into college! First of all, congratulations! Deciding to pursue higher education can be daunting, and getting accepted into college is an accomplishment all on its own. Your hard work has paid off! But now what?.

If you’ve gotten multiple acceptance letters, now is the time to sit down and evaluate each school individually and compare it to the others. There are multiple ways of doing this: some people instantly know based on gut feeling. For some students, however, there are important factors, such as financial aid to influence their decision. Make sure you have all the information you need before evaluating. Comparing hard facts, such as scholarships offered or location is fairly easy. If you need help we have a college comparison sheet on our Printables page to easily outline some of these facts. 

The non-factual factors, such as feeling, or desire to go to the school, are much harder to compare and contrast. But here are some things to consider: 

Have you visited the school? An in-person visit can do wonders for seeing if it’s a good fit. As you look around, see if you can picture yourself there. Do you see students that look like you or look like you would get along with? Where do you see yourself studying? What about eating or hanging out? If you cannot picture yourself at a school, it may not be the best fit for you. 

How do you feel about the school? Was it a first choice for you? Or was it just somewhere you applied to due to peer pressure or because it was easy to apply to? While your first impression is not the most important factor, you don’t want to spend four to five years somewhere you don’t like. Try evaluating why you applied to the school and if you could see yourself happy there. 

Ask for an outside opinion! Sometimes we need a fresh pair of eyes on the situation - ask trusted individuals what they think. Maybe they have a perspective you don’t and can provide some insight. Or they could completely agree with you, which can help you be more confident in your decision.

Talk to your admissions counselor

Your admissions counselor doesn’t stop once you’ve submitted your application. They’re a great resource for you when you’re going through the admissions process. Not only will they know that specific school’s process and procedures, but they will also be able to point you in the direction of who to direct specific questions. 

Visit! Or revisit! 

Whether you already toured or not, once you’ve been admitted is a great time to visit! If you’ve visited it before, it can be helpful to revisit it with a fresh perspective and get the chance to ask any questions you missed. You can also see if the school offers special visits or tours of program-specific areas (such as a tour of the art studio for art students, or a business center for business students). Lots of schools even host admitted-specific events specifically for students in your position. They’ll likely dive more in-depth about what you can expect to happen next or answer a lot of the questions you may already be having. If you can’t make it to the school, find some contact information! Don’t be afraid to call or email with questions you have! Remember: they chose you! And you want to go to a school with a good communication system!

Now you know where you’re going - it’s time to accept your offer! 

An acceptance letter to a college is like an invitation - they’re inviting you to join their school. Which means you have to accept it! Some schools have binding or non-binding acceptances (otherwise known as “intent to enroll”.) “Binding” means it’s official - you’re committing to going to that school in the semester you’ve been offered. It’s often tied to a financial obligation of some kind - like a deposit or agreement to pay the tuition and fees. Non-binding comes with no official agreement or deposit. It’s there to show you’re serious about the school and considering or accepting their offer, but you have no obligation yet to attend the school. That obligation comes later, like when you register for classes or attend orientation. 

Each school is different! 

Each and every school has its own set of processes and procedures. It’s always best to ask too many questions (if there even is such a thing) than not ask enough and get something wrong. Check-in with the school you’re looking to accept the offer from and see if they offer a specific checklist for what to do post-admission. And remember: you got this!