Key Takeaway: Once you start receiving college acceptance letters, you need to start thinking about what school you’d like to attend in the fall, submit your deposit to your choice, select classes, and more. Just like applying to college, it’s a lot to complete in a short time frame – on top of your high school classes. This guide and timeline takes you from December to August so you can get ahead of the game and start your college experience off on the right foot!
The college application process can take months. From brainstorming your college essays to gathering last minute letters of recommendations, it’s a lot of work and a lot of stress. But when you receive those acceptance letters and choose your college, it makes all the hard work worth it.
Once you get those acceptance letters in the mail, there are some next steps you’ll need to take before you actually start college in the Fall. And to help guide you along the way, here is a timeline to follow from receiving acceptance letters that takes you all the way to move in day.
A Rough Timeline: Acceptance Letter to Move-In Day
Always refer to your college’s documentation on the next steps, but the guide below provides you with a rough timeline of what you can expect over the next few months. Each school is different, so if you have any questions about deadlines or documentation, reach out to the admissions department right away.
December – Early April
YOU GOT IN!!! Congratulations!
When you receive your acceptance letters will entirely depend on when and how you applied.
- Early Action or Early Decision applications should hear back by mid-December.
- Early Action II and Early Decision II students can expect to see responses in mid- to late February.
- Regular Decision applicants might not hear back until the first week of April.
- Colleges who use Rolling Admissions tend to respond to students one to four weeks after they receive the application.
Either way, though, it’s time to celebrate. Once you’ve taken time to celebrate your achievements, it’s time to decide: where will you be attending school in the Fall? These tasks will help you do that (and help you get some extra money for college):
- Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible if you haven’t already, and make sure the schools you’ve been accepted to have your FAFSA information already.
- Apply for scholarships.
- Compare financial aid award letters that came with your acceptance letters.
- Compare colleges including the pros and cons of each to help you reach a decision on which to attend.
- Visit college campuses.
- Continue focusing on your high school education. Don’t give into senioritis or it could affect your college offers and scholarships.
Mid-April – Early May
By mid- to late April, most students will have to decide which college they’ll be attending. While some schools allow you to decide whether you’d like to attend later, a majority of colleges and universities require a student’s decision by May 1, National College Decision Day. Pay attention to any other important dates outlined in the documents the school gave you.
Here are some tasks you’ll likely need to finish over these three weeks:
- Accept admission to the college you’ve chosen by May 1. Follow their instructions for notifying them.
- Pay the deposit fee to reserve your spot by May 1.
- Let the other schools know you won’t be attending.
- Sign up for an orientation date (the earlier the better!).
- Complete other tasks the college requires, including applications for housing, classes, and work-study programs, if eligible.
- Continue applying for scholarships.
- Attend prom!
Mid-May – Mid-August
Once you’ve notified your college you’ll be attending, you’ll have to wrap up your high school career and start preparing for your college education over the summer. Your college should send you more information about what you’ll be doing over the summer to prepare for the fall.
Take some time for you over the next few weeks – you’ve earned it – but don’t put off completing these requirements:
- Study for and take finals you have for your senior year of high school.
- Graduate from high school and celebrate.
- Submit your senior year transcripts to the college.
- Consider getting a summer job.
- Attend college orientation. Many schools make it mandatory, and you might just have to complete specific tasks during it.
- Select your dorm room and roommate (or suitemates).
- Take college placement tests, such as math or foreign language.
- Choose your college courses.
- Create a packing list for your dorm room. Talk to your future roommate about décor and who is bringing what.
- Write down the move-in date for first year students, first day of classes, and any other important dates.
- Continue applying for scholarships. (Notice a theme? There are scholarships that you can apply for almost year-round, so ALWAYS is a good time to search).
Mid-August- Early September
It’s down to the wire! Move in day and the first day of classes is likely just days or weeks away.
- Have an end-of-summer party with your friends and/or family.
- Start packing – by this time you should know where you’re living and be talking to your roommate(s).
- Have any online purchases (e.g., books, bedding, dorm décor, etc.) sent directly to your new address – this will save your space in your car and be less to carry later.
- Buy books, but try to avoid the campus bookstore if you can – it tends to be expensive. Use websites like Amazon and Chegg to buy your textbooks, used if possible. It will save you a ton of money!
- Move in!
- Explore the campus on your own or with new friends.
- Unpack and decorate.
- Attend any orientation or first-year events in the first few days of college.
- Attend your first classes!
- Get set up for work-study, if eligible.
Tips For Tracking Your To-Do List
There’s no doubt about it – you have a lot to get done in the coming months. Use these tips to get on track for a successful end of senior year and start off your college experience!
- Use a calendar and/or planner.
- Write down any important dates for college, financial aid, scholarships, or high school as soon as you hear about them. Set reminders as the day gets closer.
- Cross off completed tasks.
- Keep a running list of things you need to research or look into so you don’t forget – a whiteboard can help here.
- Reach out to the admissions department or your high school counselor with any questions or concerns as soon as they pop up.
Getting ready for college can certainly feel daunting and overwhelming, but having a plan of action – like the checklist above – can help ensure you’re fully prepared for anything that comes your way! What will you be tackling this week?
When you’re getting ready to choose a college, you absolutely need to compare your financial aid offer letters. But they’re confusing and there’s no straightforward format for you to follow. Well, we have you covered. Our Financial Aid Offer Comparison Tool cuts through the confusion so you can make a more informed decision – and it’s completely free!
