College Acceptance Deadline: When Do You Have to Choose?

Most future college students have to accept or decline a college’s offer of acceptance by May 1st, which is known as National College Decision Day. There are some exceptions to this, so it’s important to read all documents and literature that come from your college. As you start receiving acceptance letters from multiple schools, you may feel like you need to make some quick decisions. In most cases, you don’t have to rush – here’s what you need to know about making this important decision.

When Do You Have to Accept a College Offer?

If you applied to a college or university by the regular decision or early action deadlines for a fall start, the college acceptance deadline will likely be May 1st, or the National College Decision Day. You’ll need to submit an answer to your choice school, letting them know your decision to attend, and likely send in deposit by this date.

Other College Acceptance Deadlines

Of course, not every college requires an answer on May 1. Students may have to reply sooner or later depending on how they applied. Here are some other possible college acceptance deadlines you may need to know:

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Early Decision

If you’re accepted to your early decision college, you’ll generally have to accept the offer, withdraw other applications, and submit your deposit just a few weeks after getting the letter.

If you applied under early decision, you’ll generally hear back in mid-December. Early decision II applicants will hear back mid-February. Since early decision is considered binding, if you’re accepted, you’re expected to attend. There are only a few ways to easily be let out of the “contract.

Rolling Admissions

If you applied to a school with rolling admissions, you may have to submit your decision by May 1, sometime before the fall semester starts, or shortly after it begins, depending on the school.

Rolling admissions means a college accepts applications throughout the entire year. The sooner you submit your application, the sooner you’ll hear back. Rolling admission schools may have priority deadlines, which means students who apply by that date are giving priority over those who apply later. And all have a “final” deadline, which is the last date they’ll accept applications for the upcoming semester.

If a school’s final deadline for the upcoming semester is before May 1, you likely will have to submit your answer on May 1 or shortly after. If they accept later applications, the exact date depends on the school. Refer to any paperwork you received with your acceptance letter.

However, keep in mind that even if they don’t require a decision on whether you’re attending until just before the start of fall semester, it doesn’t mean you should wait to let them know. Delaying could mean missing out on a dorm room or a spot in the class you’d like to take.

Different Decision Day Deadlines

While most schools adhere to the National College Decision Day deadline, there are some exceptions. Always check your acceptance letter and packet for exact details just in case. If you’re not sure, reach out to the admissions department as soon as possible.

Alternative Start Dates

If you applied to start in the spring semester, you’ll have a slightly different decision deadline, likely in mid to late autumn. Some may allow you to make the decision in late December to early January.

When Should You Accept a College Offer?

While a school may not require an answer until May 1 or even later, that doesn’t mean you should wait until that day to accept. Just like your application, last minute submissions can run into Wi-Fi issues or other problems. You could miss out on your spot because of a technical error.

Instead of submitting your decision on the last day possible, accept a college’s offer as soon as you’re sure you want to attend. But if you do need up until the deadline, that’s perfectly fine. You want to be sure you’re making the right choice for your education.

Should You Let a College Know You’re Not Attending?

While you don’t technically have to let a college or university know you’re not attending, it’s still polite to. Thank the school for their consideration and offer and graciously decline. If you end up deciding your chosen college isn’t right for you, you might just want to attend one of the colleges you declined.

It’s also good to notify the school because there may be other students who are waitlisted. By letting the college know you’re not attending, you potentially open up the spot for someone else.

How Do You Decide on a College?

There’s a lot to consider when deciding which college to apply to – but now that you have your acceptance letters in hand, you’ll find yourself reviewing the same factors!

While you might feel it’s an easy decision – you were accepted to your dream college, for example – it’s still a good idea to consider a few things before making your final choice. We recommend:

  • Visiting the colleges’ campuses, even if you visited already
  • Redoing the pros and cons of each school
  • Comparing programs for your intended area of study
  • Reviewing your wants and needs in a school
  • Talking to current students and alumni
  • Comparing financial aid offers

What if You Miss the National College Decision Day Deadline?

If you miss the May 1 or other decision deadline, contact the college admissions department as soon as possible. If you have a valid excuse, they may allow you to still accept their offer. Detail the emergency, problems, or other issue you faced when trying to submit your decision and deposit. If they accept your excuse, be sure to send in a thank you note.

What’s Next?

After you’ve submitted your letter of acceptance and deposit to your college of choice, there’s a few things you should plan for over the next few months:

1. Celebrate!

First, congratulate yourself! You’ve started on your next journey and you’ve accomplished so much. The college application process is stressful, and you’re overdue for a bit of celebration. Whether that’s going out with friends or heading to your favorite restaurant with family, you deserve it!

2. Wait for Your College

Next, there’s a little bit of a waiting game, but the stressful part is behind you. You have to wait for the college to send any further materials, including information on when to sign up for orientation, pick your classes, select your dorm room, and more. You should also receive details regarding move-in day for first years and the first day of classes.

3. Prep for College

You’ll also want to start prepping for college. If your school hosts orientation, don’t skip it! This is vital to making friends, but it may also be necessary to select courses, pick a dorm room, take placement exams, and more. At many colleges, it’s even mandatory to attend.

This is the perfect time to give thought to how you’re going to decorate your dorm room, what you need to pack with you, and finalizing any student loans, scholarships, or grants you qualified for.

While most the deadline to accept college offers for most schools is May 1st, this is not a hard and fast rule. Your college may have an earlier or later deadline. Always pay attention to the paperwork you received with your acceptance letter so you can plan accordingly!

Financial aid packages usually come with acceptance letters, but most don’t have a single format and they may be a little confusing. How do you know you’re getting the best deal? Our Financial Aid Offer Comparison tool cuts through any confusion and puts the numbers in an easy-to-understand format. Click here to sign up for this FREE resource and get started!

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