College Decision Day is right around the corner. The May 1st deadline is when many colleges expect responses from admitted students; although, 2024 may be a little different due to the delays and issues with the FAFSA. Despite these hurdles, official acceptance is a key part of the admissions process and declining offers tends to be overlooked by students anxious to move forward with their academic journey. If you have decided not to attend a college, take the time to send a response stating you will not be attending in the fall.
Declining acceptance to schools demonstrates gratitude and good manners. Students really need to reach out to those colleges they will NOT be attending and let them know the final decision. Perhaps now more than ever since aid packages and scholarships are in the air...
Every admissions team evaluated (and probably still are) hundreds of credentials from interested students. This painstaking endeavor is deserving of a "Thank you" or "No, thank you." It's easy to forget about the other schools once a decision and deposits have been sent; however, these schools may end up being an option for transfer or graduate school at a later date. Student personal information remains in the database and sending a letter is an opportunity to maintain a positive relationship with the college.
While it's normal to feel a little awkward about communicating to a college that you are basically “rejecting," there are several reasons to do so:
Colleges care. Speaking as a faculty member from a small, regional college, I know that admissions officers care. From the director of admissions to the financial aid advisors, members of the admission team invest time and energy into the students they recruit. Your essays, transcripts and letters of recommendation are saved in a file and in some cases, admissions team members may debate and defend your application during weekly reviews. In some instances, members of academic or athletic teams may have identified you for a scholarship and extended themselves professionally on your behalf. It can be disappointing when a potential faculty member or coach believes in your potential and then doesn't receive the courtesy of a response.
Institutional memory. As mentioned earlier, admission team members build relationships with high schools, counselors and other student representatives that allow them to take chances on potential enrollees for whom the school advocates. If you fell into a questionable category due to grades or scores that might be below the usual admitted student profile, your response helps future applicants by reassuring the college of your gratitude. With applications being electronic, it doesn't take long for an admission representative to add a negative comment in your digital file. College with strong digital histories maintain a long institutional memory and one bad experience may take a long time to forget - students from your high school may face scrutiny the would otherwise not exist if a respectful response had been received. Don't forget future siblings or friends that may apply in the future...nobody wants a negative remark that stereotypes your high school or program.
Wait lists. The earlier you let a college know you will not be attending in the fall, the sooner admission representatives can make decisions on students on a wait list. While this year may be a little different with lots of schools fighting for candidates, students in competitive programs or applying to competitive schools really owe it to their graduating peers. The timetable for admissions teams to make decisions has been pushed back due to FAFSA resulting in a delay in acceptance letters, aid offers and other criteria. While May 1st is historically Decision Day-the reality is, it may be in June this year. The delay means that your competitive program may have even more limited seats due to faculty scheduling, course availability and other budgetary constraints related to the size (income $$) of the incoming freshman class. There really is more nuance to this, but suffice it to say, declining acceptance sooner rather than later benefits everyone.
Opportunity to Provide Constructive feedback. Once a college knows your decision, it’s likely they will want to know which offer you selected and why. This is your opportunity to provide constructive feedback and influence future recruiting efforts. Feedback on the application process, customer service, program availability and other details will make the experience for future applicants better. You never know, your feedback may result in a future networking opportunity!
Transfer and/or Future admission. I touched on this briefly above, but if none of the other above-listed reasons fail to move you, consider the possibility that you may be circling back to this same admissions office and asking for reconsideration in the form of a transfer application. You may see students from this college at an academic or other event (e.g. sports) and you may end up applying to graduate school, a professional program (law school, medical school, etc) or even working at the school. Don’t lose the opportunity to maintain good relations with an admissions office, an athletic department or academic discipline that may see your name and file again in the future. The institutional history combined with unknown future paths make sending a response letter even more important than ever.
It’s not hard to let a college know you will not be coming. Take a few minutes to review your acceptance letter or online portal for a quick response option. You can also call or send an email to the devoted admission representative that assisted you through the process.
Don’t forget about all the others who helped you along the journey—counselors, teachers, school administrators, athletic coaches, transcript clerks and outside recommenders. They’ve cared enough to support your applications, and they deserve to know your options as well as your final decision. Never miss an opportunity to make a good impression and send a "thank you" note. Let everyone who has believed in you know which college or program you have decided to pursue. Then, have that amazing party!
