The monthslong waiting period between applying to college and receiving an admission decision can be stressful.
Some institutions offer applicants another option: instant decision days. During these events — held at high schools, community colleges or universities — prospective freshmen and transfer students meet with an admissions officer, usually for about 15 minutes, and typically walk away with an admission decision in hand.
“It takes a weight off your shoulders,” says Maria Perez-Camacho, a senior at Penn Manor High School in Pennsylvania who was admitted to Millersville University of Pennsylvania during a recent instant decision day. She plans to enroll and study psychology.
But instant admissions decisions aren’t binding, experts say, meaning students are still free to apply to other colleges and universities.
[Know how to apply to the right number of colleges.]
The most selective colleges generally don’t offer instant decision days, but many other institutions do.
Some colleges hold these events on campus, and they are often daylong affairs that give students an opportunity to not only sit down with an admissions officer but also tour the campus and meet current students. Others visit high schools directly.
High schools’ counseling offices will usually promote admissions officers’ upcoming visits, and students will need to register for a meeting.
Some colleges have minimum academic requirements that students must meet to participate, says Dana Wile, school counselor at Penn Manor High School, but others do not. Additionally, some institutions may have a handful of degree programs, such as nursing, for which students cannot receive instant decisions because they are more selective or have a multistep application process.
Colleges also have varying policies regarding whether students must complete their application prior to an instant decision day, Wile says. An added bonus for students participating in these events: Many institutions will waive the application fee.
Community College Transfer Students
High schoolers aren’t the only prospective students that colleges offer instant decisions to. Some university admissions officers travel to community colleges to offer this opportunity to prospective transfer students.
The University of Arizona offers about a dozen such events each year, says Kasey Urquidez, vice president enrollment management and student affairs advancement, and dean of undergraduate admissions at the university.
Virginia Tech also hosts instant decision days at four nearby community colleges, says Jane Todd, the school’s associate director for transfer initiatives. Previously, Virginia Tech offered instant decision events on its campus specifically for prospective community college transfers but won’t be doing so in 2018, says Todd.
[Get answers to 10 FAQs about transferring colleges.]
Prospective transfer students should register in advance, submit their application and obtain a copy of their transcript before meeting with the admissions officer, both Todd and Urquidez say. Students who have attended multiple colleges will need a transcript from each, says Urquidez, and collecting all of these documents can take time.
What to Expect
On the day of the event, a student’s meeting with an admissions officer is more like a counseling session than a high-stakes admissions interview, experts say. It gives students an opportunity to explain any dips in their grades or expand on their accomplishments, note experts.
Penn Manor senior Perez-Camacho says she was nervous about the interview and recommends students prepare some in advance. For example, she says she practiced answering questions such as why she wanted to attend Millersville and what she wanted to major in and why.
Todd also advises students to write down any questions they have for the admissions officer before the meeting so they won’t forget them due to nerves.
[Learn ways parents and students can prepare for college interviews together.]
At the end of the meeting, a student typically receives an admission decision and then has the opportunity to ask the admissions officer about next steps.
Students who are not accepted can get advice on ways to improve their application, says Brian Hazlett , vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Millersville.
“It’s a very, very personal way of going through the admissions process,” says John Iacovelli, dean of enrollment management at Stockton University in New Jersey, which holds about three dozen instant decision events at high schools each year.
Students may not receive financial aid information with their decision. For example, students accepted to Millersville don’t receive an aid package that day but do get some information about completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid , or FAFSA, Hazlett says.
Experts say students shouldn’t worry too much about what to wear. “They don’t necessarily need to dress up for the event,” says Wile, the high school counselor. But she adds that students will want to avoid their most casual attire, such as jeans with holes in them or hooded sweatshirts.
“I can say for our team, that’s not something we’re looking at whatsoever,” says Urquidez. “So dress as a student — it’s what we expect.”
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Everything You Need to Know About College Instant Decision Days originally appeared on usnews.com
Clarification 12/04/17: This article has been updated to clarify Brian Hazlett’s title.
