Ivy Day: Next Steps for Every Outcome

Today at 7:00 p.m. EST, students can expect to hear back from colleges with their admissions decisions. Some students will have more to celebrate than others, but regardless of the outcomes, this post comes as a friendly reminder for students: reach out to those who helped you with your results. 

Firstly, reach out to anyone who guided you through the application process and your academic journey. Teachers and research mentors who wrote your recommendation letters don’t forget about you once that letter is sent, and your college counselor will also be eager to hear about your application results. It’s worth it to update them with the list of schools to which you were admitted. A simple email update and thank you will be appreciated. Educators are invested in your future and love hearing your success stories. 

Decisions 

If you’ve been admitted into your top choice school, remember that there is no rush to accept the decision before the decision deadline. You may want to take your time weighing your options, which could include waiting to hear back from all schools. Students sometimes turn down an Ivy acceptance if offered a favorable financial aid package or scholarship elsewhere, and with rising tuition costs, that’s a reasonable decision. If you have already visited these schools, thoroughly researched your program, and made a plan for financing your education, you may be ready to formally agree to matriculate. If this is the case, don’t forget to formally decline your other offers—you might be the reason a student is admitted from a waitlist!

If you were waitlisted at your top choice, you might feel stuck. Waitlist acceptance rates are often low, but it’s not impossible to be admitted. Your first step should be to accept the waitlist invitation. If you are certain this is the school for you, consider writing a letter of continued interest. You can see our post on January 29 for more advice on writing a LOCI. Since you are more likely to not be accepted off a waitlist, once you have written and sent this letter, you should consider your current list of college acceptances and decide what your second choice college will be. This includes putting down a deposit at your second-choice school before the offer expires, even if it means you forfeit the deposit money. Many college waitlist decisions are not made until mid-summer, so it’s best to secure your spot at another school to be safe. 

If you received a rejection from your top choice school or several of the schools you were most excited to attend, it's best to take some time to emotionally recover before making any decisions. We stress how competitive Ivy League schools are to our students for a reason—expecting an acceptance letter will often set you up for disappointment. You can read more about this in our post titled “Why You Can’t Bank on an Ivy Acceptance,” but rejection from a top school is not a reflection of your intelligence or abilities. Take a look at the schools you have been accepted to and begin weighing your options. Many schools have an Admitted Students Day or host tours for admitted students, so you can attend these and come with any lingering questions. Consider factors like classes offered in your major, faculty in the department, and campus opportunities that will help you reach your career goals. Once you’ve done your research, you’ll be in a better mental space to make your decision. 

Next Steps

Even if you’ve been admitted into your dream school, the work isn’t over—getting accepted to college is just the first step. Don’t forget that colleges can rescind an acceptance if a student’s grades significantly drop. Additionally, many college freshmen at prestigious universities often report feeling imposter syndrome in an environment filled with other incredibly ambitious students. To feel more prepared, students can plan to apply for summer internships, preview course materials for their fall semester, and begin researching how to make the most of the opportunities at the college they intend to enroll in. 

It’s time to make another four-year plan—this time, though, you’re heading in with a bit more experience.