The College Application’s Journey: From Submission to Decision
Submitting a college application can feel like sending a message into a black hole. Once you hit the “submit” button, it’s easy to wonder, “What happens next?” Here’s a peek at the journey an application might undergo before a college makes its decision.
Processing: Once you submit your application, it’s electronically transmitted to the college’s admissions office. From there, the admissions office verifies the accuracy of your information, ensuring that all required documents are present and ensuring basic eligibility criteria have been met. The application may then be categorized based on factors like your intended major, academic record, or extracurricular activities, and will be assigned to an admissions officer or trained reader.
Review: In some cases, a single individual is almost entirely responsible for the admission decision. In others, multiple people have a say in your outcome. In most, it’s a combination of an initial review or “screening” by an individual followed by a committee review. For many colleges, the admissions process is holistic, meaning they consider your entire application. This includes your essays, letters of recommendation, grades, scores, and any unique talents or experiences. Regardless of the school’s approach, any essays you submit are read (and sometimes a numerical score or other rating applied), along with a review of your academic achievements, standardized test results (if required or included), and extracurricular involvement. Throughout the entire process, they’re assessing your personal qualities and (generally) taking a holistic view of you as an applicant.
Believe it or not, your application (that you spent hours and hours crafting and curating!) may be in their hands for only ten minutes (or less).
Decision-Making: Admissions officers first consider and evaluate a student as an individual, but then go a step further, assessing the likelihood of an applicant enrolling if admitted (considering factors like geographic location and demonstrated interest), and other pre-established criteria (sometimes referred to as “institutional priorities”, which are set by the college to satisfy certain demographic or financial needs for the upcoming year and beyond). Once they have collectively reviewed and discussed your application and have factored in all of the college’s needs, they make an initial decision. If a college is unsure about admitting an applicant (for any reason, including their own institutional priorities), they may place them on a waitlist.
Notification: Colleges typically announce a specific date when decisions will (start to) be released. You may receive your decision via email, portal, or traditional mail. Accepted students will receive an official acceptance letter, which may include information about enrollment deposits, orientation, and housing. Students denied admission will receive notice, too, as will applicants placed on a waitlist.
The college application process varies from school to school. Some colleges may have more streamlined processes, while others may involve multiple rounds of review. But by understanding the general steps involved, you can better manage your expectations and prepare your applications from a place of understanding.