What Families Need to Know in April During College Decision Season #collegeapps #collegedecision

Here are the big things families need to know in April during college decision season.

By April, colleges have usually sent out their acceptances, waitlist decisions, and denials. If your student is still missing a decision from a school, check the portal right away because that is often where the update is posted.

If your student wants to appeal a denial or try to move off a waitlist, that needs to happen quickly. Every college has its own timeline, so families need to find out the deadline right away and submit whatever the school is asking for. In many cases, the college wants a statement that explains what is new, what has changed, or what was not fully shown in the original application.

April is also the month when many families are deciding where their student is actually going to enroll. Once your student is ready to move forward with a school, they can submit the enrollment deposit. That deposit is usually nonrefundable, and it holds their place at the college.

After that, more things start opening up. Families may be able to submit a housing deposit, look at dorm options, connect with a roommate, meet with an advisor, and get ready for class registration. A lot of that next step happens through the college portal, so families need to keep checking those systems closely.

The other big thing to remember is that May 1 is commitment day at many colleges. So even if your student is still hoping to get off a waitlist somewhere else, it is smart to put down a deposit at another school so they still have a real option secured.

That way, your student has a plan in place. If the waitlist works out, great. If it does not, they are still set up to move forward.

If you need help figuring out what to do next in April and how to make the right college decision, reach out to us.

Let College Help Squad be a part of your process.