Clients ask the team at Great College Advice repeatedly to explain the relationship between the financial aid and admissions offices to help them understand how financial need is factored into admissions decisions. Usually, these questions revolve around whether a college is “need-blind” or “need-aware.” So in this post, we’ll try to shed some light on how the admissions and financial aid offices work together. More importantly, we’ll provide some insight on the difference between a need-blind and need-aware college and how a college’s financial aid policy may impact whether you ultimately decide to apply there based on affordability.

Need-Blind Admission Policies and Enrollment  Management

Generally, the Admissions and Financial Aid offices are operated separately. But usually, the two are overseen by a Dean or Vice-President of Enrollment Management, or some such title. This should give you a clue that the two offices, while administratively independent, are two sides of the same coin.

Both are tasked with recruiting and then retaining students, providing just enough resources to keep the income flowing into the university. Tuition dollars, after all, are the lifeblood of any institution of higher education. Both offices have the responsibility to keep the dollars flowing in.

As prospective students apply to the university, they send their applications to the office of admissions, naturally. They apply for financial aid around the same time. Their applications for aid are processed by the Office of Financial Aid. So, it seems, in some ways that the two are separate, and most colleges like to help create the image that admissions decisions are completely separate from financial aid decisions.

Believe me, they are not.

Colleges That Offer Need-Blind vs Need-Aware Admission

Only one group of colleges can make any claim that the two decisions are separate: those practicing “need-blind” admissions. These colleges are generally very wealthy with large endowments, and their number is quite small. I’ll come back to this exception in a moment. But suffice it to say that the financial aid and admissions offices must work together if they are to ensure the continuity and adequacy of the institution’s income stream.

Both the admissions and financial aid offices start the process with an annual budget–an amount of money that can be used for financial aid.

Some of this budget is “hard” money (interest income from endowed scholarships). But the overwhelming majority of financial aid is given in the form of discounts on the price of tuition. Colleges may call these “grants” or “scholarships,” but internally colleges discuss their “discount rate”: the average discount off the tuition sticker price they will offer in a given year.

A large percentage of the financial aid budget goes to fund currently enrolled students. Most (but not all) colleges distribute their aid budgets to ensure that current students can continue their progress toward their degrees. Keep in mind that any individual’s financial need can change from year to year, or even from semester to semester. In order to retain students, perhaps 75% or more of the total financial aid budget goes to continuing students.

Does Need-Blind Admission Really Exist?

Admissions officers try to read your application without prejudice. But admissions officers have clues regarding a family’s ability to pay.  Most applications ask whether you plan to apply for financial aid. If you check “no,” then you are considered a full-pay student. In addition, colleges review family background. If the father is a surgeon and the mother an attorney (or a plumber and a waitress, respectively) admissions officers make some plausible assumptions about the ability to pay. All colleges subscribe to demographic analytic software packages which provide detailed income information on zip codes and even neighborhoods!

Once the admissions office has made a decision on which students to admit, the director will submit the entire list to the financial aid office for review. The financial aid office compares the aggregate financial need of the entire class with the amount of aid available for incoming freshmen. If the need far exceeds the dollars available, financial aid will kick the list back to admissions with the comment, “if we admit this class, we’ll go broke–go back to the drawing board.”

If this occurs, then the admissions office begins another review of applications, focusing on those kids who are “on the bubble,” or who are borderline admissions cases. Needy students on the borderline will be rejected, and replaced with students who didn’t quite make the cut–but who can pay full price. This process will continue until the admissions office can resubmit the list, and the financial aid office is satisfied that the institution will not over-commit itself.

Now let’s look at the small number of colleges who claim that their admissions process is “need-blind.” These colleges are wealthy. They not only have a high discount rate, but they also have endowment funds to draw upon if, for some reason, the admissions office ends up admitting way too many students with financial need. But “need-blind” does not mean “need-ignorant.”

Experienced admissions staffers know that they cannot admit a freshman class comprised solely of students who need a full tuition scholarship. They have to balance the full-pay students against the full-pay students. Even wealthy colleges have budgets that are not infinitely expandable. Admissions staff at “need-blind” colleges simply have a bit more wiggle room.

As I have said, admissions officers do have clues about a student’s ability to pay right on the application. In this sense, all college admissions processes are “need-aware.”

More evidence that need-blind admission is a myth

There is one other piece of evidence that helps us to understand that need-blind admission doesn’t really exist in ideal form. Colleges publish statistics about how many of their students receive different types of aid. We can track, for example, the percentage of the entering freshman class received need-based at Brown.

If Brown were truly and completely “need-blind” and not “need-aware,” we would expect that from year to year, there would be relatively big fluctuations in the amount of aid awarded. Some years, the class might be comprised of lots of kids who had high financial need but were otherwise remarkable applicants. In other years, maybe fewer remarkable, poor kids apply.

What the statistics tell us, however, is that Brown’s financial aid budget is fairly steady from year to year (discounting inflation). And–more important–the percentage of entering students receiving need-based financial aid is also fairly steady in the mid to high 40% range (for the Class of 2029 cohort 860 of 1750 enrolled students received need-based aid with the average award package totaling almost $69,000).

We do not see those expected fluctuations from year to year based on the quality of the applicants. Strangely, no matter who applies, the percentage of aid recipients stays roughly the same from year to year and even decade to decade.

Need-Blind vs Need-Aware in Admission–A Summary

So what conclusions can we draw from this relationship between admissions and financial aid?

• First, full-pay students have an admissions advantage over scholarship students at most universities. This fact is not one that we like to admit, but reality bites, sometimes.
• Second, students who need aid to afford college should consider applying to schools where they are at the top of the selectivity curve. You do not want to be “on the bubble,” because you either are less likely to be admitted or your aid package is likely to be less generous than at a college where you are one of the top recruits.

To be even more specific, if the middle 50% (25th – 75th percentile) score on the SAT for Lafayette College is between 1360 and 1490, the high-need student with a 1360 will be less desirable than the high-need student with a 1490. If you have a 1360 and need a generous aid package, look for colleges that have a middle 50% SAT range of 1250-1350, and your chances go up for both admission and financial aid.

Need help with the college admissions process? 

The team at Great College Advice has years of experience working with thousands of students as they navigate the college admissions process.  We can help you prepare, select, and apply to colleges to give you the best chance of being accepted to your top choices.  Not only can we help identify the right fit schools that also fit your college budget, but we will also help you with every other aspect of this process. Want to learn more?  Just contact us on this form and we’ll set up a no-cost, no-obligation meeting so we can learn more about you and discuss how we can help make the college admissions process more successful and less stressful. 

The post Financial Aid, Admissions, and “Need-Blind” Policies first appeared on Great College Advice.

Why Demonstrated Interest Matters

At many colleges, demonstrated interest can play a meaningful role in the admissions process. Admissions offices want to enroll students who are genuinely excited about attending, not simply applying as another option. When a college believes an applicant is likely to accept an offer of admission, it can improve the institution’s yield rate—the percentage of admitted students who ultimately enroll. While not every college tracks demonstrated interest, those that do often view it as an indicator of enthusiasm, initiative, and thoughtful college research.

• Can strengthen your application: At colleges that consider demonstrated interest, showing authentic enthusiasm can provide a modest advantage, especially among applicants with similar academic profiles.
• May improve your admissions odds: Colleges seek students who are likely to enroll if admitted, helping them manage enrollment and maintain a strong yield rate.
• Shows you’ve done your homework: Visiting campus, attending information sessions, connecting with admissions representatives, or participating in virtual events demonstrates that you’ve taken the time to learn whether the college is a good fit.
• Reflects a thoughtful college search: Meaningful engagement signals that you’re making intentional decisions about where you apply rather than submitting applications indiscriminately.

Admissions officers have a job to do: fill up the incoming class each year. This job is getting more difficult due to demographics and headwinds such as less international students. So, admissions officers need to adjust the dials every year with the shifting trends. For example, WashU is now considering demonstrated interest for its 2026-2027 application cycle as part of broader admission changes that includes introducing Early Action and no longer requiring supplemental essays. WashU explains the reasoning for tracking demonstrated interest going forward:

Frankly, we think demonstrated interest is often seen as a one-way street, meaning students feel pressured to find ways to impress admissions offices. This isn’t about contacting the Admissions Office to tell us you’re interested.

Instead, we think it’s about offering a variety of opportunities that students can choose from to explore our community, academics, and student life. Website searches and joining our email list are great places to start, but we also want students to be able to ask questions and engage in conversations that will help them find out if WashU is the right fit for them.

On the top of our list (and hopefully yours!) is a campus visit. We love to welcome visitors and introduce them to our amazing community. See where you will study, explore the food scene, meet current students, and so much more. A WashU experience extends beyond our beautiful campus, and a visit gives you a chance to see all that St. Louis has to offer.

Bottom line: Demonstrated interest matters to us because we know it will help you learn about WashU and whether you can truly see yourself here. It will also allow you to build your best application.

How Do I Demonstrate Interest Through a Campus Visit?

What Are the Best Virtual Methods to Demonstrate Interest When I Can’t Visit Campus?

• Keep It Brief: Three to four sentences maximum. Admissions officers read hundreds of emails and appreciate conciseness.
• Be Specific: Ask one substantive question that isn’t easily answered on the website. Reference something specific about the school that connects to your genuine interests. Generic emails that could be sent to any school signal laziness.
• Be Professional: Use a professional email address (ideally firstname, lastname, not a nickname). Include your full name, high school, and graduation year. Proofread carefully—typos and grammatical errors signal carelessness. Use a clear subject line like “Question About [Specific Program] from Prospective Student.”
• What to Avoid: Never send form emails to multiple schools—admissions officers can tell. Don’t ask questions you could easily Google. Avoid excessive follow-ups or requests for information readily available online.
• Sample Effective Email Structure: Introduce yourself in one sentence (name, high school, graduation year). Express specific interest in one program or opportunity. Ask one thoughtful question. Thank them briefly for their time.

How Can I Use High School Visits and College Fairs to Demonstrate Interest?

Maximizing High School Visits

Making the Most of College Fairs

What Is the Best Way to Demonstrate Interest Through the Applicant Portal?

1. Complete Your Profile: Fill out every section of your applicant profile thoroughly. Upload any optional materials that strengthen your application. Respond promptly to any requests for additional information.
2. Attend Everything Relevant: RSVP “yes” to virtual events, webinars, and admitted student programming. Participate in major-specific information sessions. Join official social media groups for prospective or admitted students. Attend virtual office hours if offered.
3. Stay Consistently Active: Log in regularly throughout the admissions cycle. Read and engage with the content the admissions office shares. Complete any optional surveys or questionnaires.
4. Quality Over Quantity: While clicking through every link matters less than genuine engagement, don’t just attend events passively. Ask questions. Participate in discussions. Show that you’re actively evaluating whether the school is right for you.

How Do I Demonstrate Interest Through the Admissions Interview?

Before the Interview

During the Interview

After the Interview

When Should I Start Demonstrating Interest, and What’s the Ideal Timeline?

Sophomore Year

Junior Year (Fall)

Junior Year (Spring/Summer)

Senior Year (Fall)

Senior Year (Post-Application)

Get Personalized Guidance for Your College Journey

Every student’s path to college is unique. The demonstrated interest strategies that work for one applicant may not be right for another. Knowing which schools actually track engagement, when to visit, and how to make meaningful connections requires expert insight tailored to your specific situation.

At Great College Advice, our team of veteran college admissions counselors has helped thousands of ambitious students navigate the complexities of college admissions. We’ll help you build a strategic approach to demonstrated interest, identify which schools on your list care most about engagement, and develop an application strategy that maximizes your chances at your dream schools.

Ready to take the next step? Schedule your free consultation today and discover how personalized guidance can make the difference in your college admissions journey.

The post How to Demonstrate Interest: Practical Methods first appeared on Great College Advice.

Making a mistake on a college application after hitting submit is one of the most panic-inducing moments in the admissions process. The good news: most errors are fixable, and the ones that aren’t are rarely as damaging as students fear. The key is knowing which category your mistake falls into — and responding with the right protocol, not the wrong urgency.

This guide is built for students who have already submitted. It replaces the anxiety spiral with a clear, tiered action plan: what to fix immediately, what to update through official channels, and what to leave alone entirely.

Why Application Errors Happen

The Common Application’s review process asks students to scroll through a PDF of their completed application and click a confirmation button before submitting. In practice, as our counselors observe consistently, students are often overconfident at this stage — they scroll quickly, click through, and submit without catching errors that a slower review would have caught.

The consequences range from trivial to consequential. One student submitted to Purdue University’s wrong campus because he hadn’t filled out the data for his counselor to check before hitting submit. He was admitted to a campus that wasn’t his top choice, and the university would not allow a change. He ultimately enrolled elsewhere with a strong scholarship — but the Purdue outcome was locked the moment he clicked submit without a second set of eyes on the form.

That example illustrates the core principle of post-submission error management: the time to prevent mistakes is before submission, but the time to fix them is immediately after you find them — not weeks later.

Not All Errors Are Equal

Before taking any action, categorize the error. The appropriate response depends entirely on which tier the mistake falls into.

The following table maps error types to their urgency level and the correct response channel.

Critical Errors: Act Within 24 Hours

Critical errors are those that affect how the admissions office identifies and processes your file. A wrong birthdate, for example, can create a mismatch between your application and your financial aid record — a problem that compounds over time if left uncorrected. Understanding how long does FAFSA take to process can help you realize why data consistency is so vital for your financial aid package.

For Critical errors, do not wait for the portal to offer a self-service fix. Call the admissions office directly, then follow up with an email the same day. State the error clearly, provide the correct information, and include your full name, application ID, and the school you applied to. Keep the tone factual and brief — admissions officers process thousands of files and need the correction to be immediately actionable.

Academic Updates: Use the Right Channel

Colleges expect that senior year produces new information. A strong first-quarter grade report, a new SAT score, or a significant award earned after submission are all legitimate reasons to contact an admissions office. These updates work in your favor — they demonstrate continued achievement — and most schools have a formal mechanism for receiving them.

The first place to look is the school’s applicant portal. Once you submit through the Common App, each college sends login credentials for their own applicant portal. Many universities include an “Application Update” section within that portal specifically for submitting new academic information. This is separate from the Common App itself — the Common App’s role ends at submission.

For schools that use the University of California or California State University applications, the update process is handled entirely within those systems’ own portals, which have dedicated fields for post-submission academic updates. These differ structurally from the Common App portal and should be navigated separately.

If no portal update field exists, email the admissions office directly. Use the template format in the next section.

The Additional Information Section and Direct Outreach

Some changes aren’t errors, they’re developments. A family illness, a school closure, a new leadership role, a significant personal event: these are the kinds of circumstances that admissions officers genuinely want to know about, because they affect how they read the rest of your application.

The Common App includes an Additional Information section where students can explain circumstances that don’t fit elsewhere. If you’ve already submitted and didn’t use this section, you’ve lost that channel for that school — but you haven’t lost the ability to communicate. A direct email to the admissions office, framed as an application update rather than a correction, is appropriate here.

Admissions officers are people who understand that life happens. As our counselor, Sarah Myers, notes, if a student has a legitimate reason for a late or incomplete submission — an illness in the family, a hospitalization, a genuine emergency — reaching out directly is not against any rules. The same principle applies to post-submission updates: a well-written, concise email explaining a meaningful development in your circumstances will be read by a human being who has context for what students go through.

How to Email an Admissions Office

When the portal doesn’t offer a self-service fix, email is the correct channel. The email should be short, specific, and professional. Below are templates for the two most common scenarios.

Template 1: Correcting a Critical Error

Subject: Application Corr

6ection — [Your Full Name] — Application ID [XXXXX]

Dear [Admissions Office / Specific Officer Name if known],

I am writing to correct an error in my submitted application for [Program/Major] for the [Year] entering class.

The error: [Field name] currently reads [incorrect information]. The correct information is [correct information].

Please let me know if you need any supporting documentation to process this correction. I am happy to provide whatever is needed.

Thank you, [Full Name] [Date of Birth] [Application ID]

Template 2: Submitting an Academic or Contextual Update

Subject: Application Update — [Your Full Name] — Application ID [XXXXX]

Dear [Admissions Office],

I wanted to share an update relevant to my application for [Program/Major] for the [Year] entering class.

[One to two sentences describing the update: new test score, award, grade report, or circumstance. Be specific and factual.]

I have attached [supporting document, if applicable]. Please let me know if there is a preferred channel for submitting this information.

Thank you, [Full Name] [Date of Birth] [Application ID]

Keep both emails under 150 words. Admissions offices receive thousands of messages during review season; brevity signals respect for their time and makes your correction easier to act on.

When Not to Report an Error

Not every mistake warrants a correction email. Sending an unsolicited message to flag a minor typo in your essay can draw more attention to the error than the error itself would have received.

The threshold for action is whether the error affects how the admissions office evaluates or processes your application. A typo in a supplemental essay (a missing comma, a repeated word, a minor phrasing imprecision) does not meet that threshold. Admissions officers read thousands of essays and extend reasonable grace to small errors. As our counselors note, a typo is unlikely to cause an automatic rejection; what matters far more is the substance and authenticity of what you’ve written.

Apply the Wait and See protocol when:

• The error is a single typo or grammatical imprecision in an essay

• The error does not affect any factual claim in your application

• Correcting it would require drawing the admissions office’s attention to a section they may not have flagged

• The error is in a supplemental essay for a school where you have already submitted a strong overall application

Do not apply Wait and See when the error involves any identity data, academic record, or information that could create a mismatch in your file.

How to Withdraw an Application

If you’ve been admitted to your top-choice school through Early Decision or rolling admissions and need to withdraw applications elsewhere, that process does not happen through the Common App. Once you submit, the Common App’s role is complete — it has transmitted your information to each school.

Withdrawals are handled through each college’s individual applicant portal. Log in to the portal for the school you want to withdraw from, locate the withdrawal option (usually a clearly labeled button), and confirm. If you’ve already received an offer of admission you’re declining, the portal will typically present a “Decline Offer” button rather than a withdrawal option.

If you cannot locate the withdrawal function in the portal, a brief email to the admissions office — using the same format as the templates above — is sufficient. State that you are withdrawing your application and will not be enrolling, and thank them for their consideration.

Accessing Your Application After Submission

Your Common App account remains accessible after submission using the same login credentials. However, once an application is submitted, the editable fields are locked — you can view the PDF of your submitted application, but you cannot modify it through the Common App interface.

One practical step: download the PDF of every submitted application and save it. Our counselors recommend this consistently, because that PDF becomes your reference document if a discrepancy arises later — during financial aid processing, scholarship applications, or transfer situations. If you used a high school email address to create your Common App account, access may become difficult after graduation, since many schools deactivate student email accounts. A personal email address avoids this problem entirely.

The Strongest Prevention Is a Pre-Submission Review

Every post-submission correction protocol in this guide exists because the pre-submission review was skipped or rushed. The Common App prompts students to review their PDF before submitting — that prompt exists for a reason.

The most common errors our counselors catch in pre-submission reviews include: wrong campus selected for multi-campus universities, test scores reported or omitted incorrectly, activities listed in an order that doesn’t reflect academic priorities, and — critically — the wrong college’s name appearing in a supplemental essay. That last error happens when students repurpose essay content across multiple applications, which is a smart and efficient strategy, but only when every instance is checked individually before submission.

The activities section carries its own set of risks. The Common App gives students 50 characters for position title, 100 characters for the activity name, and 150 characters to describe it. Students who fill out the activities section directly in the Common App without drafting offline first consistently underuse these character limits — and every unused character is an opportunity to communicate something meaningful about who you are.

What to Do Right Now

If you’ve found an error after submitting, work through this sequence:

1. Identify the tier: Critical, Academic, Contextual, or Minor.

2. Check the applicant portal for the school in question — look for an update or correction field before sending any email.

3. Draft a correction email using the templates above if no portal option exists. Send it within 24 hours for critical errors; within a week for Academic and Contextual updates.

4. Apply Wait and See for minor errors — do not send an email about a typo.

5. Download your submitted PDFs now if you haven’t already, and save them somewhere accessible.

If you’re unsure which tier an error falls into, or whether a particular update is worth sending, that’s exactly the kind of judgment call where a counselor’s perspective saves time and prevents missteps. Our team works with students at every stage of the process — including the post-submission moments that feel most urgent.

Need to talk to a counselor for help with admissions? Book a free consultation today.

The post How to Make Changes to Your College Application first appeared on Great College Advice.

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Understanding how to evaluate fit—and build a college list around it—is one of the most important steps in learning how to apply to college successfully.

What Does College Fit Actually Mean, and How Is It Different From Just Picking a Prestigious School?

College fit is a concept that sounds simple but runs deep. It refers to how well a school aligns with your student across two fundamental dimensions: the academic experience and the social experience.

Sarah Farbman, senior admissions consultant at Great College Advice, draws the distinction clearly: “College fit is about the social experience and the academic experience for a student. You want both of those to feel good to your student when they end up going to a college.”

Prestige, by contrast, is an external measure based on rankings, selectivity, and brand recognition. And here is the uncomfortable truth that many families overlook: some of the most prestigious schools may actually provide a weaker undergraduate experience. As Sarah explains, “Some of the most prestigious schools aren’t going to offer you the best academic opportunities because in many cases they are large universities that do a lot with their graduate students. The graduate students may get more of the research opportunities and more of the professor’s time than the undergraduate students would get.”

Jamie Berger, highly acclaimed college admissions counselor and veteran admissions expert, is even more direct about the distinction. “There is no such thing as a top 20 school,” he states. “Fit is what we focus on.” At Great College Advice, the process begins with students completing a comprehensive criteria spreadsheet covering roughly 100 categories (from major preferences and campus size to location, internship access, and social environment) designed to identify schools that genuinely match what each student needs to thrive.

Why Should Families Prioritize Fit Over Prestige When Building a College List?

The case for fit over prestige is both practical and personal. Students have to be their best self. They have to be comfortable. They don’t want to be overwhelmed academically. They want to find their people and have opportunities to grow and connect with their professors. If they aren’t able to do that, they’re not going to be that successful, even if they have the right degree under their belt.

There is also a geographic reality that many families overlook. Prestigious names carry uneven weight across different regions and career fields. As Sarah notes, “Depending on where you live in the US, those prestigious names carry more or less weight. There are plenty of public state universities with dedicated alumni who are ready to help you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the most prestigious school.”

A member of the Great College Advice community reinforces this: “Fit matters. Happy, motivated students do better and engage on a campus in ways that open up opportunities and networks.” He also reminds families that “a ‘dream’ college is not something a magazine assigns a ranking to—it is the school where your student will thrive.”

The Great College Advice Family Handbook encourages families to replace the language of “perfect fits” and “dream schools” with more realistic terms: “Instead of talking about ‘perfect fits’ and ‘dream schools,’ it is generally more helpful to talk about ‘compatibility’ and ‘preferences.’ The choice of colleges to apply to—and attend—entails some compromise. Most students may be able to satisfy most of their selection criteria, but very seldom can they maximize every single factor.”

That realism is not pessimism. It is the foundation for genuinely good outcomes.

How Can Families Evaluate Whether a College Is the Right Fit for Their Student?

Evaluating fit requires a structured, criteria-driven approach. At Great College Advice, counselors guide students through a comprehensive assessment covering approximately 100 categories, each rated on a scale from “must have” to “not interested at all.” These categories span:

• Academic factors (intended major strength, class sizes, research access), 
• Social factors (campus culture, student body, Greek life), 
• Geographic preferences (urban versus rural, climate, distance from home), 
• And financial considerations (merit aid availability, cost of attendance, overall value).

Financial criteria should be the starting point for all families, noting that even wealthy clients look for schools that may offer a significant discount. As one client explained, “Just because I can buy a Mercedes doesn’t mean that I will buy one.”

Campus visits are another essential tool for evaluating fit—but only when done strategically. Sarah recommends visiting when students are on campus: “It’s much better to visit during a weekday when classes are in session than on a weekend.” She also encourages families to begin informal visits as early as ninth grade, just to build a mental framework for what different campus environments look and feel like. For more guidance on making the most of campus visits, see Great College Advice’s ” Planning Your College Visit ” guide.

Jamie Berger highlights the importance of honest self-assessment in this process: “I haven’t met yet many young people who will be equally happy in freezing Ithaca, New York or the woods of Hanover, New Hampshire, who would also be happy in Morningside Heights, Manhattan or in Philadelphia. If you’re just choosing based on the fact that the stickers will look good on the back of your car—I’m the wrong person to work with.”

The bottom line: evaluating fit means matching real student preferences to real campus environments, not collecting brand names.

Does Choosing Fit Over Prestige Hurt My Student’s Career Prospects or Earning Potential?

This is the concern that keeps many families locked into prestige-driven thinking, and the answer, for the vast majority of career paths, is no.

A member of the Great College Advice community offers a clear-eyed assessment: “Success and opportunities are driven far more by the student than the school. Very few careers or sectors care where a person attended school, and those that do typically only for internships and job one. Students at the top of the class get more opportunities than other students, so going where you will excel is key.”

There are also significant financial advantages to a fit-focused approach. Schools where your student is a competitive applicant are far more likely to offer generous merit-based aid. Sarah explains the math: “If you’re looking for merit-based aid, the right college counselor could potentially help you save $20,000 or $30,000 per year. If you’re spending $10,000 upfront but this person is saving you $20,000 to $30,000 per year off the cost of college tuition times four, that is a significant ROI.”

Over four years, that can mean $80,000 to $120,000 in savings—money that can fund graduate school, eliminate student debt, or provide a post-college financial runway that a prestigious diploma simply cannot.

Regional alumni networks at well-matched schools can also be just as powerful for career development as elite national networks, especially when your student plans to build a career in a specific geographic area. A student who thrives academically and socially will graduate with stronger professor relationships, better internship experiences, and a more compelling professional story than one who merely survived a prestigious institution. For families weighing the financial dimensions of this decision, Great College Advice’s overview of whether expensive college tuition is worth it provides additional perspective.

How Do I Build a Balanced College List That Includes Both Aspirational and Realistic Options?

A balanced college list includes reach schools, target schools, and “likely” schools—and your student should be genuinely excited about options in every category.

At Great College Advice, counselors present families with 20 or more colleges divided into these three tiers, based on the student’s academic profile, test scores, and extracurricular accomplishments. 

Jamie stresses that the effort families put into the bottom and middle of the list matters just as much as the top: “Having happy likelies will lead to a happy outcome regardless.” He recommends aiming for roughly 12 schools on the final application list—enough to provide meaningful choice without overwhelming the student with supplemental essays.

The list-building process is iterative, and that is by design. Sarah describes the natural arc: “When I first meet a student, they are going to be more attracted to the sweatshirt college names and what they see and hear. Then we move on to where they start to be more thoughtful about what they really want to study, what classes they will actually be in, and how they will meet the friends they are going to have for their lifetimes.”

As students learn more about their own test scores, GPA trajectory, and evolving preferences, the list gets refined. This is healthy, not a failure of planning.

A member of the Great College Advice community offers perspective that every family should hear: “Any college where your child will blossom, enjoy a balanced lifestyle, and find their own way is a top school. There are about 4,000-plus institutions of higher learning in the United States, and most employ faculty who graduated from what are considered ‘top schools.’ There are so many hidden gems. It is sad that those are dismissed as inferior or not worth considering.”

What Role Does Merit Aid Play in the Fit-Versus-Prestige Decision?

Merit aid is one of the most powerful and most overlooked reasons to adopt a fit-focused college strategy.

Here is the key fact: many of the most prestigious schools (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton) do not offer merit-based scholarships at all. However, many excellent colleges and universities, both public and private, routinely offer $20,000 to $35,000 per year (or more!) off tuition to attract strong applicants.

Sarah explains the mechanics: “Merit-based aid is what we like to think of as a discount. It is a recruitment tool to attract strong students or the type of students a college wants to see on its campus. If you really are looking for that merit-based aid, the number one best thing you can do is to write the correct college list.”

This means that the college list itself is a financial strategy. Families who focus exclusively on the most selective schools leave significant money on the table. A well-crafted list that includes merit-generous institutions—schools where your student’s profile positions them in the top tier of applicants—can yield savings of $80,000 to $140,000 over four years.

We place financial criteria at the very top of the list-building process for a reason. Great College Advice counselors draw on years of experience and proprietary data to identify which institutions offer generous merit packages, ensuring each family’s list includes financially smart options alongside aspirational ones. For a deeper dive into how merit-based financial aid works, see our detailed guide.

How Can a College Admissions Consultant Help My Family Move Beyond Prestige-Driven Thinking?

An experienced college admissions consultant provides three things most families cannot access on their own: objective expertise, a national perspective on the admissions landscape, and a structured process for translating vague preferences into a data-informed college list.

Jamie Berger describes the philosophy: “I only accept clients who understand that the bottom of the list and the middle of the list are as important as those top three or four choices. Finding happy likelies is super important.”

The iterative nature of the counselor-student relationship is what makes the difference. Sarah explains: “When I first meet a student, they haven’t delved into the process yet and they are going to be more attracted to the sweatshirt college names. Then we move on to where they start to be more thoughtful about what they really want to study. Later, when we get close to the end of the process and know more about test scores and final GPA, we can be more realistic about what schools they can actually get into.”

The financial return can also be substantial. A well-crafted list targeting merit-generous institutions can yield annual savings of $20,000 to $30,000—a potential four-year ROI of $80,000 to $120,000. 

At Great College Advice, a boutique firm with six counselors and over 100 combined years of experience in college admissions, the process begins with comprehensive diagnostic assessments and a detailed criteria-building exercise. Counselors meet regularly with students—typically weekly over 30 or more weeks—helping them evolve from initial brand-driven preferences toward deep college-fit research.

Beyond the list itself, consultants provide guidance on how to apply to college strategically, covering essay development, demonstrated interest, interview preparation, and application review to ensure each student presents their strongest, most authentic candidacy at every school on their list.

Ready to start working with an admissions expert? Schedule a free consultation today.

The post What Is College Fit & Why It Matters More first appeared on Great College Advice.

For a complete understanding of all possible admission outcomes—including acceptances, rejections, deferrals, and conditional admissions—see our comprehensive guide on Admission Decisions: What Are the Common Outcomes.

What should I do immediately after being placed on a college waitlist?

Receiving a waitlist decision can feel like admissions limbo, but it’s actually a call to strategic action. The first 48-72 hours after notification set the tone for your waitlist journey.

Start by formally accepting your spot on the waitlist through the college’s applicant portal—this step is essential because many schools won’t consider you further unless you opt in. Next, continue engaging with any opportunities the institution offers. Veteran college admissions expert Jamie Berger advises students to embrace every touchpoint: “Say yes to everything—these Zoom meetings, these Facebook groups, everything.” These engagement opportunities aren’t just informational; they’re data points demonstrating genuine interest.

Within one to two weeks of your waitlist notification, send a thoughtful Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI). This communication should reaffirm your commitment and share meaningful updates since your original application.

Most critically, secure your enrollment at another college before May 1. Never rely solely on a waitlist outcome. Great College Advice can provide dedicated deferral and waitlist support because this phase requires nuanced guidance and precise timing. As one community member observed, “The waitlist taught us the importance of having schools we genuinely loved as backups—it turned what felt like defeat into a choice between good options.”

How do I write an effective Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) that gets results?

Your Letter of Continued Interest is your single best opportunity to move from the waitlist to the admitted class. Done well, it can be the deciding factor in your favor.

Keep it concise. One page or less is ideal. Admissions officers manage thousands of communications during this period—respect their time while making an impact.

Open with a clear, direct statement that this school remains your first choice and you will absolutely attend if admitted. Admissions committees want to admit students who will actually enroll—your commitment matters to their yield calculations.

Share specific updates about achievements since you applied: improved grades, new awards, leadership positions, meaningful projects, or work experience. These aren’t humble brags—they’re evidence you’ve continued growing.

Articulate concrete reasons why you belong at this specific institution. Reference particular programs, professors, research opportunities, or campus organizations by name. Generic enthusiasm is forgettable; specific alignment is memorable.

According to Jamie Berger, authenticity is paramount: “Write to your admissions rep a very short, to-the-point email just so they know that you are genuinely interested. That’s the main point—demonstrating actual interest.”

Avoid these common mistakes: restating information from your original application, excessive flattery, or sending multiple follow-ups. Quality trumps quantity every time.

What are my realistic chances of getting off a college waitlist?

Honest assessment of waitlist odds helps you plan wisely without crushing hope.

Waitlist acceptance rates vary dramatically—anywhere from 0% to over 50%—depending on the institution, year, and factors entirely outside your control. Several elements influence whether spots open: the college’s yield rate (percentage of admitted students who actually enroll), available spots in specific programs or majors, economic conditions affecting families’ ability to pay, and even weather on admitted students day.

Highly selective schools typically have lower waitlist admission rates because they’ve refined acceptance models to hit enrollment targets precisely. Less selective institutions may have more waitlist movement but less predictable patterns.

What you can control: your demonstrated interest throughout the process. Jamie Berger has observed a notable trend where colleges have started to reject overqualified applicants who they don’t think have any interest. This same principle applies to waitlists—schools want to admit students who will actually attend. Your history of engagement, campus visits, interview participation, and communications all factor into waitlist decisions.

The Great College Advice team emphasizes that while outcomes are unpredictable, students who’ve shown consistent, genuine interest tend to fare better when spots do open.

Should I accept a waitlist spot if I already have acceptances from other colleges?

Absolutely—if you would genuinely choose that school over your current acceptances. The key word is “genuinely.”

Here’s the strategic framework: Accept the waitlist position, but proceed with full commitment to your backup plan. By May 1 (the common student response date), you must submit an enrollment deposit to a school where you’ve been admitted. This deposit—typically $200-$500—secures your place and is usually non-refundable.

If the waitlisted school later admits you, withdraw from your deposited school, forfeit that deposit, and commit to your preferred institution instead. This is standard practice and entirely ethical.

What’s essential is having a deposited school you’d be genuinely happy attending. As Jamie Berger emphasizes, “Having happy likelies will lead to a happy outcome regardless.” The terminology has evolved—we now call them “likely” schools rather than “safety” schools—but the principle remains: build a list where every school represents a place you could thrive.

Never turn down an acceptance hoping the waitlist will come through. That’s not optimism; it’s risk without reward.

How do I handle enrollment deposits and deadlines while on a waitlist?

Managing the financial and logistical dimensions of waitlist limbo requires clear thinking and firm boundaries.

The May 1 deadline is non-negotiable. Before this common response date, you must submit an enrollment deposit to one school where you’ve been accepted. When students apply by the Regular Decision or Early Action plan, they are under no obligation to make a decision about whether to attend that college until the common student response date of May 1. Use every day of that timeline to evaluate your options.

Treat your deposited school as your genuine plan—because it very well may be. Attend admitted student events, connect with future classmates, research housing options, and mentally commit. This isn’t pessimism about the waitlist; it’s responsible planning.

If you’re later admitted off a waitlist, withdraw from your deposited school and forfeit that deposit. This is a normal, accepted practice—schools expect some summer melt and budget for it.

Never deposit at multiple schools simultaneously. This is considered unethical in college admissions and can result in both offers being rescinded. Colleges communicate with each other, and this approach puts your entire admission at risk.

Can I improve my application or appeal a waitlist decision?

While formal appeals aren’t typically available for waitlist placement, you have meaningful opportunities to strengthen your candidacy.

Your primary tool is the Letter of Continued Interest with substantive updates. New accomplishments—improved grades, awards, leadership roles, completed projects—demonstrate continued growth and give admissions officers fresh reasons to advocate for you.

Ask your school counselor to send an updated transcript showing strong senior year performance. Academic improvement is one of the most compelling arguments for waitlist admission.

If appropriate, request an additional recommendation from a teacher or mentor who can speak to recent achievements. This works best when you have genuinely new accomplishments to highlight, not simply another voice saying the same things.

Consider a campus visit if circumstances allow. Some schools track demonstrated interest even during the waitlist phase, and an in-person visit signals serious commitment.

However, the Great College Advice Family Handbook offers an important caution: “There is a very fine line between showing genuine interest and harassing admissions staff. Showing too much love can backfire.” One strategic, substantive update is far more effective than multiple generic check-ins. Quality over quantity—always.

When will I hear back from the waitlist and how long should I wait?

Understanding waitlist timelines helps you plan emotionally and practically.

Most waitlist movement happens between early May and mid-August, with the heaviest activity in May and June. After the May 1 deadline, colleges assess their incoming class size against enrollment targets. If fewer students commit than expected, they turn to the waitlist.

Some schools set specific dates for waitlist notifications; others maintain active waitlists through the summer. Check the college’s admissions website or your waitlist notification for their specific policy.

Emotionally, commit to your deposited school now. Engage with your admitted school’s community: attend orientation sessions, join social media groups for incoming students, explore course catalogs, and get excited about the opportunities ahead.

If admitted off the waitlist later in the summer, you’ll need to act quickly—often within days. This is why mental preparation matters: you’ll be making a significant decision under time pressure.

The Great College Advice team supports students through this entire uncertainty period, offering guidance on timing, communication strategies, and decision-making frameworks. Remember: your deposited school wanted you enough to admit you. That acceptance is worth celebrating, regardless of any waitlist outcome.

Need Expert Guidance Through the Waitlist Process?

Navigating waitlist decisions requires strategic timing, compelling communication, and emotional resilience. Great College Advice offers dedicated deferral and waitlist support as part of our Elite Comprehensive Package, helping students craft effective Letters of Continued Interest, manage timelines, and make confident decisions during this uncertain period. Our veteran admissions counselors have guided thousands of students through exactly this situation.

The post You’ve Been Waitlisted: What Now? first appeared on Great College Advice.

Strategic timing of campus visits is one part of a comprehensive approach to the college admissions process, alongside decisions. Not all colleges offer tours and information sessions on weekends. For those that do, weekend visits are typically only offered during select months—usually September, October, March, or April. Plan ahead and book early, as popular tour dates fill quickly at competitive schools.

When Is the Best Time of Year to Visit a College Campus?

The ideal months for campus visits fall into two clear windows: 

1. Fall semester (September through early November) and
2. Spring semester (February through April). 

During these periods, classes are in full swing, clubs and organizations are active, and you can witness the authentic rhythm of student life that simply doesn’t exist during breaks or summer months.

Fall visits are particularly strategic for juniors beginning to build their college list. September and October allow you to see campuses at their most vibrant while still early enough in the academic year that admissions offices are welcoming and less overwhelmed by application season. Keep an eye out for special admissions events like “preview days” and “open houses” that many schools schedule during these months.

Spring visits in late March and April are ideal for admitted students attending accepted students’ days, and for sophomores beginning their exploratory campus research. Most colleges have a “visit” section on their admissions website with a calendar of dates and times to choose from.

“The most important thing is to be on campus when the student body is on campus. It’s much better to visit during a weekday when classes are in session. Avoid being there during spring break because you simply won’t get a feel for the student body.” — Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Should I Visit Colleges During the Week or on Weekends?

Weekday visits are significantly more valuable than weekend visits. When classes are in session, you can observe the true academic culture of a school: 

• Students moving between lectures,
• Conversations in the dining hall about coursework 
• Campus events,
• The hum of activity in the library and study spaces. 

This day-to-day energy is impossible to replicate on a Saturday morning tour.

Morning visits are especially valuable. Sarah Myers, senior admissions consultant at Great College Advice, notes that “it’s better to go in the morning than in the afternoon because more classes are in session in the morning.” If you’re trying to visit two schools in one day, schedule the first tour for the morning and the second for early afternoon.

Pro Strategy: Arrive the evening before your scheduled tour and spend time in the surrounding town when students are out after classes. Stay overnight nearby, then attend the morning tour the next day. This gives you both the social atmosphere of the campus at night and the academic energy during the school day—a much more complete picture than a single mid-day tour.

If a weekday visit is genuinely impossible, a Saturday morning tour during peak visit months (September, October, or April) is the next best option. However, expect a quieter campus with fewer students visible, and understand that you’re seeing a partial version of the school’s personality.

What Grade Should Students Start Visiting Colleges?

The short answer: earlier than most families think. Campus visits can begin as early as eighth or ninth grade, though the purpose and depth of those visits should evolve as your student progresses through high school.

“I recommend that families start taking their students to visit colleges when they’re on a family trip, even when the student is a freshman or even an eighth grader. Spending even half an hour dropping by and walking around when your student is really young will create a context for what college is, so that as they get older, they can refer back to those early experiences of visiting campuses.” — Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Here’s how to think about visits by grade level:

Freshman and Sophomore Year (Exploratory Visits)

These are casual, low-pressure opportunities to help your student begin understanding the landscape. Visit a large university and a small liberal arts college to see the contrast. Explore both urban and suburban campuses. The goal isn’t to pick schools—it’s to develop a frame of reference. As one parent in the Great College Advice community shared, “I took my rising sophomore and her two friends on two visits within a five-hour drive. It was eye-opening for them to hear it from ‘experts,’ and the subtle shift in responsibility and accountability has been noticeable.”

Junior Year (Strategic Visits)

 This is when visits become more targeted. Schedule official tours, attend information sessions, sit in on classes in your academic interest area, and begin meeting with admissions staff. Junior year visits should cover a range of schools on your developing list, from reaches to “likely” schools (the term admissions professionals now use instead of “safety” schools).

Senior Year (Strategic and Decision Visits)

 Find time to visit schools you plan on applying to in the fall. Focus on top-choice schools and admitted students’ days in the spring. These visits help you make your final enrollment decision with real, on-the-ground experience. For schools where you’ve been admitted, a post-acceptance visit is one of the most important steps before committing.

How Many Colleges Should I Visit in One Day, and How Do I Plan an Efficient Itinerary?

The Great College Advice Family Handbook is clear on this: do not schedule more than two visits in a single day. The handbook explains that “the most informative visits can be those in which you spend a full day or more on campus, from morning until well into the evening,” and that cramming in too many schools causes “your experiences on different campuses to start to blend together.”

For an efficient multi-school itinerary, pair campuses that are within an hour or two of each other. Sarah Myers recommends this approach: “A good way to do college visits is to arrive somewhere the evening before and spend time in the town. Then the next morning do a tour. If you can find schools that are within an hour or two of one another, there’s a good chance you could get to a 12 or 1 o’clock tour at a second school—and you’ll still catch students on campus at that second school.”

Campus Visit Planning Checklist (from the Great College Advice Family Handbook)

☐ Travel accommodations arranged (bus/plane, rental car, hotel)

☐ Sign up for school-sponsored information session and campus tour

☐ Sign up for an admissions interview, if offered 

☐ Register to sit in on a class 

☐ Set up meetings with faculty or staff (professors, coaches) 

☐ Arrange to see specific facilities (physics lab, performance spaces, art studio, sports facilities) 

☐ Schedule a campus overnight, if available

☐ Consult the campus events calendar for activities during your visit (performances, lectures, sporting events)

Taking detailed notes and photos during and after each visit is critical. Months later, you may not remember which library or dining hall belonged to which school. As the Family Handbook notes, “Many colleges like to ask about the visit on the college application, so details can be important.”

What Should Students Do During a Campus Visit to Get the Most Out of It?

The official tour and information session are just the starting point. The most valuable part of a campus visit is everything you do beyond the guided experience. Here’s what Great College Advice’s expert counselors recommend:

1. Explore independently. Sarah Myers encourages students to walk around campus on their own: “The student should go on their own and walk around campus without the parents. You’re usually completely welcome, it’s safe, and sometimes you’ll just blend in as another student. Sit on a bench or outside a building and be a quiet observer—do people watching, listen to what students are talking about.”
2. Eat in the dining hall. This is one of the best places to observe authentic student culture. Listen to what students discuss, see how they interact, and get a real sense of the social atmosphere.
3. Peek into academic buildings. Walk through the hallways of departments in your area of interest. See what students are doing in labs, study rooms, and common areas. This is absolutely okay to do and gives you a window into everyday academic life.
4. Explore the surrounding town. Myers emphasizes that “spending time in the surrounding town is important—to see what it would be like there, including understanding the prices of things.” The town is where students spend a significant amount of their time outside of classes, so it’s a key part of the college experience.
5. Assess mental health support. Sarah Myers, who has a background in mental health, recommends that families investigate counseling resources: “Are there long waits for an appointment with a counselor? Do they have a 24-hour phone line? How many mental health providers are on campus? Can you get medications on campus or do they have to be mailed somewhere else?” These practical details matter enormously for the reality of college life.
6. Follow up afterward. A thank-you note after a campus visit or interview is a powerful and often overlooked form of demonstrated interest. The Great College Advice Family Handbook notes that “sometimes the best demonstrated interest is through conversations that show the student is truly engaged in the process.”

What Common Mistakes Should Students Avoid During College Campus Visits?

Even well-intentioned families make avoidable mistakes that reduce the value of their campus visits. Here are the most common pitfalls, according to Great College Advice’s counselors:

1. Not taking it seriously enough.
2. Visiting when campus is empty. 
3. Cramming too many schools into one trip. 
4. Parents dominating the visit. 
5. Treating it as a “drive-by.” 
6. Forgetting to take notes. 

When parents and students both attend the tour, the Great College Advice team recommends a smart “divide and conquer” strategy: if more than one tour guide is available, split up so the student goes on one tour and the parents on the other, then compare notes over coffee afterward. Alternatively, while the student attends a class, parents can meet with someone in financial aid or student advising.

What If I Can’t Visit a College Campus in Person—Are Virtual Tours Worth It?

Virtual tours are a useful supplement, especially for international students or families for whom travel costs are prohibitive, but they are not a full replacement for an in-person visit. Many colleges offer interactive virtual tours, and some feature a virtual student guide walking you through campus.

“A lot of colleges have virtual tours that you can take, and some even have a virtual student leading you around. Those can fill in the gap when you’re an international student or can’t fly over to visit.” — Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Beyond virtual tours, colleges frequently offer webinars, video meetings with faculty and department deans, and virtual panels with current students. To access these opportunities, Myers recommends getting on college mailing lists as early as possible: “If the school is very large, you might have a specific email list for the business school only or the engineering school only, and then you’ll be made aware when they have open meetings online.”

For students who cannot visit in person, veteran college admissions expert Jamie Berger advises making your interest known through other channels: “If your first choice is a school that you can’t visit, write them a letter so they know you’re not just applying to 30 schools blindly. Something short, though.” A campus visit is one of the most powerful ways to show demonstrated interest, but it’s not the only way.

One parent in the Great College Advice community shared creative alternatives their family used: “My child watched college tour episodes on streaming services, did the online tours from the school websites, and even used a virtual reality set to ‘walk around’ the campuses.” Other community members noted the value of visiting after being accepted—waiting to visit until you have admissions decisions can be a financially smart strategy for families on a budget.

Additional virtual research strategies include reading the campus newspaper online, watching broadcast sports games to gauge school spirit, and researching the percentage of in-state versus out-of-state students to understand the campus community.

Plan Your College Visits with an Expert by Your Side

At Great College Advice, our team of six expert counselors brings over 100 years of combined experience to help students and families navigate every step of the college admissions process—from strategic campus visit planning to crafting winning applications.

Whether you’re a sophomore beginning your college search or a senior making your final decision, our personalized guidance ensures you find schools where you’ll truly thrive. Learn more about how we can help your family on a complimentary call.

The post When Is the Best Time to Visit a College Campus first appeared on Great College Advice.

Begin the college search process over winter break

Along with starting the college search process, here are some other productive activities to do over winter break:

1.  Start doing some college research.  There are so many college websites out there, it is hard to know where to begin.  These days, high schoolers are inundated with information about colleges on TikTok or other social media platforms. But, we often suggest that students begin with a simple college match survey.  You can find these on CollegeBoard.org or Princeton Review.  Once you find some colleges that you are interested in learning more about, visit CollegeData.com.  This site provides a wealth of information about size, academics and the competitiveness of the application process.  Another site to check out is Unigo.com.  This site can answer many questions you may have about the college application process.
2.  Volunteer.  Winter break is a great time to get in some volunteer hours.  You may work at an animal shelter or see if you can help with a holiday program at a local hospital.  Volunteering not only looks great on your college applications, but it is beneficial for your mental health and a great way to give back to your community. It may also be a great opportunity for you to explore some different careers.
3.  Begin thinking about next summer.  Now is the time to begin thinking about your plans for the summer.  Look into possible enrichment programs or camps that will help you explore an interest. You may want to start putting together your resume as you begin exploring potential summer job or internship opportunities.
4.  Network.  There are lots of gatherings during the holidays, which provide great opportunities for networking.  Before you attend your next holiday event, brainstorm some questions you may have from the people you know will be there.  Ask about career paths and college experiences. This is a great way to learn more about college from multiple perspectives.
5.  Read.  Reading is one of the best ways to improve your SAT scores, so take some time to dive into a good book or two or three!

Great College Advice

The post Winter Break Tips for High Schoolers first appeared on Great College Advice.

Students will be sending in their Early Decision (ED) applications to meet the November 1 deadline with most colleges emailing their Early Decision notifications in mid-December. It’s one of the times of the year when the team at Great College Advice have our fingers and toes crossed very hard for our students who have applied ED. It seems like a strange time to be asking, “is early decision binding or not?”

The question has received a lot more attention recently following a New York Times article (paywall) discussing how Tulane punished a Colorado private high school after a student backed out of their ED agreement with Tulane. As we don’t have all the details of this particular situation, we will refrain from giving our opinion. But it’s important for families to understand how these ED agreements work.

Applying early decision (ED) is not a good idea for every college applicant. For some, sending out a single application could be financially foolish because it carries a binding agreement to attend that school no matter what. For others, if you’re applying ED to a college you’re not excited about just because you’ve been told that it improves your admission odds then that is not a good decision either.

But, we also sympathize with families. The college process can be unfair. Universities like Tulane take roughly 2/3 of its class in its Early Decision rounds. It’s virtually impossible to be accepted in Tulane’s regular decision round. And, yes, for many selective universities the acceptance rate is higher in ED. If you truly have a dream school and financial aid is not an issue, then ED makes sense. If not, then think carefully about whether early decision is right for you.

So Is Early Decision Binding or Not?

But let us clarify our position: we don’t advocate that students and their families renege on the binding ED agreement. The only justifiable grounds for getting out of this agreement is insufficient financial aid. If financial situations are such that parents simply cannot (or will not) be able to pay for college, the family (along with the student’s high school counselor) should communicate with the financial aid office and ask to be released from the agreement.

But it’s MUCH better to never get yourself into this sort of predicament in the first place. Again, if you go back and read our article explaining how ED works, you’ll understand that colleges have less incentive to offer the best financial aid packages to early applicants. Of course, colleges will say that they offer equivalent packages to ED and regular applicants. But, there is no way of proving or disproving their claim. Colleges do not divulge all their records and offers publicly. The logic of the situation (plus long talks with admissions officers off the record over beers) indicates that this is how colleges do business.

Therefore, if ever a family comes to us with any indication that financial aid awards will be central to the decision about where their kid goes to college we de-emphasize ED. This allows families to do some comparison shopping later in the spring. (It’s okay to apply Early Action, however, as these admissions programs carry no binding agreement).

When selecting a college, cost needs to be one of the most important factors for most families. But there are other considerations involved too. And it’s hard to make a general rule when each family’s financial circumstances are different.

Our point is that no student should ever renege on their ED agreement if they have done their homework. They will never get in a situation in which backing out of an ED agreement is necessary to maintain a family’s financial health.

What if I need to talk to someone to ask whether early decision is binding or not?

If you need professional guidance to explore your own circumstances and to discuss the binding nature of your early decision agreement, please reach out to Great College Advice. Every year we help families understand the nuances of the college admissions process so that they can maximize their priorities in the college decision. Please contact us here.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With nearly 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Is Early Decision Binding or Not? first appeared on Great College Advice.

• Time for a change
• Better chances of college acceptance
• Less expensive
• Find the right college fit
• Explore what is out there

Is it time for a change?

Sure you may feel homesick if you decide to go to a school that is far from home, but most students say that homesickness eventually goes away.  Nothing can replace waking up with your cat or dog, a home-cooked meal from mom, or hanging out with all of your high school friends, but being away at school gives you the chance to create new memories and become more independent.  I always tell my students that home is never the same after high school ends.  Your friends may move away and you certainly will not have the same routine.  Being away from home gives you the chance to really learn about yourself, without being influenced by the comforts that have always been around you.  It can be a tough journey, but worth it in the end.  Keep in mind that this decision is not permanent.  You can always go back after graduation!

Increasing admission odds when applying to college out-of-state?

One of the downsides of being a non-resident at a state school is that you will have to pay out-of-state tuition.  Well, in this economy, that makes out-of-state students very desireable.  Boston.com reported that UMass Amerhst plans to “aggressively recruit” out-of-state students.  They also plan on increasing scholarship opportunities and other financial incentives.  Inside Higher Ed also reported that similar ideas are being tossed around at UC Berkeley, UCSD, Rutgers University and University of Colorado.
While this may be a new trend for some state schools, private schools have been seeking students outside of their normal geographic regions for years.  This “geographic diversity” can be a bonus in the admissions process.

Is it really more expensive to go to college out-of-state?

As I mentioned above, out-of-state tuition at public school can be pricey, but as with anything in the college admission process, it is important to do your homework.  We have previously reported on the importance of comparison shopping when it comes to paying tuition at state schools.  In some instances it can actually be cheaper than paying tuition in your home state!
Also, some private colleges do take into consideration your distance from home when determining financial aid packages.   As a result, financial aid packages can include travel funds.  Travel scholarships may also be available through the admissions office if you are in need of financial assistance in order to visit a school that is far from home.

Finding the right fit.

Reality is that the schools in your state may not offer what you are looking for.  They may not have the right major or access to career resources you feel that you need.  In these circumstances, an out-of-state school may provide the right fit for the college experience you are envisioning.

Experiencing a new part of the country

Fact of the matter is that it is a big world out there.  One of the greatest things about the United States is that there is so much to see and experience.  You have the opportunity to live in a completely different environment and you don’t even have to leave the country!  So jump in with both feet and really begin to think about how going way to college can change your life!

Need help with the college admissions process?

If you want help exploring out-of-state college options, please reach out to schedule your complimentary consultation.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Top 5 Reasons to go to College Out-of-State first appeared on Great College Advice.