College Application Decisions/Outcomes

Let's describe each.

ACCEPTED/ADMITTED: You're in! You did it! Congratulation! You have been offered a spot in the incoming freshman class of one or more of the schools on your list. If it's one of your top-choice schools and you have been accepted EA or RD it's great! In terms of ED, the admissions process is technically over! "Technically", because although you are accepted, schools can rescind your acceptance based on numerous reasons. Don't forget the Affirmation Statement. According to the Common Application: "These affirmations are intended to make sure the applicant certifies the authenticity of the application, agrees to provide updated information to the college, and will commit only to one college once accepted".

DEFERRED: This means that the college is not prepared to either accept or deny you at this juncture, so they defer making a decision on your candidacy until they can consider you in the larger pool of regular decision applicants. Since you are the larger pool, you will need to continue to attempt to standout and distinguish yourself from other applicants who were deferred and regular decision applicants.

WAITLISTED: Being placed on the waitlist at a school means that you are not currently being offered a spot in their incoming class, but that you might be if enough spots open up as admitted students select other schools. How likely this is to occur (and it does happen) and in what volume, varies from school to school and even year to year.

DENIED/REJECTED: Unfortunately, this outcome requires no explanation. However, what you may choose to do is to transfer to schools that initially denied you a spot after the freshman year of the school you eventually end up.

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Greenwich Admissions Advisors and Westchester Admissions Advisors, affiliates of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group network.