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In this guide, we explain when to expect to receive your college decision notifications. We also give you a chart of estimated college acceptance dates for 2023 and offer helpful tips on what to do as you wait for your college acceptance letters.

When Do College Acceptance Letters Arrive, Generally?

First off, when do college acceptance letters arrive, broadly speaking?

While the answer to this question really depends on what colleges you're applying to, in general most decisions come out in the springtime, that is, in either March or early April.

The latest you might hear back from a college will be the first week of April. This is because most schools require decisions from applicants on where they want to attend by May 1.

Some colleges work together to release their decisions at the same time. The Ivy League, which is composed of eight highly prestigious colleges , releases its decisions on " Ivy Day ," a specific day at the end of March (note that the exact date changes each year).

But what if you applied to a college early action or early decision ? In these cases, since applications are due earlier (usually in November), you can expect an earlier decision notification as well—usually around December.

Some schools offer secondary early decision plans called Early Decision II for which applications are due a little bit later, usually in January. For these plans, decisions should come out around February.

Here is a chart showing the general trends of when college acceptance letters come out:

These days, most college acceptance letters will arrive as either an email or application status update on a college's own application portal. Afterward, you'll usually receive a hard copy of your acceptance letter in the mail and further updates via email or mail.

An Aside: What If You're Waitlisted?

Sometimes, instead of getting a college acceptance letter or rejection, you'll get a letter stating that you've been waitlisted . This means that the college is still considering you for admission depending on how many admitted applicants choose to enroll.

As a result, you'll need to decide (typically by May 1) whether you want to stay on the waitlist to see if you get off it, or take yourself off the waitlist, thereby eliminating your chances of getting in .

If you decide to stay on the waitlist, you won't get a college decision notification until possibly as late as August, right before the school year starts. When you hear back ultimately depends on the school and how quickly it's able to fill up its new freshman class.

College Acceptance Dates 2023

We have a general understanding of when college acceptance letters arrive. But when do college decisions come out in 2022-2023? And how do these decision dates differ depending on the college?

To answer these two questions, we put together an extensive list of popular schools and their reported or estimated college acceptance dates for the 2022-2023 application cycle. These include both admissions decisions dates for students who applied Early Action or Early Decision , as well as those who applied Regular Decision.

All schools are listed alphabetically.

Waiting for College Acceptance Letters? 3 Tips for What to Do

We've given you the general dates you can expect to receive your college admission decision. But what should you do in the meantime, after you've submitted all your applications and are waiting for decision notifications from colleges?

Here are three essential tips to keep in mind during this time.

#1: Focus on School

One of the most important steps you can take is to focus on school and keep up your grades.

Try your best not to let senioritis hit you, especially considering that most colleges will want to see your final transcripts before you get to campus—even after they've admitted you.

If you have any big dips in your grades senior year, a college could rescind your acceptance and reject you instead. Do not take any chances at this time! Continue to work hard, study for all the tests you have, and finish your homework on time. Keep making school a priority.

Finally, continuing to do well in school is especially important if you plan to take any AP tests at the end of senior year. You want to keep up your studying so that you can earn a passing score on the tests you're taking , hopefully earning you some college credit.

#2: Apply for Financial Aid and Scholarships

If you know you'll need some help with money in order to attend college, these months of waiting for decisions to come out are an ideal time to shift your focus from college applications to FAFSA and scholarships.

Applying for FAFSA makes you eligible to receive federal-, state-, and/or college-sponsored financial aid, including loans, grants, and work-study.

If you're interested in winning free scholarship money, I'd advise you to do some research on any college scholarships you might be eligible for. These scholarships can be based on merit, such as your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, or financial need (or both).

For more tips on how to find and apply for scholarships, check out our financial aid blog posts as well as our most popular scholarship and aid guides:

• Simple Guide: How to Apply for Financial Aid
• How to Find Scholarships for College: Expert Guide
• Top Scholarships for High School Seniors
• The Easiest Scholarships to Apply For
• Easy Scholarships to Win: How to Find and Apply
• The Complete List of Community Service Scholarships
• Amazing Full-Ride Scholarships You Can Win
• Complete List: Weird Scholarships You Can Win
• How to Get a Merit Scholarship: 6-Step Guide

#3: Keep Tabs on Your Email and Application Status

As you wait for college decisions to come out, it's important that you routinely check your email (whichever email you put down for your college applications) and application status on the school's website.

Some schools will only announce their decisions online through their application portals, some will email their decisions directly, and others will mail their decisions before sending out emails (this is becoming less common, though).

Even if you're not expecting to get a college decision anytime soon, try to keep tabs on your inbox and application status. This will help ensure you're not missing any application materials and that the college isn't trying to contact you about any last-minute problems with your application.

Conclusion: When Do College Acceptance Letters Arrive?

There are many answers to the question, "When do college decisions come out?" In general, most college decisions are released online by email or through an application portal in March or early April.

If you applied early action or early decision, you can expect to hear back about your application status in December (or around February if you applied Early Decision II).

The latest you'll get a college acceptance letter is the first week of April, since most colleges require admitted applicants to submit their decisions about where they want to attend by May 1.

If you get waitlisted at a college and choose to stay on the list, you won't receive an official decision until possibly as late as August.

Once you've submitted your applications and are waiting to hear back from colleges, be sure to take these three steps:

• Focus on school and continue to keep up your grades
• Apply for financial aid and scholarships, including FAFSA
• Keep tabs on your email and application status by routinely checking your inbox and the school's application status page

As a final tip, stay positive—you never know where you're gonna get in!

What's Next?

What do college acceptance letters look like? Learn what a typical college acceptance letter says and how it looks with our in-depth guide .

Got rejected from your top-choice school? Or scared of getting a rejection letter? Read our guide to get tips on how you can get through a college rejection and what you can do to improve your chances of getting in .

The key to getting a college acceptance letter is having a great application. And the best way to ensure you have an impressive application is to know what looks good on it .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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College Acceptance Letter: What to Expect When You’re Accepted

College Acceptance Letters- A CollegeAdvisor Guide

Every year, when college acceptance letters are sent out, thousands of students hope to receive a college acceptance letter. The letter confirms that they’ve been accepted to their dream school .  We know you’ll have a lot of questions about college acceptance letters. Our team at CollegeAdvisor is here to answer those college acceptance letter questions. We want to help you with that final step of university entry.   

In this “Guide to College Acceptance Letters” we’ll talk through the following things:

• What to expect when you get into college
• What you’ll find in a typical college acceptance letter
• USC acceptance letter
• Stanford acceptance letter
• Northwestern acceptance letter
• UVA acceptance letter
• How the letter of acceptance will vary from school to school
• Interpreting college rejection letters
• Appealing college rejection letters

We’re committed to helping you get into college – from initial research to your acceptance the college of your dreams. That includes preparing you for what happens even after you submit your college applications. 

Let’s start with a few basic FAQs about college acceptance letters:

1. what is a college acceptance letter.

A college acceptance letter is the letter of acceptance a college or university sends out. It tells you you’ve been accepted and officially offers you a place in their upcoming class of students.

2. How do colleges share their acceptance letters?

Most schools notify students electronically and with hard copies, so you can expect both mailed and emailed college acceptance letters. Some students will instead get an email notification to view their college acceptance letters through a school’s online portal.

3. When will I receive a college acceptance letter ?

For Early Action and Early Decision admissions cycles , your college acceptance letter might come early. You will often receive a decision – a college acceptance letter, college rejection letter, or deferral – in December. For the Regular Decision cycle, you will usually receive your college acceptance letter in late-March or early-April.

College Acceptance Letters and you

Now, you have an idea of what a college acceptance letter means. You also know how and when you expect to receive it. Let’s dig deeper into some more detailed information about college acceptance letters. Next, we’ll look at what to expect when reading a college acceptance letter. We’ll also talk about how to respond to college acceptance letters and college rejection letters.

College acceptance letters may seem simple. However, they are packed with information that may influence your college decision. So, an actual example of a college acceptance letter can help you imagine what your letter of acceptance might say. To give you an idea of what your college acceptance letters might sound like, we’ll share sample college acceptance letters. These will include a USC acceptance letter, a Stanford acceptance letter, a Northwestern acceptance letter, and a UVA acceptance letter. Then, we’ll share some important steps you should take after receiving your acceptance letters.

What is a Letter of Acceptance?

As we mentioned, a letter of acceptance is the letter that tells you you’ve got into college. Whether you choose to apply Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Decision, a letter of acceptance is how schools tell you about your admittance Let’s take a closer look at what these college acceptance letters include.

The primary purpose of a letter of acceptance is to tell applicants they have a place in the incoming class. Therefore, every acceptance letter begins with some form of congratulations. Then, it will give a clearly worded statement that says the school has accepted you into their upcoming class.

Look for info about scholarships & funding

In addition to telling you about your university entry, some college acceptance letters will also include details about funding. These could include financial aid awards, the status of your financial aid application, certain scholarships you may qualify for, and more. 

Alternatively, the letter may simply direct you where you can find this information. This might be in your online application, a student portal or their website. While this information can be helpful, not every college acceptance letter will have these details. So, you may need to follow up with your school’s financial aid office to learn more.

Look for next steps

Receiving your college acceptance letter is only the first step of your college enrollment process. Typically, your letter of acceptance will provide next steps. This includes a deadline for when you need to tell the college if you will attend. Many colleges ask for some kind of tuition deposit. Some will also want a signed form that states whether you accept or reject your place. This helps the school update its official record, so they can see how many spots are available for students on the waitlist. 

Now, we know a little bit more about what’s in a college acceptance letter. Next, let’s take a look at some real-life sample college acceptance letters. Sample college acceptance letters can let you imagine what to expect as you wait for your own college acceptance letters. 

Each college acceptance letter example will be slightly different. For this reason, we’ve included a range of college acceptance letters. That way, you can see the different ways your college acceptance letter might look.

Sample College Acceptance Letters- Exploring 4 Real College Acceptance Letters!

In this college acceptance letter guide, we’ll present a college acceptance letter sample from USC, a college acceptance letter sample from Stanford, a college acceptance letter sample from Northwestern, and a college acceptance letter sample from UVA. Each of these college acceptance letters helps us analyze the different forms a sample of college acceptance letter may come in. Additionally, these examples help us highlight your next steps once you get into college and have your letter of acceptance.

USC Acceptance Letter

Our first college acceptance letter is from the University of Southern California . This sample of a college acceptance letter begins with an excited Congratulations! before clearly stating their offer of admission. This reads, I am pleased to offer you admission to the University of Southern California as part of the entering class of fall 2022.  

This USC acceptance letter then continues their congratulations. It highlights the hard work the student put in to get into college – this offer is being extended to you as a result of your outstanding achievements.

This USC acceptance letter then describes the amazing resources you can expect during your time at USC. This includes their faculty of world renowned researchers who look forward to working with remarkable young people who will bring intellect, curiosity, and persistence to the university community.  

The letter goes on to describe how USC is one of the most dynamic universities in the world , a place where you will work with scholars of all disciplines, from the sciences to the visual and performing arts, from the humanities to the social sciences and various professional disciplines ; where you will learn from others, we will learn from you, and you will grow to become a leader for the future.

This USC acceptance letter ends with an exciting Welcome to the Trojan Family!  

Some college acceptance letters will tell you what to do next in the enrollment process. However, this one doesn’t offer much advice. Rather than outlining next steps, this college acceptance letter sample shows how an acceptance letter can be a warm invitation to join a student body. This type of acceptance letter is less informative than it is aspirational. It invites you to dream about what’s possible should you accept your offer. It’s also designed to persuade you to choose USC instead of another university.

This example of a college acceptance letter boils down to one action item: to look up next steps to enroll. We should also mention that this college acceptance letter is an e-letter that you will view through your application portal. Often, schools send both a digital letter and a hard copy in the mail. However, some schools choose to do one or the other.

Let’s take a look at another letter form more insight into what your future college acceptance letters may hold!

Stanford Acceptance Letter

Our next college acceptance letter is from Stanford . Stanford University if one of the most competitive schools in the US. It had an acceptance rate of just 3.95% for the Class of 2025 . If you’re lucky enough to receive a Stanford acceptance letter, here’s what to expect.

Just like the sample of college acceptance letter above (the USC acceptance letter), this Stanford acceptance letter begins with a Congratulations! You have been admitted to the Stanford Class of 2025! This college acceptance letter example then compliments the applicant, stating they are a fantastic match with Stanford before providing some helpful next steps.

The letter of acceptance briefly states that the student will join a diverse, joyful, and welcoming campus community with a shared determination to make our world better. Then, this Stanford acceptance letter directs students to visit their admitted students website , where they can learn more about the school and what it has to offer. It also points towards Cardinal Quad, their online platform for connecting students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

This sample of college acceptance letter also gives a link to the Stanford Portal, where students can find information about Financial Aid and complete an Admission Response Form before their deadline of May 3 rd . 

Conditional statement

Also note that this Stanford acceptance letter contains a brief conditional statement: To keep you r place in the class, we expect you to maintain the quality of your character and return a strong performance in the program of study reported in your application. Additionally, Stanford says that students were admitted, in part, due to this program of study and asks them to report any changes to their academic schedule.

This example of a college acceptance letter boils down to three action items:

• Complete the admission response form by the deadline
• Maintain your grades and a clean record of behavior
• Notify admissions of any changes to your courses

As you can see by comparing the Stanford acceptance letter to the USC acceptance letter, each college acceptance letter you will receive offers different information and guidance for next steps. Let’s take a look at another college acceptance letter example to see what else a college acceptance letter may say.

Northwestern Acceptance Letter

Next, we have a college acceptance letter from Northwestern University . As you will see, this Northwestern acceptance letter, unlike the Stanford acceptance letter and the USC acceptance letter, offers the student admission to a particular school and program of study. This means that when the student applied, they submitted their Northwestern application to a particular undergraduate school. As a result, the letter explains the student has been accepted to the Medill School of Journalism . Medill is one of the top ranked journalism schools in the country, so this is no small feat. Some programs are more competitive than others, so be sure to do your research when applying to your dream school.

Otherwise, the Northwestern acceptance letter begins similarly to the sample of college acceptance letter above. It says: Congratulations and welcome to the Class of 2026 at Northwestern University! The letter then describes how your considerable academic achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and impressive character stood out as truly exceptional.

Electronic acceptance letters

This sample of college acceptance letter was sent electronically. However, in the letter, admissions notes that you can expect a hard copy via mail, along with materials that outline steps toward enrolling in the Class of 2026. 

While the next steps are not officially outlined in this Northwestern acceptance letter, they do provide a link to review these steps on our admitted student website , where you will also find ways to connect with the Northwestern community, engage with the remarkable opportunities available to you here, and experience what makes this place and its people so special.

In addition to a link to the admitted student website, this acceptance letter also gives a link to submit your enrollment decision. The letter clearly states students must submit enrollment decisions by May 1 st .  

Similarly to the sample college acceptance letters above, Northwestern asks students to please note, our offer of admission is contingent upon the successful completion of your senior year and a review of your final transcript.

• Be on the lookout for hard copy materials with detailed steps
• Submit your enrollment decision by the deadline
• Maintain your grades and successfully earn your diploma

The three college acceptance letter examples above were all received by CollegeAdvisor students who submitted Regular Decision applications. However, as you might imagine, Early Decision or Early Action college acceptance letters may look a little different. Let’s take a look at our final sample college acceptance letter to learn what else to expect if you submit your application for early admission.

UVA Acceptance Letter

Our final college acceptance letter is from the University of Virginia . 

This college acceptance letter sample begins straight away with On behalf of the entire University of Virginia community, we are excited to offer you admission to the class of 2026. This UVA acceptance letter is Early Action. For this reason, the UVA acceptance letter says that while the process was intensely competitive, admissions believes UVA will be better with you here (with the follow up We hope you feel the same way).

This sample of college acceptance letter is similar to those above –  it details some of the benefits of university entry at UVA. This makes sense because, although this student applied during Early Action, this admissions decision is non-binding. So this applicant can decide whether to accept this letter of acceptance.

This UVA acceptance letter then goes into detail about how UVA will open doors for you and change your life in ways you can barely imagine . At UVA, students can expect to enter an incredibly close community where you will hear lectures that makes you see the world differently…discover new knowledge, answer enduring questions, and meet people who challenge and inspire you all at once.

Look for the important details

This UVA acceptance letter ends with a final congratulations. In addition, it contains some important next steps and a conditional statement::

Please follow the online instruction in this offer packet to pay your non-refundable tuition deposit by May 1, 2022. Our offer of admission also depends on your ability to maintain the same high standards in both your academic and personal life that earned you this letter in the first place.

This example of a college acceptance letter boils down to two action items:

• Pay your deposit by the deadline to secure your spot

Sample College Acceptance Letters- Final Thoughts

We’ve talked about some sample college acceptance letters and what they include. In particular, we looked at a USC acceptance letter, a Stanford acceptance letter, a Northwestern acceptance letter and a UVA acceptance letter. You may be more excited (or nervous) than ever to receive your own college acceptance letters and get into college! 

Now that we’ve reviewed multiple sample college acceptance letters, let’s dig into a few more FAQs. These questions concern how and when you can expect to receive your college acceptance letters.

College Acceptance Letters- More FAQs

Do Colleges Still Mail Acceptance Letters?

As we saw in the example of a college acceptance letter above, many schools do still mail college acceptance letters. Even though you submit your Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision college applications online, most colleges will still mail you an official college acceptance letter. 

Most mailed and electronic acceptance letters will be very similar, so you can expect your hard copy acceptance later to read just like the sample college acceptance letters we included above. However, as with the sample Northwestern acceptance letter above, some schools share different information in each one. So make sure you read both college acceptance letters thoroughly!

Although most colleges will send an acceptance letter in the mail, that isn’t the only way you’ll receive your college acceptance letter. In addition to mailing college acceptance letters, colleges and universities will also notify you virtually. In fact, you’ll usually first learn of your acceptance online, either via email or a school’s online portal.

How do Colleges Notify You of Acceptance?

There are three ways you’ll receive your letter of acceptance: by mail, email, or on your online portal. How schools choose to tell students about their university entry will vary. Check with your school’s office of admissions to see when and how you’ll get your letter of acceptance.

You can expect most schools to mail out hard copies of their college acceptance letters. However, due to possible delays in the mailing system, you’ll also probably get your college acceptance letter electronically.

On the day your school releases admissions decisions, it’s important you can access the email you used in your college applications. Even if schools don’t send your letter of acceptance in an email, you may receive an email that tells you to check an online portal.

Many schools use an online portal to tell students about their university entry. Even if you applied through general application portals like the Common App or Coalition App, some schools will ask that you sign up for a school-specific online portal. Then, they can send you notifications about the status of your application and, hopefully, your letter of acceptance.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Acceptance Letter From a University?

The date you get your college acceptance letter will depend on when you applied to get into college. Students who applied in earlier admissions cycles , either Early Action or Early Decision, can expect their college acceptance letters months before Regular Decision applicants. . 

Students who applied Early Decision or Early Action can generally expect to receive their letter of acceptance sometime mid to late December . Early Decision or Early Action cycles tend to be competitive – so only some students will receive a letter of acceptance. 

What happens if you are not accepted?

If you don’t get a letter of acceptance, you’ll be told that your application has been rejected or deferred. College rejection letters mean that the school’s decided not to offer you an acceptance letter and a place in their upcoming class. 

A deferral letter means that, although you don’t have a place yet, your application was strong and you’ll be considered with the Regular Decision applicants. Deferred students have to wait for the Regular Decision admissions decisions to see if they’ll receive that acceptance letter and get into college.

For advice on what to do if you’re deferred, check out this webinar . 

What is a “waitlist”?

Students who applied Regular Decision can expect to receive their letter of acceptance sometime in March or early-April . Similarly to early applicants, you may also receive a letter of rejection at this time. Unlike early Early Action and Early Decision students, Regular Decision applicants can be put on a waitlist . 

If you’re on a waitlist, your application has been fully reviewed. Although you’ve met the school’s qualifications, they are unable to offer you university entry for now. However, if another student were to decline their letter of acceptance, you could be taken off the waitlist and offered a place. Because schools don’t tell you where you are on the waitlist, it’s hard to predict the odds of getting accepted from the waitlist .

Are you a parent of a senior who’s receiving college acceptance letters, deferrals, waitlists and college rejection letters? Check out this webinar for some great tips on how best to support your child.  

Digital college acceptance letters

Since most application letters are delivered electronically, you don’t need to frantically check your mailbox for your college acceptance letter. Remember, you’ll probably get your college acceptance letters over the course of two to three weeks. Each school will have their own date, and usually even a specific time, they are planning to send out college acceptance letters. Expect to receive your notification on that day before a certain time (be sure to double check the school’s time zone!)

When Should I Expect my College Acceptance Letter?

College acceptance letters and college rejection letters are sent electronically, so you probably won’t have a delay in receiving your letter of acceptance.  For this reason, you’re likely to get your letter of acceptance the same day as all other applicants to that school. 

March or early April is the time you’ll get most college acceptance letters (unless you applied Early Action or Early Decision!) However, most schools will release college acceptance letters on a specific day within this timeframe.

For example, let’s look at the schools represented by the sample college acceptance letters discussed above. That is, the USC college acceptance letter example, the Stanford college acceptance letter example, the Northwestern college acceptance letter example, and the UVA college acceptance letter example. 

These sample college acceptance letters tell us the specific date each school sent out their college acceptance letters. Below we’ve given the dates students can expect to hear about their university entry – with a letter of acceptance, college rejection letters or a waitlist/ deferral notice. 

University of Southern California : 

• Regular Decision : End of March – March 25 th , 2022

Stanford University :

• Restrictive Early Action : Mid December – December 15 th , 2022
• Regular Decision : Early April – April 1 st , 2022

Northwestern University :

• Early Decision : Mid-December – December 17 th , 2022
• Regular Decision : End of March/Early April – March 25 th , 2022

University of Virginia :

• Early Decision : Mid-December – December 15 th , 2022
• Early Action: January 31 st – February 15 th 2022
• Regular Decision : End of March – April 1 st , 2022

The specific dates may change from year to year, so be sure to check each school’s website for the exact day you’ll hear about university entry.

If you are planning to submit applications to one or more Ivy League school, you should know when Ivy Day is coming up. Ivy Day is the date all Ivy League schools notify Regular Decision applicants of their admissions decisions. It’s normally  in late March, similarly to other school’s Regular Decision admissions notification timeline. In 2022, Ivy Day was on March 31 st .

Because the majority of students apply Regular Decision, most students will get their college acceptance letters sometime in mid- to late-March or early-April. However, if you don’t get a letter of acceptance, you can expect college rejection letters or waitlist notifications.

Patience is key

If you are put on a waitlist , you may feel unsure about next steps. There is no exact timeline for when you can expect to get off of a waitlist. Enough students need to decline their letter of admission for you to move off of the waitlist and be offered university entry. While there’s a chance you get off the waitlist within a month of receiving your admissions decisions, it could be late summertime before you hear back. 

Once you have a college acceptance letter (or college rejection letters)  from all your schools, it is time to make a decision . If you had a good ‘get into college’ game plan, you’ll have applied to the right combination of safety, match, and reach schools . So you’ll probably have  more than one letter of acceptance. 

Because not every school sends out their college acceptance letters on the same day, you’ll have time to think about which college acceptance letters you want to accept. For most schools, the deadline for responding to your college acceptance letter is May 1 st .

How to Respond to a College Acceptance Letter?

Since you’ve seen our sample college acceptance letters, you already have an idea of what to expect in a letter of acceptance. 

What are your next steps when all your college acceptance letters have come in? You must respond before your school’s enrollment deadline to confirm your acceptance. As you saw in the sample college acceptance letters, schools will tell you when their deadline for acceptance letter response is.   

University enrollment takes place entirely online, so you don’t have to worry about mailing in forms or sending documents on time.

Your enrollment process may be different if you applied for Early Action or Early Decision university entry. Unlike students who apply Regular Decision, students who get into college during Early Decision will not have multiple schools and college acceptance letters to choose from. Early Decision is, by nature, a binding agreement between you and the school. So, if they give you a letter of acceptance, you must accept your spot .

Regular Decision applications

If you applied Regular Decision, you must accept your offer from the school of your choice and decline the others. Most schools will ask you to notify them either way. This way, they can potentially move other applicants off of the waitlist. Once you’ve decided on the school you’d like to attend, you may be asked to submit a tuition deposit. This is a non-refundable deposit which holds your place in the upcoming class.

If you are waitlisted, all you can do is wait. Additionally, if you are waitlisted at your dream school but have other admission offers, accept one of your other offers before all of the deadlines pass. If you end up getting off the waitlist, you may have to forfeit your original tuition deposit, but at least that way you’ll have a spot at a university either way.

What do College Rejection Letters Say?

Firstly, remember that most students, no matter how stellar they are, will likely receive college rejection letters at some point. We understand that receiving college rejection letters can be hard, especially after months of hard work and preparation.

While college rejection letters are never easy, remember that college rejection letters don’t reflect your worth. The college admissions process is rigorous, unpredictable, and relies on many factors beyond your control. Sometimes it’s not clear why one student will get into college and another won’t.  

When schools send out their college rejection letters, it is not always because they don’t think you are a good fit. Sometimes, admissions is simply looking for a certain type of student to round out their incoming class and you didn’t fit the bill. 

For tips on overcoming college rejection letters, check out this article . 

College rejection letter tone and content

Expect your college rejection letters to be brief and to the point. Admissions will thank you for applying and then say you haven’t been offered university entry. College rejection letters can leave many students wondering “why didn’t I get into college?” You may wonder if there’s anything you could have done to change the outcome. However, most college rejection letters won’t give a reason for the decision about university entry. 

Although college acceptance letters may come through the mail at some point, you won’t always receive college rejection letters in the mail. You’ll get your rejection letter in the same electronic manner as you would an acceptance letter – either via email or via your online portal. 

Since both acceptance and rejection letters often come out at the same time, you may prefer to wait until the end of the day to check emails or online portals. Then, you have time to process the decision by yourself, whatever the outcome.

Can You Appeal a College Rejection Letter?

While you may feel powerless in the face of college rejection letters , you can always make an appeal .  

Appealing college rejection letters means you send a formal request to ask a college to reconsider. However, remember that there’s no shortcut to get into college. Once a school has decided on university entry, they probably won’t reverse this. Once they’ve rejected your application, they’re unlikely to grant you university entry. 

While appealing college rejection letters works for some students, admissions decisions are rarely overturned. In their Guide to the College Admissions Appeal Process , U.S. News says the percentage of college rejection letters successfully appealed is low. In the last few years, the percentage of successful college rejection letters appeals was 3-5%.

For most students, unless new information has come to light since you submitted your application (and your grades and test scores are in the top quartile of admitted applicants), your chances of success are low. As a matter of fact, they’re so low that it may not be worth appealing college rejection letters. 

Choose a valid reason to appeal

Appeals based solely on your desire to attend a specific school are likely to fail. Many students feel strongly about attending certain universities. Admissions teams have far more students who want to attend than they have college acceptance letters. However, if you experience a significant change in your grades or need to correct an error on your original application, it may be worth looking into the school’s policy for appealing college rejection letters.

If you do decide to appeal your college rejection letters, check the official policy – either from the school’s admission’s website or by contacting the office of admissions. Some schools don’t let students appeal college rejection letters. Meanwhile, others have very strict requirements for appeals to college rejection letters. After schools send their letters of rejection, there’s also usually a strict timeline for appeals. For example, the University of California Berkeley allows freshman applicants four weeks to appeal their college rejection letters.

College Acceptance Letter: Final Thoughts

It isn’t easy applying to get into college. All hard work and hours spent writing supplemental essays and putting together your application culminates in that final moment where you can finally press send. And then you have to wait. Wait to receive your golden ticket, your college acceptance letter confirming your university entry. 

Alternatively, you’ll receive your college rejection letters saying that although you were a wonderful applicant, this just isn’t the school for you.

The waiting can be hard, but that is why it is so important to plan ahead and send out the best applications you possibly can. Choose schools where you think you’ll shine. This will make that moment when your acceptance letter finally comes in worth it.

In this “Guide to College Acceptance Letters”, we’ve talked about:

• College acceptance letters
• How you’ll receive college acceptance letters
• Some sample college acceptance letters
• Your next steps after college acceptance letters and college rejection letters

If you have received multiple college acceptance letters, you’ve finally reached the fun part: deciding! Choosing the school you are going to attend for the next four years is a big decision and one you eventually have to make for yourself. Talk to current students or faculty, visit if you can, consider the pros and cons of each school, and go with the place you’ll thrive.

Check out our resources

If you’re just starting the college application process, don’t think too much about college acceptance or rejection letters. Check out our resources on Applying to Ivy League Schools , Determining a College Essay Topic , and even Summer Planning for 8 th , 9 th , and 10 th Graders . 

If you’re not sure where to start, our expert team of Advisors can work with you through every step of the process: 

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Work with us to maximize your chances of receiving an acceptance letter.

CollegeAdvisor offers a range of college application services to help students get into college. If you want college application guidance from expert college application Advisors, get started today with your free account or schedule an advising consultation by calling (844) 343-6272.

This guide to college acceptance letters was written by Stefanie Tedards. At CollegeAdvisor, we have built our  reputation  by providing comprehensive information that offers real assistance to students. If you want to get help with your college applications from  CollegeAdvisor.com  Admissions Experts , visit us  online  or call (844) 576-0953 to  schedule your free advising consultation . We’re excited to help start you on the path to a successful future!

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Congratulations! You’ve submitted all of your college applications. You’ve spent countless hours studying for the SAT , researching colleges, maintaining your GPA, and writing your personal statement . The hard part is over. Now the waiting begins. 

There are a lot of important college admissions dates to keep track of, especially during the fall of your senior year, but when are regular decision notification dates? In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive list of regular decision release dates. 

You may also want to review our article on when college acceptance letters are sent out and what to do while you wait . 

When does Regular Decision come out?

When will regular decisions be available? Regular decision notification dates occur several months after Early Action and Early Decision notification dates. This is because regular decision application deadlines occur several months later as well. That said, when exactly are regular decisions released? 

Regular decision dates vary. Typically, though, regular decision notification dates occur from Mid-March to Early April. It is also worth noting that Ivy League colleges coordinate their release dates each year. Although this day changes year to year, Ivy League colleges always send out their decisions in unison. 

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Regular Decision release dates 2023

Refer to the list of regular decision notification dates below. These dates will help you anticipate when you should hear back from colleges. Remember, colleges may postpone (or advance) their regular decision notification dates as spring approaches. 

Source: College Essay Advisors  

May 1: National College Decision Day

Generally speaking, the latest you will hear back from a college is sometime during the first week of April. This is because May 1st is National College Decision Day. This means that unless you applied early, you must file your official college decision by May 1st. 

Additionally, you will also want to let other colleges know that you will not be attending. Although not required, notifying other colleges helps them better manage their waitlist. In other words, whenever you officially decline an offer of admission, a college can offer your spot to another student. 

What does being waitlisted mean?

There is a chance that you may not receive an acceptance or a rejection letter. Instead, you might receive a letter notifying you that you’ve been placed on a waitlist. This means that as admission slots open up, students placed on the waitlist will be admitted. The tricky thing about being placed on a waitlist is that you may not hear a final decision until August, right before school starts. 

Being placed on a waitlist can feel confusing. Especially as you consider whether or not you want to remain on the waitlist. There are a lot of factors to consider, especially in regard to how being waitlisted might affect your financial

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aid. That’s why it’s important to understand what to do if you’ve been waitlisted . You’ll also want to review how to write an email to a college admissions office so that your correspondence continues to be professional and polished.

Key takeaways and moving forward

As college application season comes to a close, you’ll want to start focusing on scholarships and understanding the FAFSA . Not only are these important steps, but they are also great ways to spend your time as you wait to hear from colleges. 

Hopefully, come springtime, you’ll be admitted to your top college. If not, you may want to review common reasons college applications may be rejected . College admissions are incredibly competitive and sometimes it can be comforting to know why your application may have been rejected. 

If you aren’t satisfied with your college decisions, you may want to explore applying to schools with rolling admissions, especially if you wish you had more options. The main difference between regular decision vs rolling admission is that colleges with rolling admissions don’t have strict application deadlines the way that colleges with regular decision deadlines do. Rather, they continue to admit students as long as they have openings.

• February 10, 2023

College Admissions

Regular decision notification dates.

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27 March 2020

Class of 2024 Regular Decision Notification Dates

Posted in Class of 2024

UPDATE #45 (3/27)

Good luck, seniors!

Class of 2024 Regular Notification Dates

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When Do College Decisions Come Out? 2023 Dates

What’s covered:, when do college decisions usually come out, decision notification dates at top colleges.

• When Do Financial Ahid Awards Come Out?
• Can Colleges Rescind Acceptances?

What if You’re Rejected From Your Dream School?

Whether you’re waiting for your decision or wondering about the general college applications timeline, this post will let you know what to expect. We also include the decision notification dates in 2023 at top research universities and liberal arts colleges.

Your decision notification date depends on the application timeline you chose.

If you applied Early Decision or Early Action, with deadlines typically in October or November, you should get your admissions decision around mid-December.

If you applied Early Decision II or Early Action II, with deadlines typically at the beginning of January, you should get your admissions decision by mid-February.

If you applied Regular Decision, with deadlines usually at the beginning of January, you should get your admissions decision from mid-March through early April. There are also a handful of top schools who send likely letters to especially strong applicants from the Regular Decision round. These letters come around mid-February and let a student know that they are very likely to be accepted.

Finally, if your school has Rolling Admissions, you may get your decision as early as a few weeks after submitting your application. These colleges review applications as they come in and release decisions in waves.

To gain a better understanding of the different admission cycles check out our article: EA, ED, REA, RD: What’s the Difference?  

Now that you have a better sense of the general deadlines and notification dates, here are the specific dates at top schools.

Research Universities

Liberal arts colleges, when do financial aid awards come out.

Your financial aid award should arrive with your acceptance, or a few days after. If you’ve been accepted but haven’t gotten your financial aid package, double check your acceptance packet or the school’s portal to see if there’s a financial aid offer you missed.

If you can’t find any financial aid information after a few days of being accepted, call the financial aid office. If you applied Regular Decision, the decision notification date is usually around one month before deposit day, so you want to ensure you have all the information you need to make your decision as soon as possible.

If you’re unhappy with your financial aid package when you get it, remember that you can negotiate. Read our guide to negotiating financial aid for more information.

Can Colleges Rescind Applications?

Yes, acceptances can be rescinded by colleges in certain circumstances. Colleges reserve the right to deny a student admission if the student’s academic performance significantly decreases, or if the student engages in behavior that violates the school’s code of conduct.

In addition, a student’s acceptance may be rescinded by a college if it is discovered that they submitted false information on their application, such as a fake transcript or SAT scores.

Colleges usually don’t rescind acceptances, however, unless something has gone significantly wrong. If your grades dropped a little (for example, you had all A’s and got a B or two), you don’t need to sweat it.

If you applied to super selective colleges, remember that the vast majority of applicants will be rejected. While it may give you solace that others are in the same boat, it doesn’t take away the sting of not getting into the dream college you worked so hard to get into.

College admissions decisions can feel really personal too, and makes you wonder whether you just weren’t “good enough.” The truth is that applicants meet the standards at top schools, but there just aren’t enough spaces, so schools have to prioritize what they need in their community. For example, maybe they need more philosophy majors, tuba players in the orchestra, or students who will likely join the eco club.

It’s okay to be upset and disappointed by your decision; take the time you need. But, make sure you also take a good look at the schools that accepted you and start imagining what your college life could be like there.

If you’re looking for support or guidance as you get your decisions back, check out our Q&A forum , where you can ask questions and start discussions with peers.

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When Do College Decisions Come Out? – 2023-24

November 28, 2023

When do college decisions come out? If scenes in coming-of-age high school movies are to be believed, they arrive suddenly, ratcheting up dramatic tension. The more prosaic reality is that these decisions come out in stable patterns, helping you predict when they will arrive. Admittedly, having this knowledge doesn’t necessarily make the wait feel less dramatic. But it can help you mentally prepare for the final phase of the admissions process. By knowing when colleges will send acceptance letters, you can ready yourself for the process of accepting an offer of admission. You can also have more mental space to focus on important steps like finishing high school and applying for scholarships.

This article breaks down when you can generally expect decisions for regular decision, early decision, and early action admissions. It also includes information about when specific schools announced decisions last year, to give you a more granular picture of the announcement calendar. Finally, it provides some recommendations for what you can do to productively fill the vacuum while you wait.

When Do College Decisions Come Out – General Trends

To begin with, when do colleges send acceptance letters, in general terms? The bulk of college applications are submitted at the end of the summer, throughout the fall, and in early winter. Further, most schools require their accepted applicants who haven’t applied early decision to make a commitment by May 1st. Thus, the answer to the question “When do college decisions come out?” is, as you might expect, in the spring. However, we can break this broad window down even more by considering the different admissions plans or categories. The better question is “When do college decisions come out for regular decision, early decision, and early action applications?”

For the uninitiated, early decision (ED) and early action (EA) admissions plans are two major alternatives to regular decision applications. Early action refers to nonbinding admissions plans. Students who apply early action receive an early response to their application but don’t have to commit until May 1 st . In contrast, students who apply early decision enter into a binding agreement to attend a specific school if they are accepted. Traditionally, early decision applications are due early in the application season. However, more schools are permitting a second round of binding admission programs. Early decision (ED 2) plans allow students to wait until later in the year to pledge their allegiance to a school. For more information about these various plans, you can review our article breaking down their different timelines . The key is, because plans use different application deadlines, decisions for those applications are announced in a predictable staggered pattern.

When Do College Decisions Come Out (Continued)

So, in general, when do college decisions come out for each admission plan? Here is a breakdown of the general patterns:

• When do colleges send acceptance letters for Early Decision I?

Applicants usually receive admission decisions in December , the earliest in the admission season.

• When do colleges send acceptance letters for Early Action?

Most applicants can expect to hear back in January , with some receiving decisions in late December and early February .

• When do colleges send acceptance letters for Early Decision II?

February is when applicants using these plans can typically expect an announcement.

• When do colleges send acceptance letters for Regular Decision?

Applicants will hear back in March or early April , the latest decisions in the season.

Because regular decision applications are still the most common, the bulk of decisions come anywhere from two months to just weeks before the May 1st deadline. A smaller number of decisions concerning early decision and early action applications arrive significantly earlier. However, it’s worth noting that not every college offers the same variety of admissions plans. Early decision II is relatively rare in the admissions landscape, for example. Also, some colleges offer rolling admissions . Rolling admissions allows colleges to evaluate applications as they come in. The decisions are also announced on a rolling basis.

Finally, it is still common to speak of “acceptance letters” when referring to college decisions. However, it’s rare for these decisions to arrive by snail mail these days, at least at first. Typically, applicants will receive decisions by email or notifications from institution-specific accounts, with physical letters arriving later.

When Do College Decisions Come Out – School-Specific Examples

Although universities tend to release decisions in similar patterns, announcement dates vary by institution. Thus, you might focus on specific schools to get a better idea of when to expect news. Fortunately, many universities offer information on their public websites about when applicants can expect decisions. The table below provides a small sample of popular universities that offer such information on the linked webpages.

As you’ll notice from the table, the information provided by each school can be a bit vague. For myriad institutional reasons, schools rarely pin down exact decision dates on the calendar. And many schools provide no easily accessible information about when students can expect to hear back. For those schools, you might try to find information on when students in the previous admissions cycle received news. If all else fails, you can trust that schools will make announcements according to the general trends discussed above.

What Should You Do While You Wait For Decisions?

It’s difficult to sugarcoat: waiting for college decisions can be excruciating. It’s also easy to feel like you have no agency once applications have been submitted. The decision, ultimately, is out of your hands. However, there’s much you can do to stay calm and productive while you wait. Looking for and applying for scholarships is perhaps the most impactful action you can take during the waiting period. There is a dizzying number of private scholarships with application deadlines throughout the year. Taking advantage of these is a terrifically forward-looking means of funding your college education before you’re even admitted. For help getting started with the process of finding and securing scholarships, you can consult our article on the subject .

It is also important to stay invested in school while you wait. Many students may understandably struggle to focus on their senior year while college decisions loom, one contributing factor to “senioritis.” But you’ll want to stay academically sharp to be better prepared for the enhanced rigor of college. Plus, the last thing you want is for your grades to slip in the final stretch, potentially imperiling admissions offers.

When Do Colleges Send Acceptance Letters? (Continued)

There are many suggestions for how to stay collected and focused during the decision waiting period.  These include exercises for distracting yourself from decision anxiety and tips for navigating potentially triggering conversations with friends and family. Perhaps their most useful suggestion is that students keep their options open. We recommend keeping note of the pros and cons of each school you applied to. This can significantly help you make your ultimate decision as the decisions start arriving. Even more importantly, it can show you that you have several great options beyond your “dream school.”

When Do College Decisions Come Out – Concluding Thoughts

It is easy to wallow in the frustration that waiting can bring. After all, college decisions feel deeply personal and personally significant. But college decision calendars are guided by specific institutional timelines, not the dictates of your coming-of-age plot. You can trust that most decisions will come in March or early April, well before the May 1st deadline. A more select group of early decision and early action decisions can arrive anywhere between December and February. Across that five-month span, it is important to stay focused on what you control, like grades and financial support options. You can also keep an open mind about the schools you’ve applied to rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

Above all, it is vital to remain plugged into the enthusiasm that led you to apply in the first place. It’s true that you never know what school you might get into. It is equally true that you can have a satisfying, meaningful life regardless of what happens after high school.

• Navigating the Admissions Process

Tyler Talbott

Tyler holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Missouri and two Master of Arts degrees in English, one from the University of Maryland and another from Northwestern University. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in English at Northwestern University, where he also works as a graduate writing fellow.

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Ivy League admission decisions are coming on Ivy Day. Here's what to do if you've been accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.

• Ivy Day is when the Ivy League schools announce their admissions decisions simultaneously.
• An admissions expert provides advice for students who've been accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.
• No matter the outcome, students need to remember their worth. 

You poured your heart and soul into crafting the strongest college applications — and then you took time to breathe. Now, Ivy Day is near, and the anticipation builds yet again. The clock seems to tick a little louder as the Ivy League schools — Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, UPenn, and Columbia — all prepare to announce their admissions decisions.

As an admissions expert , I observe this roller coaster of emotions every year. It's my privilege to support students who earn admission to these or other top schools.

Either way, the whirlwind of emotions you feel now will soon give way to clarity. Here's what you should do next if you've been accepted, rejected, or waitlisted.

You don't need me to remind you to celebrate. But make sure you hug the family and friends cheering for you; do it with gratitude and grace. Reach out to teachers, counselors, mentors, and friends who contributed in any way. Share the great news and thank them for their support. You didn't get this far completely on your own. Acknowledge those who helped you out along the way.

Now that most of your admission decisions have arrived, it's time to consider your options. Review your personal and family priorities, then decide which college boasts the right campus culture, the right academic programs, and the right facilities at the right price.

I get it: Being rejected hurts. You gave everything you had to create a strong application, so it's OK if you need some time and space. It's important to remember that you're still a great student and that you will still get into college . All is not lost; you have a bright future ahead of you.

Related stories

Anytime my students care deeply about an outcome not completely within their control, I teach them to add three words when stating goals. The words "or something better" hold immense power. A statement could be something like, "I want to get into Columbia or something better ." Add the three magic words to your goals, and trust that if the news you get is disappointing, you are resourceful enough to find an even better outcome.

Then, as soon as you're ready, stand up straight, pull your shoulders back, and stick out your chest. Tell the school confidently, "It's your loss," and begin exploring your own "something better. "

Let's say you get the dreaded "maybe" response. Follow the instructions for that school, and don't try to read between the lines or outsmart the college. Send in the materials they ask for, and leave it at that .

Instead of pushing relentlessly to persuade the college to take you off their waitlist, use that energy to prepare for your "something better" ahead. The school may eventually accept your application, but their delay could be to their detriment. It will be their loss if you've fallen in love with a different but better option.

While college admission is a big accomplishment, the path there is not always direct or as expected. Your success and overall happiness depend far more on how resourceful you are at college than on where you attend.

No matter what, remember to keep your perspective

You agonized over which application details to include or leave out. You crafted a story about who you are and how your community involvement helped make where you live better. The real you is much more complex and interesting than the details you squeezed in, but the admissions officers saw only your application to help them decide.

Not only are they unable to delve in fully, but officers must typically look for applications that fill institutional priorities that year. The school orchestra and sports teams need the right talent in the right positions. The college research teams need researchers, and the drama department needs key performers. Perhaps less obvious priorities are in place, such as adding rural students to balance the extra-urban students admitted last year. These priorities can change dramatically from year to year, and you will never know for sure what they are.

Because so much of the admissions decision-making is outside your control, please remember that it is your application — not you personally — that is being accepted or rejected.

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Class of 2028 admitted, first class following affirmative action ban

Nassau Hall on a sunny winter day.

Calvin grover / the daily princetonian..

In the third year of an expanded undergraduate class, the University offered admission to the Class of 2028 this past Thursday, March 28. March 28 was this year’s ‘ Ivy Day ,’ the day that most Ivy League schools release their regular decision results and is traditionally the day in which Princeton accepts the majority of the next year’s class.

Data for the accepted Class of 2028 has not yet been published. In December 2021, the University announced that it would no longer release admission data during admission cycles, but a more detailed report of the class would follow later in the year.

The Daily Princetonian spoke with some students who were accepted to Princeton’s Class of 2028 on Thursday. 

This year’s admissions round was a historic first in the absence of affirmative action , which the United States Supreme Court struck down in June 2023. This is the first admissions cycle at the University without formal consideration of racial diversity since 1963 . 

“Personally, I have no idea how affirmative action affected my application — I would have to see the demographic shifts in the incoming class to see if I was given an advantage or disadvantage based on the court ruling,” said Ryan Li of Naperville, Ill., who hopes to pursue his interests in computer science and join a dance group on campus.

Evan Carpenter of Owasso, Okla., who plans on majoring in neuroscience, said, “I definitely really feel for everyone who was affected negatively by it because that must be really difficult. It’s definitely just a really hard situation.”

Helin (Helîn) Taskesen, who currently lives in Seattle, Wash., but is originally from Diyarbakır, Turkey, explained that she “was the first in [her] family to go to high school and survive the college application process in the United States … This acceptance means a lot to [her] community back in Diyarbakır.”

Taskesen is interested in majoring in Operations Research and Financial Engineering with certificates in computational mathematics or optimization and quantitative decision science.

“I would like to say that I am not in support of its overturning, and that I believe equity should be pursued on every college campus, as higher education shouldn’t be blocked off based on socioeconomic hullabaloo, which is, factually, deeply correlated with racial privilege,” Li explained.

In light of the affirmative action ruling, the University has updated its application process so that applicants “reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces.”

Taskesen told the ‘Prince’ that she still talked about her ethnicity and gender in her application. She expressed that she fears “that may be why [she] got in or that people might think [she] got in through that.”

“I started my application for Princeton pretty early after Princeton released their prompts,” said Steve Ta, who currently lives in Wichita, Kan., but moved from Vietnam three years ago. 

“Even though it took me a long time to craft the best essays to present myself well, Princeton prompts brought to me a sense of appreciation in allowing me to fully express myself and reflect on the long life journey that I have been through in both countries I have lived in: Vietnam and the US.”

Prospective physics major Vedant Aryan from Wallingford, Conn. said that he applied to the University “ironically.” “As I studied the history of physics breakthroughs, Princeton kept coming up.”

Ta, a prospective computer science BSE major, said “the independent study nature of Princeton mostly attracted me here. It creates an aspiration for me to further delve into my realm of knowledge and present a senior thesis in the topic that I will be a professional in for my future career.”

Admitted students also explained how visits to campus convinced them to apply. Aryan explained, “I also hung out with my close friend during my campus visit, and she seemed extremely happy and super excited, so that’s when I knew I definitely wanted the chance to join Princeton’s community.”

Kweku Akese from Auburn, Mass. told the ‘Prince,’ “I applied to Princeton because two friends of mine go there and really like it, and I also had heard about how undergrad focused they were, which I thought was super cool.”

After getting through this application round, most members of the prospective Class of 2028 are excited for a future at Princeton. 

Ta told the ‘Prince,’ “I was in my shift of my tutoring job, and I was sneaking to use my phone to check the result. I screamed out when I saw the acceptance letter, which captured the attention of the students in the class. I put my phone away after that and held in myself a triumph of victory. ‘Finally the American Dream came true,’ I thought.”

“I went through a period of so much rejection and waitlisting that I got super discouraged about how everything would turn out. Little did I know I just had to wait a bit longer,” Akese said. “I’m the first person in my family to get accepted into an Ivy, so it’s not only super cool, but an honor to have the opportunity to hopefully encourage more to hope for the same.” 

Akese plans on majoring in molecular biology on a pre-medical track and is excited to get involved with a cappella groups on campus.  

Regular decision is the last in the University’s organized decision rounds for first-year admissions. Early decision and QuestBridge match results were released in December 2023. Transfer decisions will be released in mid-May.

Meghana Veldhuis is an assistant News editor for the ‘Prince.’

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that regular decision is the last round of decisions in this admissions cycle, when in fact transfer decisions are the final round. The  ‘Prince’ regrets this error.

Reimagining writing seminar for all writers

However, while writing seminars teach helpful research and argumentation tactics, they often ultimately fall short of helping students with their titular skill: writing.

While writing seminars teach helpful research and argumentation tactics, they often ultimately fall short of providing students with the very skill that their name suggests.

U. under federal investigation for antisemitism after complaint by conservative activist

The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into the University on Wednesday, April 3 regarding antisemitism on campus following a January complaint. Princeton joins other universities, including Harvard and Yale, who are also facing antisemitism investigations in recent months by the Department’s Office of Civil Rights.

The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into the University on Wednesday, April 3 regarding antisemitism on campus following a January complaint. Princeton joins other universities, including Harvard and Yale, who are also facing antisemitism investigations in recent months by the Department’s Office of Civil Rights.

Eight multi-goal scorers propel No. 18 Princeton past Columbia, 24–12

The Tigers’ 24 goals is a new season-high, as the Tigers ran out to a 10–2 lead in the first quarter and never took their foot off the gas.

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Penn releases regular decision results for Class of 2028 after another record-breaking cycle

Penn announced regular decision admission results for the Class of 2028 after receiving a record number of applications for the second year in a row. 

Students were informed of admissions decisions at 7 p.m. More than 65,000 students applied to Penn this year — marking the largest application pool in Penn's history and an increase of more than 10% from last year, with the Class of 2027 receiving over 59,000 applications. 

This year's pool of admitted students includes students from 109 countries and all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Marshall Islands, and the military APO, according to a Penn Admissions press release . The Class of 2028 also includes one of the largest cohorts of students from Philadelphia.

Penn did not immediately share its acceptance rate or further demographic data for the Class of 2028, continuing a practice that began with the Class of 2026. 

Penn receives record number of applications for Class of 2028 despite admin. turmoil

Penn extends test-optional policy for class of 2029 while some ivies reinstate testing requirement.

"This year's admitted class embodies Penn's tradition of academic and  personal excellence across many dimensions," Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule wrote in the announcement. "Through their applications, students shared intellectual pursuits already underway and those they hope to undertake with Penn's faculty and with each other when they  arrive in the fall."

Last year, Penn admitted 3,474 students, resulting in an overall acceptance rate of 5.8% . Class of 2027 includes students from 48 states and 97 countries. In a Board of Trustees meeting last June, Dean of Admissions Whitney Soule stated that first generation college students make up 19% of the admitted class, while 14% are legacy students. 

Penn's record number of applicants comes after a tumultuous year for the university . Both former President Liz Magill and former Chair of the University Board of Trustees Scott Bok resigned due to mounting concerns from students, alumni, and lawmakers over antisemitism on campus.

In addition, this is the first full admissions cycle after the Supreme Court found race-conscious admissions to be unconstitutional in a landmark ruling last June. Admissions Dean Whitney Soule said in an interview with the Pennsylvania Gazette that despite the ruling, "we are reading students with the full integration of complexity that they reveal about themselves."

Penn continued to be test-optional this admission cycle and recently announced that it will maintain the policy through the Class of 2029. Other Ivies announced a return to standardized testing requirements.

The application was changed slightly this year, with each undergraduate college having its own application question. They also replaced a question asking about academic interest with a question about community involvement.

Penn kept the thank you letter prompt introduced last year. The prompt asks an applicant to write a thank you letter to a person who is important to them.

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Finally, Penn is also continuing its policy of not requiring students to put down an enrollment deposit , a policy that started in the previous admissions cycle.

Admitted students have until May 1 to make their decisions. 

"Each of these students exemplifies a unique combination of academic excellence, determination, curiosity, and joy," Soule wrote.

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Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, when do college acceptance letters typically arrive.

Hey guys, just wondering, when do colleges generally send out their acceptance letters? I'm trying to plan out my senior year and would love to know when to expect those potentially life-changing emails/mail. Also, are there differences in timing between Early Action/Decision and Regular Decision?

Hello! Anticipating college acceptance letters can certainly add a lot of excitement to your senior year. Typically, for Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) applications, which are usually due in November, you can expect to hear back from colleges in mid-December. Some schools may notify applicants a bit earlier, around late November, but mid-December is a common timeframe.

For Regular Decision, which typically has a deadline in January, colleges tend to send out acceptance letters by late March or early April. However, this can vary from school to school. It's also worth noting that some colleges have rolling admissions, which means they review applications as they come in and send out decisions usually within a few weeks or months after receiving the application, without a set decision date.

One thing to keep in mind is that the exact timing can vary each year and between institutions, so it's good practice to check the admissions websites of the colleges you're applying to for the most accurate information. They'll often have specific dates listed for when they release decisions.

Keep an eye on your email and ensure that all colleges you've applied to have your current contact information. Don't forget to check your spam folder occasionally, as sometimes important emails can end up there by mistake. It's an important time, and being organized will help you manage this phase smoothly. Best of luck!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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When are the application deadlines for college.

Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase

Many prospective college students prepare for months to ensure their college applications are filled out just right. From preparing essays , getting test scores, and asking for letters of recommendation, it can take a lot of energy to make sure you have all the required information to complete a college application.

But when are college applications due? Keep reading as we break down the ins and outs of college application deadlines, along with questions you may have about these deadlines.

When are college applications due for “early decision”?

Most colleges have early decision and early action deadlines that predominantly fall on November 1 for the next academic year. For example, if you’re applying early decision or early action to be in the incoming freshmen class of 2025, the application deadline will likely be on November 1, 2024.

If you apply early decision, and get accepted by a school, you must attend. For early action, you’ll likely receive an admission decision by February of the following year, but you can take a couple of months to decide if you want to attend or not – your decision isn’t binding.

Even though November 1 is often the norm for colleges who offer early decision and early action application options, this deadline can vary by school, so make sure to check the deadlines for each school you’re interested in and make a note of them.

When are college applications due for “regular decision”?

According to College Board, a national nonprofit that helps students with college admissions, you’ll likely see deadlines for regular decision applications between the months of January and February. Many schools have a deadline of January 1, if it’s helpful to keep a general deadline in the back of your mind. So, for instance, the regular decision deadline to apply to college for the fall of 2025, would be January 1, 2025.

Just like with early decision and early action, this’ll vary by school, so make sure to check the exact deadline for each school you’re interested in applying to.

When are college applications due for transfer students?

If you’re considering transferring schools in the next academic year, you’ll want to keep an eye out for transfer specific deadlines. Some schools have the same application deadlines whether you’re applying to transfer or are applying as a first-year student, while others have different deadlines for transfer students. Because of that, you’ll want to check the deadline for each school you’re interested in applying to as a transfer student.

Many colleges and universities have a transfer application deadline of March 1 for the next academic year.

Common FAQs about college application deadlines

When’s the common app due.

Students utilize the Common App to apply to different schools. This standardized admission application is supported by over 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities and allows you to share your personal information, essays, activities, grades and more in one platform to the schools of your choice.

While the app’s purpose is to simplify the college application process, the deadline to submit the Common App to the schools you want to apply to is based on the individual schools’ deadlines. The Common App opens to students on August 1 for the next academic year.

Can you send college applications after the deadline?

Whether or not you can submit college applications after the deadline will depend on the school. Some will accept late college applications in rare circumstances such as a family emergency, medical illness, or natural disaster. You'll want to contact the school’s admissions office as soon as possible to find out if you can submit a late college application.

Can you send college applications before receiving teacher recommendations?

If you’re applying to colleges through the Common App, you can send your application to schools before submitting letters of recommendation. If a school doesn’t use the Common App, or you’re applying to a school via its individual application regardless, you’ll want to ask the school’s admissions office if this is permissible.

Can you send college applications before receiving SAT or ACT scores?

Whether or not you can send college applications in before supplying ACT or SAT scores with an application will depend on the school. Most colleges do allow students to send updated SAT or ACT scores after you’ve submitted your application, though.

It’s also important to note that some schools don’t ask for or make it optional for students to supply standardized test scores like SAT or ACT scores with their applications.

Final thoughts

You may feel nervous when it comes to preparing your college applications , but staying on top of deadlines is one way you can feel more at ease. Because many schools have different deadlines, you may consider jotting the deadlines down for the schools you’re considering applying to months in advance, so you’ll be ready when the deadlines arrive.

2024 Application Numbers

Starting Wiki to share application data. Please only add if verified and list source.

St. Paul’s School: Applications: 1600+ Acceptance Rate: 12% Source: Revisit Day speech

Choate Rosemary Hall Applications: 3000+ Acceptance Rate: ~11% Source: Admissions Letter

Taft School Applications: 1600+ Acceptance Rate: Unknown Source: Admit Letter

Loomis Chaffee Applications: 2400+ Acceptance Rate: 17% Source: Revisit Day speech

Suffield Applications: 1150+ Acceptance Rate: ~18% Source: Revisit Day

Would be interesting to learn data on international applicants and domestic as well…

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