It's College Decision Day

It's May 1, the national deadline for students to make their final college decision, and put a deposit down to secure their space in the fall. This milestone date gives us an opportunity to review two very important pieces of information:

1. DO NOT deposit at more than one college. Double-depositing is unethical and unfair. It's unfair to the college, which will use the number of students who deposit on May 1 to determine how many students to admit from the wait list. It's certainly unfair to the students on the wait list—imagine if you were waiting to hear if you were accepted from the wait list, which can only happen if the school has space available. When you deposit, you are taking up one of those spaces. Most counselors will advise you not to double-deposit, and most high schools will not send your final transcript to more than one college.

2. Speaking of your transcript, DO NOT slack off now! Your high school career is almost over, you've decided where to go to college—but remember, that good news of your acceptance was contingent upon your performing at the same level as you had performed until now. Keep those grades up—you're almost done!

3. If you are on the wait list for a college you'd really like to attend, now is the time to put forth that extra effort—send that additional recommendation or an essay about an interesting accomplishment since you applied. If there's a space open, make sure they know you want it!

And as always, here's some advice for students just finishing up their sophomore or junior years: everything counts, so give your best effort at everything you do. Academics, summer programs, extracurriculars, and of course, standardized tests—these are the things that colleges will look at when you apply. The harder you work, the better you do, the more you develop and show your passion and your potential, the more options you will have. There's a college experience for everyone—whether your transcript is sprinkled with C's or straight A's.