Rights: When you are offered admission you have the right to wait to respond to an offer of admission and/or financial aid until May 1.

Colleges that request commitments to offers of admission prior to May 1, must clearly offer you the opportunity to request (in writing) an extension until May 1. They must grant you an extension and your request may not jeopardize your status for admission and/or financial aid (This right does not apply to candidates admitted under an early decision program).

If you are placed on a wait list you have the right to be notified of that placement by the college or university and they should provide a history that describes the number of students on the wait list, the number offered admission, and the availability of financial aid and housing. Waitlist candidates are individuals who have been made “acceptable” by the admissions committee but who are not fully “accepted” when other students are notified on or around April 1, the traditional notification deadline for accept, deny, and waitlist. Individuals may or may not be taken from the wait list at a later date, which is largely determined by the college or university filling their new freshman class with the first round of accept letters. If a college foresees that it could be 10, 50, or 250 students short in filling their freshman class, they may, at that point, accept some or many of the students from the wait list. Colleges choosing applicants from the wait list is very unpredictable and it is best to make alternative plans at one of the colleges that accepted you. It is impossible to predict based on past occurrences if a college will or will not go to the waitlist.

Responsibilities:  Before you apply you have a responsibility to research and understand the policies and procedures of each college or university regarding application fees, financial aid, scholarships, and housing. You must also be sure of each school’s policy regarding deposits that you may be required to make before you enroll.

As you apply you must complete all material that is required for application, and submit your application on or before the published deadlines. You should seek the assistance of your high school counselor early and throughout the application period. Follow the process recommended by your high school counselor for filing applications.

It is your responsibility to arrange, if possible and appropriate, for visits to and/or interviews at colleges of your choice.

Once you receive your admission decisions you must notify each college or university whether you are accepting or rejecting its offer. You should make these notifications as soon as you’ve made a final decision but no later May 1.

You may confirm your intention to enroll and, if necessary, submit a deposit to only one college or university. The exception to this arises if you are put on a wait list and are later admitted to that institution. You may accept the offer and send in a deposit. However, you must immediately notify a college or university at which you previously indicated your intention to enroll.

If you are accepted under an early decision plan, you must promptly withdraw the applications submitted to other colleges and universities and make no additional applications. If you are an early decision candidate and are seeking financial aid, you need not withdraw other applications until you have received notification about financial aid.

If you feel your rights have been denied, you should contact the college or university immediately and request additional information or an extension of a reply date. If you need further assistance, send a copy of all correspondence you had with the college or university and a copy of your letter to: Executive Director, NACAC, 1631 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2818.