Denied? What to Do Now

So, you were denied admission by not one, two, but every single college you applied to? Sure, it seems unfair, and humiliating, but you aren't alone. Every summer, thousands of high school seniors find themselves with no idea what they will do come fall. And, after slinging arrows at an admission-officer dart board, they re-map their future and get on with their lives. Honest. Some sites to help you get started are at the top of this page.

Petersons Enrollment Message Center
The Enrollment Message Center lists announcements from schools with freshman and transfer vacancies. In early summer, the listings are sparse, but they thicken as the dog days wear on.

Trickle-down admission theory holds that as schools accept students off their waitlists, those students pull out of schools they have already committed to, leaving that school looking for students. If the students on their waitlist have made other plans, the school will look for late-admits.

Admission officers refer to "summer melt" as the number of students they lose over the summer, due to trickle-down admissions, and to other factors like finances and fear of leaving home. Their loss, however, is your gain!

New England Colleges Student Vacancy Survey
If snow-covered campuses are calling your name, use this list of openings at schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Check back often, and apply right away. New openings crop up often, but the precious spaces are snapped up fast - so you may see only a few per visit.

NACAC Space Availability Survey
You need your counselors help for this one. Each year, the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) puts together an extensive list of openings garnered from a survey of their members. The survey results are available on the "members only" section of NACAC's Web site during spring and summer. Your counselor is most likely to remember, and should be able to access the list for you (using their six-digit NACAC membership number on their membership card or NACAC mailing label). If you are not in contact with your counselor during summer break, you may request a print copy of the survey for $3.00. Call 703-836-2222 for more information.

Reprinted from Solutions, Octameron Associates