The 2021-22 college admission cycle is almost over; particularly for the top 100 colleges. In order to have a solid idea of when you can expect your regular decision results, we’ve aggregated the Class of 2026 regular decision notification dates for the top 100 US colleges.
Class of 2026 Regular Decision Notification Dates
Regular Notification Dates for 2021-2022 admission cycle at Top 100 Colleges
[table id=99 /]
What to do if you get Waitlisted in the Regular Decision Round?
Given that the application volumes are going up year on year, you might get waitlisted at some of the selective colleges.
As a waitlisted applicant, you might not hear back about a decision on the admission until the May 1 deadline for high school seniors to submit their deposit and secure their spot at a college. Sometimes, applicants don’t find out until soon before the fall semester.
The admissions office’s final decision often comes down to whether there are openings for students left in the incoming class – that is, how many admitted students ended up deciding not to enroll.
Advice
Applicants should also know that college waitlists are important tools for schools to use in admissions and not necessarily a reflection of the prospective student’s application.
Being put on the waitlist means a student is a competitive candidate, but colleges are trying to admit well-rounded classes and predict who will ultimately enroll, which may mean prioritizing students based on major choices or a desirable quality they bring to the school.
Best Options if you get Waitlisted
Experts suggest wait-listed applicants carefully follow a college’s specific procedures and take these six steps to hopefully get admitted (source: US News):
- Accept a spot on the waitlist.
- Express interest again in the school.
- Submit a deposit to another university.
- Manage expectations in the admissions process.
- Be ready to make a decision if admitted.
- Inform the school where you submitted a deposit.