May 1 is Decision Day

I read an interesting article from George Mason University.  Here is the link. An admission advisor for George Mason University was giving his opinion of May 1st, the national candidates reply date.  Although his complete article is promoting his college, he gives a very nice synopsis of the meaning of May 1st to a high school senior:

May 1st = Decision Day

In general, colleges and universities give you until May 1st of your senior year to make up your mind on which school you want, and ask you to submit a deposit by then. If you submit a commitment with a deposit early, it’s supposed to be refundable until May 1, and you shouldn’t miss out on any spots in housing, orientation, or registration by waiting until May 1. That gives you time to compare scholarships and aid, and hopefully visit the schools and decide which one is right for you.

The May 1 date is a national agreement among colleges and universities brokered years ago by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, and one of the few policies that really and truly operates just to protect applicants.

But…

A handful of schools (lets call then Immoral, Corrupt, and just plan Bad Universities) try to game that process.

May 1st is a stressful time.  Remember that if you are paying for college, you get to decide where to spend your money.  At the same time, remember that it is your child who will actually be living at the school and attending classes, so it is critically important that they like it.  By May 1st, you want have already selected appropriate colleges for your student, so that in May of senior year, your student is just choosing between options that are acceptable to you.  If that is the case, and all options are acceptable to you, then let your child carry the decision, since your child will be the one living and learning there.

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