Be Patient

I know that it can be frustrating when you have to be patient when waiting for something to happen. Waiting to hear any news that you are anxious for can be nerve-wracking.  Waiting to hear if you have been accepted to college is one of the biggest pressure filled waits many students have experienced so far in life. The idea of waiting for the next phase of your life can be tough. Waiting... waiting... and still more waiting.

But the reality is you need to be patient.

Right now colleges are overwhelmed and frequently back-logged with all of the applications they have been receiving. When colleges are receiving materials it often takes them two weeks to get everything processed and updated in the computer. But at the same time they often send out notices to students that are automatically generated letters which they send just to remind you that you need to send your transcript and test scores and a recommendation letter. Students tend to panic when they receive that letter and want to send the materials again. Colleges typically do not want that happening as it will simply back up their system even more. 

Try to be patient. If you get one of these letters (from any college) take a moment and double check - did you send your transcript? Are they missing everything or some particular item? If you applied via Common App you can log in and check to see if everything was submitted and downloaded by the college.  If your materials were mailed within a 2-3 week time-frame, then take a deep breath and relax knowing that it is likely just because their system is backed up. Continue double checking on the college website (most will give you access to see your application status) and see if they have everything. If you are nearing the end of the 3rd week and they still don't have all of your items you can give them a call to double check. Chances are they just haven't made it there yet, but there are times where things get lost in the mail or filed in the wrong area. If items need to be sent again then we will work on taking care of that, but first make sure that they really are missing it.

As always, swing by my office to see me if you have any questions.