Too often students submit their applications and assume it’s okay to forget about them until those admissions decisions start rolling in. We wish that were true, but the fact is there is still work to be done. You’re responsible for making sure every element of your application reaches each of your colleges. There are also a few schools that will ask you for more information after you submit your application. So, it’s very important to stay on top of your application status and any additional information you need to provide..The actions below will help you stay on top of your submission status.
Set Up Student Applicant Portals ASAP
After you submit your applications, most colleges will email you an invitation to set up a student applicant portal. This is not only key to tracking the status of your application, this is where your admissions decision will most likely be posted. Generally, you will receive your email invitation within 24 – 72 hours of submission, and it may take up to one week. It’s best to check your email every day and set up that portal as soon as possible. You also want to stay organized by keeping a record of each school’s portal address and your login credentials for each. We suggest using whatever method works best for you – a password manager, notepad, or a digital document.
Frequently Check for Application Status Updates
Within the student portal, you will find lots of information including the individual application elements. Generally, colleges will use a checkmark system indicating whether the item has been received. These application elements will vary by college and may include:
• ACT/SAT Test scores (if required or you elected to submit)
• Individual Letters of Recommendation – Usually only the required number is tracked
– Counselor Report
– Teacher Letter(s) of Recommendation
– Other (Coach, Employer, etc.) Letter of recommendation (These are typically optional)
• Official Transcript
• School Report (Your high school sends this)
• Required/Supplemental Essays (If they weren’t included in the base application)
• Required/Supplemental Resume
• Required/Supplemental Portfolio (As an example, if applying for a fine arts degree)
With so many different elements, you can see why it’s important to check your individual portals each day to ensure all your materials have been received. You may want to create a spreadsheet to track all of your colleges and the individual elements in one place. The most important thing to keep in mind is that unless the college says it’s been received it has not. It’s not there until THE COLLEGE says it’s there!
Be on the Look Out for Surprises
Every once in a while, a college may ask for additional information from you through the portal. Some of this information is required and some is optional. Here are a few examples of additional application requests you might find when checking your student portal:
• Additional Essay Prompts
• Self-Report Academic Record
• Interviews
• Short Videos (i.e., Glimpse for domestic students or InitialView for international students)
Because these new supplemental items may have specific deadlines, it remains so important that you check your portals daily and read through them carefully. If you haven’t received any information or updates, contact your colleges’ admissions counselors to confirm your applications are complete.
Consider the Post-Submission / Demonstrated Interest Connection
A parent recently reached out to share that their student had not been checking their portal daily due to extracurricular activities. This parent was surprised to learn that one of their student’s colleges reached out to ask why? Could this be another method through which colleges are tracking your demonstrated interest, in other words how interested you are in this college? We don’t always know why college admissions offices do what they do, but we do know that they want to make offers to students who want to enroll.
Once you hit submit, don’t check out – stay engaged and monitor those portals daily to check your application status.
Looking for help with the college search and application process?
We help students and families through the entire college planning journey – from search, applications and essays to interview prep, financial aid consultation and final school selection.
Contact us at info@signaturecollegecounseling.com or by phone, 845.551.6946. We work with students through Zoom, over the phone and by email.
