How Do You Get College Offers?

When do colleges start sending out offers, and how do you know if you have received one? Do they notify you by email or through the college portal?

Typically, colleges send out acceptance decisions, often referred to as "offers," in late March or early April for regular decision applicants. However, the exact timeframe can vary by institution. Early decisions and early action decisions usually come out sometime in December.

In most cases, colleges notify you of their decision through the online portal you used to submit your application. After you submit your applications, you should have received an email from each school giving you access to an online status checker. This online portal is where many schools will first post admissions decisions. Email notifications are also common, where the institution will send you an email saying a decision has been made and that you should check the portal.

However, some schools still send out physical letters, particularly for acceptance. Receiving an acceptance package in the mail can be an exciting experience! Yet, this traditional method tends to follow online notifications, so you'll likely know of your acceptance before any material arrives in the mail.

Just remember to stay on top of your emails and regularly check your online portals around the time when decisions are due to be released. Do make sure to be proactive in checking spam or junk folders in your email as well, as sometimes important communications might get directed there.