You're Admitted, Now What?

You've spent hours completing your admissions application — wrote the essay, got letters of recommendation, visited schools, and maybe even made a pros and cons list. All the hard work is done. You waited, and the day arrived — Congratulations, you're in! But, now what?

Step 1: Celebrate

First things first, celebrate your accomplishment! Whether you got one acceptance or 10, celebrate them all with your family and friends. This is the next big step for you, so instead of worrying about the details right away, enjoy every minute of it and be proud of yourself!

Step 2: Understand Your Offer

It's likely that you applied to similar, if not the same, majors during the application process. But now it's important to dive in and fully understand what you were offered from each of the schools you were admitted into. You'll want to sit down and fully understand your major and program, the differences in financial aid packages, if you were admitted into any special programs or accelerated degree programs (or maybe you were admitted to Drexel, and you never heard of co-op before — time to understand that!), etc.

When comparing these pieces of information, you may notice that while they are similar, there are pros and cons to each of the programs and schools you were admitted into. I recommend making a spreadsheet or a list to compare all of these different pieces of your offer package. While doing this you may even come up with some pieces of your offer that you don't fully understand, which leads us into the next step.

I recommend going to visit each one of your schools that you applied to if it's possible (and if you already did, I recommend going again!).

Step 3: Ask Questions

I recommend as soon as you get your admission packages and you figure out what pieces of information are outstanding, make a list. There are people, like me, who can answer your questions at any school that you applied to either over the phone or via email. I recommend searching online to see if you have a specific contact; if not, you can typically email a general address to get in contact with someone in admissions.

Ask all your questions because you may even be provided information you knew nothing about, and this may be the reason you choose a specific school. It's super important to get in touch with those who know the university best.

Step 4: Attend Admitted Students Events

Now, while choosing a college and university is about an academic and financial fit, it can also be about the location and the amenities offered to you as a student. I recommend going to visit each one of your schools that you applied to, if it's possible (and if you already did, I recommend going again!). Colleges and universities will typically have Admitted Student Events. These are more comprehensive events that allow you to get a deeper dive into the university and the program you applied to, rather than just a general information session and a tour. At these events, you may be able to get in touch with current students, learn about study abroad, and get a view of the residence halls!

Step 5: Get Social #NewDragons

Going to college is an exciting, yet scary time. You're likely going to be leaving a lot of your high school friends behind and will need to make a new group of friends. Don't wait until you arrive on campus, start now! Most schools have a social media platform they utilize to gather students so that you can introduce yourself and get to know others, and maybe you'll even meet someone you'd like to be your roommate! I met my roommates through the Drexel Facebook Group back when I was a student, and to this day, one of them is my best friend. You never know who you'll meet in these groups, so get connected and start talking to other admitted or confirmed students.

Step 6: Do What's Best for You

This is a big decision — and while your family and friends may help you make this choice, at the end of the day, it's your choice. Sit down and think about each of the schools, what you like, how they make you feel, what your student loans may look like after college, and weigh all of your pros and cons. Remember, this is a big decision, and it could change your life, but it isn't permanent. The worst thing you could do is make a decision that is all for money or status and realize a year in that you wish you would have gone to the school that made you light up on campus. And even then, transferring to a school that gets you excited and feels more like home to you is always an option.