What to Expect When You’re Expecting an Admissions Decision

Unlike admissions at Hogwarts—where magical children receive an acceptance by owl when they turn 11—Bay Area muggle families retrieve admission decisions a little differently, and there is a range of outcomes. After pouring your heart into essays, your time into school visits, and biding your time through the months of February and March, “Decision Week” can feel abrupt and mystifying.  Below I’ll break down five types of decisions you could receive. (Next week I’ll preview you for the emotional trip of Decision Week.)

Admission decisions are generally released on a specific date and time, so watch your email for notification guidance. Some schools release decisions on their admission portals and others via email–especially if it’s an acceptance. 

It is important that you know what to expect and think through decisions in advance, so you (and your child, depending on their age) can act quickly after decisions are released. You will only have a week to make decisions. Schools expect to hear from you as quickly as possible so they know who will be matriculating and offer spots to students in the wait pool. For you that may mean: 1) accepting a spot at a school; 2) releasing a spot so that it can go to another student, or 3) letting a school know that you’re interested in staying in the wait pool. It is considered highly unethical to say “yes” to two schools or to put down a deposit at two schools.

Potential Outcomes

Accept: Yay! Celebrate, even if you or your child has no interest in enrolling at a school. An acceptance is a wonderful affirmation of your child and their hard work, full stop.

If your child plans to matriculate (sign a contract and attend the school): complete your contract and let them know your intention to enroll as soon as possible. This secures your child’s spot and helps other students sitting in wait pools, hoping for spots. Please remember that if you or your child sent a first choice letter, the expectation is that they attend the school, unless the school did not offer enough financial assistance.

If your child will not be attending a school to which they were accepted: you should release the spot on the admissions portal and via email as soon as possible. This will speed up the wait pool process for another student. Please note, you cannot ask that a school give the spot to a friend who desperately needs it. However, schools are always looking for a balanced representation from around the city, so it could help a fellow community member. I also recommend sending a note to any school your child will not be attending to let them know what you appreciated about their process. This is like a “break up letter” and it leaves things on good terms, especially if you have a younger child who may be applying to the school in a couple of years.

High Priority Wait Pool: Some schools—not all—use this designation. If your child receives this outcome, it means they have a shot at clearing the wait pool. However, this letter may have been sent to 20-40 other students, so exercise cautious optimism. Some schools ultimately offer 1–2 spots a year to their wait pool; other schools may offer more, and some schools never go to their wait pool. It also varies from year to year. If your child receives a High Priority Wait Pool outcome and remains eager to go to the school and indicate your continued interest on the Admissions Portal. Then you or your child (depending on their age) should write an email to the director of admission (and anyone else on the admission team with whom they had meaningful contact) and express their continued interest in remaining in the wait pool. If, and only if applicable, state “X school is my top choice, if I’m accepted, I will enroll.” Be prepared to follow through if the offer comes. Sometimes you may only have a couple of hours to make a decision. At most you’ll have a day. If you are accepted off a wait pool you will be expected to act decisively and quickly.

Wait Pool: Many schools issue a Wait Pool letter to any qualified student who applied. It could be good news, but on its own it doesn’t necessarily mean that an acceptance is imminent or even likely. For some schools this is a soft deny. Maintain measured optimism and encourage enthusiasm about other options.

Deny: The conversation is over. Regardless of who you know on the board, your child is not getting in. Congratulate your child for setting lofty goals because one never gets anywhere in life without reaching for the stars, and then focus on their other schools. Do not contact the school.

Receiving a "deny" letter may hurt more than you expect, and it may elicit a range of emotions for you. In the presence of your child, contain your emotions and allow them to set the tone. Often, they are not as upset as parents, and it's important to follow their cues. While no one likes bad news, the clarity of a deny letter can help you redirect your energy to where it can be useful. I find "deny" letters kinder and clearer than "courtesy wait pool" letters from schools that have no intention of accepting the student.

An Accept with Financial Assistance Wait Pool: Admission directors explain that they do this because they want to honor a child’s hard work and show that this issue is purely financial and not a reflection of the child’s promise. But it can be hard for a 13- or 14-year-old to understand and puts parents in a difficult position. It is not a full acceptance. Your child will not receive a “full acceptance” unless other students “return” the aid they need or you can find the tuition money somewhere. 

“Decision Week” can feel like an eternity when you’re waiting in a wait pool and it can fly by when you’re trying to make a difficult decision. 

Prepare as much as you can in advance. Do your homework now: get your questions answered and push yourself to run through decision trees now. You will think more clearly before the clock begins ticking. 

My next posting will be about managing the emotions of the week. Stay tuned! 

Spruce Advisors Educational Consulting supports families applying to preschool–high school in the Bay Area and to boarding schools across North America, helping them find the right school for their child.