You might be feeling anxious as you are waiting for your college admission decisions. It seems like time has gone by so slowly since you hit that “submit” button for your college applications. Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up the process. But, here are nine things to do while you are waiting for your college admission decisions.

1. Stay Confident

After sending in your application, you might have started having the “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda” feeling. Maybe you are second guessing the things you included in your application. Or, maybe if you could go back in time to make a change, you would. However, once that application is sent, you can’t make changes. Don’t dwell on these things. Be confident in the application and essays you submitted and know that if you are supposed to attend one of these colleges, you will receive an acceptance letter. As long as you had a well-balanced college list, you will have a college to attend in the future.

2. Don’t Catch Senioritis

Senioritis can be detrimental to your high school career, as well as college admission. You might want to take it easy now that you have submitted your college applications, but you can’t! You need to continue doing well in your classes. Don’t let your grades slip as you are waiting for your college admission decisions. Even if you do receive an acceptance letter, a college can rescind their decision if you let your grades slip.

3. Watch your Mail and Email

Admission and financial aid offices may need more information before sending out admission decisions or financial aid awards. Make sure to check your mail and email regularly and respond to the colleges promptly.

4. Check your Voicemail too

Most of us text a lot and never pay attention to those phone numbers that call us that we don’t recognize. But, many admission offices still use phone calls to reach out to applicants when they need something. So, if you choose not to answer the call, check those voicemails and either do what the admission officer asks or call them back if that is what the office needs.

5. Apply for Financial Aid

If you have not done so already, make sure you submit your FAFSA and other financial aid documents required by the colleges. Pay attention to the individual deadlines of the colleges and submit the required documents before the deadlines. If you need help paying for college, financial aid will be essential! But, you can’t receive financial aid if you don’t apply.

6. Don’t Keep Contacting Admission Offices

You might be feeling frustrated that you have not received an admission decision from the colleges yet. You might be thinking, “why can’t they just send my decision now?” While it may seem the colleges can make decisions fairly quickly, you must remember that colleges receive thousands of applications. It takes time to make decisions. Calling the admission offices to try and get your decision early will not work. Be patient with your admission officers.

7. Continue Researching the Colleges

Just because you are done applying for admission doesn’t mean you know everything there is to know about the colleges. Continue learning more about the colleges while you are waiting. Sometimes the time between receiving your decision and financial aid awards and May 1 (National Decision Day) is not a lot of time. Dig deeper as you are researching the colleges so that when the time comes to make your final decision, you will know you are making the best educated decision.

8. Apply for Scholarships

You might have slowed down on applying for outside scholarships when you were focusing on your college applications. However, now that your applications have been submitted, apply for scholarships. Everyone can use a little extra money to attend college and scholarships can be a big help! Schedule some time each week to send in quality applications for scholarships.

9. Enjoy Senior Year

You only have a few more months left of high school. And, many high schools have a lot of things going on that are fun! You might have been a little busy during the fall to really appreciate all of the fun activities. Take some time to attend games, plan for prom, or participate in an activity you were a little too busy for before. Have a little fun during your last few months of high school.

10. Stay Positive

Colleges have different timelines. If your friends have received decisions but you have not, don’t stress. Your decisions will come. Don’t let it get you down and don’t start having negative thoughts about your college admission fate. Stressing and having negative feelings helps no one! Stay positive.

Waiting is not fun! Receiving your college decisions will take some time. Have patience and keep yourself busy. College decisions will come soon.

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