More than 400 college and universities still have openings, financial aid, and housing available to qualified freshmen and/or transfer students for the fall 2018 semester. This information comes from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) which releases a list, in early May of each year, of schools that still have room for students seeking admission for the upcoming fall semester.
May 1 is the national response deadline for most colleges in the U.S. By that date, students must choose the college they will be attending in the fall and send in a deposit to reserve their seat (and room and board, if they are planning to live on campus). Since most students apply to a multitude of colleges, it’s impossible for colleges to know for sure how many students will actually enroll until the reply deadline rolls around. After May 1, colleges that have not met their target enrollment are anxious to accept additional students in order to bring in the tuition money necessary to keep on budget.
Often, even well-qualified students are not accepted to the college of their dreams. Other times, students change their minds. As the time to leave home for college approaches, students sometimes wish they had chosen a school closer to home. For these reasons and others (basic procrastination), students may find themselves approaching high school graduation without a plan for the fall.
Fortunately for these students, the NACAC has recently released a list of more than 400 colleges that are still accepting applications for the fall semester of 2018. Included are six New Jersey universities that have openings for both incoming freshmen and transfer students and are still offering housing and financial aid. The public NJ schools are New Jersey Institute of Technology and Stockton University. The private NJ universities are Caldwell, Drew, Rider and Saint Peter’s.
There are an additional 25 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania accepting applications, including Albright, East Stroudsburg, Moore College of Art and Design, Penn State, The University of Scranton, and York College of Pennsylvania.
Students seeking a New York education will find opportunities at 21 schools including Adelphi, Hofstra, The Culinary Institute of America, The New School, Wagner College, and several campuses of the State University of New York (SUNY).
Students wanting to spread their wings will be happy to know that there are international options as well. Some colleges and universities are still accepting applications in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The key, at this point, is to act promptly. Students who are interested in a particular college should immediately contact its admissions department to find out exactly what materials need to be submitted. Students should also inquire about the availability of merit-based and need-based financial aid. After meeting all requirements, as quickly as possible, students should follow-up with an admissions officer and reiterate their strong desire to attend that particular college. An acceptance letter may appear in their mail (or email) sooner than they expect.
Susan Alaimo is the founder and director of SAT Smart in Hillsborough that has been offering PSAT, SAT, and ACT preparation courses, as well as private tutoring by Ivy League educated instructors, for more than 25 years. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362