When Do College Admissions Decisions Come Out?

Applications have all been submitted, and now the long wait for colleges’ decisions begins. Now the question all students have is the same: how long will they need to wait to hear the decisions? Many students stress about decisions, and uncertainty as to when to expect their results only adds to this.

Unfortunately, there is no unified system between schools as to when results are released. While some do cooperate (such as the Ivy League), each is operating based on their own concerns and internal deadlines. In this article, we’ll tell you when you can expect admissions decisions from the country’s top schools. We’ll also cover some of why it takes so long for these decisions to come out. We know you’ve been waiting eagerly to hear from these colleges. Don’t worry, decisions are coming soon.

Decision Release Dates for Top Schools

Here is when you can expect to hear from top universities and liberal arts colleges about regular decision applications:

Note that when a college says a decision will be released by April 1st, it may come out sooner; colleges are still figuring out just how many students applied, and want to give their admissions officers enough leeway to sift through the massive pile of applications. Some of these schools may announce earlier release dates going forward, but this is not guaranteed.

Why Does it Take So Long?

There are two primary reasons it takes so long for admissions decisions to come out. The first is that colleges are receiving more applications than ever, with record high applications to top colleges in the last year. Due to the sheer volume of applications, colleges require some time to properly assess and create a class.

The other reason is that it takes a certain amount of time to review an application well. Many top colleges review each application multiple times, especially those which are competitive for admissions. Each needs to be fully understood and weighed on its own merits.

Doing this in-depth reading and evaluating takes time. Admissions officers are professionals, and they are able to do this quickly, but they are still people, requiring time to read and process. Think about how much time you spent crafting your application; you should want admissions officers to do their due diligence when reviewing it.

When you combine this review process with the volume of applications, it seems almost miraculous admissions decisions come out as quickly as they do. Admissions officers work long hours for days at a time to finish by the deadline, and we are grateful for their efforts.

What is “Ivy Day?”

All the Ivy League schools release their decisions on the same day. This is intentional, with the date selected collectively among them. The idea is to prevent one of the schools from gaining an advantage in attracting students by releasing their decisions first, and thus starting an unsustainable arms race.

This, of course, raises the question as to why other schools don’t band together and do exactly this. Surely it would be easier for everyone if there were a unified date when colleges released their admissions decisions?

Unfortunately, each college has their own process for reviewing applications, receives a different number of applicants, and builds a class of a different size. Some public colleges are also beholden to regulations governing acceptance, further complicating an already byzantine process. 

Thus while it would be far less stressful for students if colleges coordinated their decision dates, this is sadly impractical from the colleges’ perspective. This year, however, Ivy Day is March 27, and you can expect decisions from Ivy League schools then.

Note that some other colleges will intentionally release their results on this day simply to gain a closer association with the Ivy League, but this is done sporadically, based on the whims of the individual colleges who do so.

What Comes Next?

We have other resources for what comes next. If you are accepted, check out our guide to transitioning to college. If you want to take a gap year instead of enrolling right away, see instead our guide to deferring acceptance.

If you don’t get into your first choice school, consider appealing off the waitlist, or transferring in from another college.

College is an exciting new chapter in your life, and we encourage you to take some time at the end of high school to savor all you have accomplished so far, and look forward to all you will go on to do. 

Final Thoughts

We know that waiting for decisions to come out can be nerve wracking. You have submitted your applications, but now there is nothing to do but sit and wait, pondering your fate. We suggest you focus on your academics and activities in the meantime; this will help take your mind off it, plus they help prepare you for college. 

If you are just now starting to think about applying, and want help with your application before the long wait begins, you should schedule a free consultation with us to learn how we can help you. We have long experience crafting stellar applications, and are always eager to help students achieve their collegiate dreams.