Is it too late to apply to more colleges?

March is the time of year when many universities release any remaining admissions decisions. Whether students applied in the Regular Decision round or were deferred from Early Action or Early Decision, this is the month when they should have an update in hand from each university to which they applied.

Those updates will undoubtedly bring some wonderful news. But they may also bring some regret or anxiety. Students may wonder if they should have applied to more colleges, or they may have had a change of heart about the size, location, or costs of their ideal university. They might even be second-guessing their intended major. These feelings may lead to a desire to submit additional applications. If that’s the case, here are some things to think about, as well as resources to help students identify schools that may still be accepting applications.

Before applying to more schools, keep in mind:

• March 1 is a common scholarship and financial aid deadline. If a student applies to a college after that date, the college will likely have fewer merit scholarships and less need-based financial aid to offer. Before submitting a new app, prospective applicants can call the admissions and financial aid offices to determine if applying late is financially practical.
• Just because a university is still accepting applications doesn't mean that a student will be accepted to a specific major or program. This will be especially true for popular, competitive majors in fields like nursing, engineering, and business, and for majors that require additional application materials (think auditions for acting programs or portfolios for architecture majors). Students can call admissions offices to see if their intended major is still a possibility.

Feeling unsure? Consider alternatives:

• If a student isn't thrilled with their list of admitting schools, it might be time to consider community college. Hastily applying to additional universities may result in acceptances to schools that aren’t actually great fits. Instead of rushing into a four-year experience, explore local community colleges, which should still be accepting applications. It’s important to note that transferring from a community college to a four-year university tends to be a more straightforward (and affordable!) process than moving between four-year universities.
• If a student is feeling unsure about whether or not any sort of college is the right next step, they may want to consider a gap year. Consider a break from school in order to work and save money, do community service, or simply slow down and explore a variety of post-high-school pathways, whether that means college, technical training, or an apprenticeship in a trade.

• NACAC College Openings Update: Though not updated at the time of this writing, the National Association for College Admission Counseling provides an annual list of colleges still accepting applications each spring. Many high school counselors are members of NACAC and can also help students find colleges still accepting apps.
• Common App: Students can log into the Common App (or open an account if they don’t already have one), then use the College search option. From there, they can set a filter to find schools that have a deadline on or after a specific date. Of the nearly 1,200 member institutions in the Common App, around half offer application deadlines of June 1 or later.
• Your email inbox: In the tsunami of spam that most students receive from colleges in 11th and 12th grade, there are likely some emails letting students know that applications are still open.