Etiquette for reacting / responding to acceptance letters or offers

Parents Forum
1

<< Originally posted this in the College Admissions forum. No responses and not all that many views. I think this forum is likely to be a better place but I don’t know how to move a post from one forum to another. >>

So D has been accepted for admission to the first of the colleges she applied to.

She has received the following letters:

(1) General admission to the university and a scholarship that partially waives the OOS tuition, from the admissions office.

(2) Notice of direct admission to her particular school of interest, based on her stats, from the administrator who coordinates UG admissions for that school / department.

(3) Invite to be in a named scholar program within that school (contingent on completing the university’s scholarship application), from a different administrator, apparently the one who coordinates said scholar program.

(2) and (3) followed the general admission letter by a week or two. Interestingly I think she got (3) before (2).

What is the etiquette for responding to these? Obviously she is months away from choosing a college. She’ll be completing the university’s scholarship application in the next 30 days to meet their deadline. Should she send a brief acknowledgment to those who sent her letters (2) and (3), or what is customary?

Thanks in advance - would like to understand the etiquette better now while it’s on the table for only one school, and not all of them yet.

2

Simply reply by any of the the dates indicated. The ad counselors are unlikely to be waiting around for thank you notes.

3

I also wonder about this. I hope some experienced CCers will comment.

4

No, she doesn’t need to acknowledge anything at all at this time unless she is going to accept the offer. She should, however, go ahead and complete the scholarship application by the deadline. My D got an early notification with lots of offers like your D but it was not her first choice. She sat on it until she heard from her other choice. Once she got into her first choice school, she was able to go on the school’s website and decline admission etc.

5

Colleges want you to apply to their school, and if admitted, attend.
To do the latter, they may “imply” that you need to accept so you can also apply for a scholarship…or hurry and accept admittance, otherwise somebody else may come by and snatch up that scholarship!

So read the details carefully,you most likely can wait until whatever deadline (often May 1) to accept the admittance.