Freshman spring admit?

My child was accepted spring admit 2020/freshman. I find this discomfiting. He gets to watch his friends matriculate into their various colleges while he cools his heels at home, and his class at Pepperdine bonds as freshmen, then he gets to join in as the “late freshman” - oh, and he can’t take gen- eds at a local community college in the meantime, because then he’s a transfer, not a freshman. I would prefer “yes” or “no” - not this. Apparently my child is an insurance policy for the freshmen who drop out after first semester. And, he gets to load up like crazy in seven semesters, or graduate a semester after his peers. This has totally turned my child and me off of the school, when previously it had been a top pick. Has anyone else gotten a “spring admit” letter and do you have this response? Had they just said no, he would apply after his freshman year at Villanova as a transer, if he were still interested in Pepperdine. This response is just really dissuasive. Am I missing something?

We had the same experience with our D yesterday. Not a rejection but also not something that she is very excited about. A quick google search for “Pepperdine spring admits” brings up a few articles in their school newspaper about transitioning in as a spring enrollee. None of these make it sound like the ideal freshman experience.

I’m a senior at Pepperdine. I know a lot of people who were spring admits, and all of them took classes at their local community college during the fall semester before arriving at Pepperdine. Not sure if that has changed now or why your son can’t? If not, taking the semester to work or intern could be good.

Pepperdine has a special orientation and events for all the new students coming in during the spring, so I know that’s a plus. If he’s really set on Pepperdine, I’d say go for it. If he’s more open to where he attends and isn’t as attached to one particular school or location, definitely go somewhere else.