Freshman year starts today for some college students

Parents Forum
1

<p>From yesterday's St. Louis Post Dispatch:</p>

<p>"When Shilpa Rupani learned that she had been accepted to Washington
University, it was not exactly the ecstatic moment for which she had hoped.</p>

<p>"So am I in, or not?" she wondered when a school official told her that she
had been admitted into the school's January Program. Students get in on the
condition that they start a semester later than their peers.</p>

<p>A roomful of parents and students last week at a university convocation
laughed knowingly at Rupani's anecdote. In the group were many of the 42
freshmen in the January Program, who will begin their college journeys
today, with the start of the spring semester. About 1,400 of their peers
started in the fall.</p>

<p>At Washington University, they call themselves "j-progs," "jan plans" and
"j.p.'s." At Middlebury College in Vermont, they are known as "Febs." At
other colleges and universities around the country, they are called "spring
admits," "winter starts" or simply "midyear admissions."</p>

<p>Whatever they are called, they appear to be part of a growing - and not
very well-advertised - trend in the world of college admissions."</p>

<p>more is on their web page</p>

2

<p>I have a friend whose S started this week at Colorado College. There are about 40 "spring admits" starting with him. He was disappointed at the time of the acceptance, but it seems like it will all work out.</p>

3

<p>There are actually many schools who do considerations for spring semester admits - actually - some actually like to know if you would mind this option as an alternative - and it actually can increase ones chances for acceptance - tho there are also many schools who do not do any spring semester admits at all.</p>

<p>It is a good question to ask of the schools you are interested in.</p>

4

<p>hmm do ivy-league schools use this system??</p>

5

<p>S is spring admit at UC Berkeley. They have had the program since the 1980s. The number is roughly 800 (that may be junior xfers and freshmen; its been a while since I looked up the stats). They do offer a freshmen program for spring admits that is offered in the fall through University Extension. It is limited to 600 freshmen; the classes have fewer students; they get UC credit, but the grades aren't included in their GPA. And, it costs more than the normal tuition.</p>