<p>Is it a good idea or even just plain polite for students to contact the schools for which they were admitted, but are choosing not to attend, to let the school know, or at this point simply let May 1 come and pass, and the schools will act accordingly. We just don't know the appropriate thing to do in this setting. If a decision had been made a couple of weeks ago, it might have helped a student on the waiting list, but since May 1 is just a few days away, does it matter? Thanks.</p>
<p>My recollection was that the acceptance packages from schools had a little postcard which asked if the applicant was or was not going to matriculate. We checked the appropriate box and sent in the postcard.</p>
<p>If we couldn’t find the card, DS sent an email. He has received several nice cards and offers to keep the merit aid if he transfers sophomore year.</p>
<p>I think it is polite and good karma (if you will). If you don’t have the card, I think it is fine just to e-mail admissions. My daughter got several thank you for letting us know reply e-mails. I think it is such a busy time, that even a few days before May 1 helps.</p>
<p>crosspost with MizzBee</p>
<p>My D is currently dual-enrolled at the school she’s planning not to attend for next year. Since the admissions portal is also the current-student portal, she mentioned to me that she decided not to click the “decline” link. She didn’t want to take the slightest risk that she’d lose access to her math course announcements, gradebook, etc. right now at finals time. It probably wouldn’t happen (a top engineering school ought to have handled this scenario in their website design) but I see her point.</p>
<p>My recollection is we got cards for all the schools. My son’s sent the “no’s” as soon as they knew a school was a “no”. (They both went down to the wire on the last two.)</p>
<p>It is the accepted norm to let the schools whose offers of admission you are declining know about your decision. Most send postcards or provide another vehicle for this. </p>
<p>One college that accepted D didn’t send us anything about how to say no - just a congratulatory letter and all the papers to fill out for housing, etc. D finally called admissions to ask them how to decline their offer and they said the phone call was enough. But her other colleges and all of my son’s colleges sent a postcard or letter we could return with a “no” checkbox.</p>
<p>My d auditioned for highly selective musical theatre programs, and as soon as she had made her decision she personally contacted each of the “no” schools in writing to tell them “thanks, but no thanks”. These programs admit from 8-20 kids total from hundreds that apply/audition, so there was definitely a waiting list with someone anxious to take that opening in the program. She also made a point to decline scholarship awards, hopeful that the monies could be re-applied to another student who would attend.</p>
<p>My D sent back the postcards for all the schools that had them, especially since she received nice merit aid from most of them. Most of the postcards asked what school she was attending and why she turned them down. She had to email Drexel, since they didn’t have a postcard.</p>
<p>It’s polite, the right thing to do, and doesn’t have the school decline you when you want to transfer there in a few years for reasons you don’t yet know.</p>
<p>The colleges appreciate being notified, as soon as you know, especially I imagine if they are offering your student aid which could be awarded to someone else.
I think most schools had post cards, some didn’t, then we called or emailed admissions.</p>
<p>Many schools you are able to decline through online portal. D did this for her declines, one did not work so she sent an email. She recieved a very nice letter from 2 of her declined schools.</p>
<p>Why wouldnyou not let them know?</p>
<p>I agree with beolein on both counts. We also felt that it was a a matter of common courtesy. (Aren’t we all trying to raise our children to exercise that?) Further, it is always a good idea not to burn bridges, especially if your child had a difficult time deciding between two schools. I hope my daughter loves the one she finally chose, and I am sure she will, but one never knows. Also, the other school has some wonderful grad programs, so…</p>
<p>A student should always let a college know of his/her decision not to attend as soon as possible. It may make a difference for a student wait-listed at that school who is waiting until the last possible moment before accepting admission elsewhere.</p>
<p>
Turn this around:
“Do we have to tell all the applicants we didn’t accept, or simply let April 1 come and pass, and the students will know they weren’t accepted?” Good idea or no?</p>
<p>Or suppose that something got lost in the mail if a kid did say yes to a school, and calls to find out where his packet is? “Oh, we figured you weren’t coming. Sorry, there’s no more room for you.”</p>
<p>Yes, you have to tell the schools that you’re not coming. Don’t burn any bridges. You never know when you’re going to need them.</p>
<p>It’s appalling that this question even needs to be asked, and yet it gets asked again and again each year. It is just common courtesy and good manners that you let them know, so they can open up the spot for someone else. It’s at most a 2-minute email.</p>