<p>Well, my D finally notified three of the other four colleges. She sent emails to the Deans of admission. One of them emailed back and, basically, asked if there wasn’t something they could do to change her mind. He specifically mentioned reconsidering her for more scholarship dollars. Not sure what to do with this. She sent in the deposit to her final choice at the same time she emailed this college that she wasn’t coming. Of course they don’t know she sent in a deposit to another college.</p>
<p>I would just say thanks again for the scholarship and reiterate that School X (Oberlin) is a better fit for whatever reasons.</p>
<p>Thank you for the time and effort you spent considering me. I really appreciate your time and effort. I am grateful for your scholarship offer. However, after much thought and careful deliberation, I have decided to enroll in School X which is a better match for my interests and goals.</p>
<p>"Well, my D finally notified three of the other four colleges. She sent emails to the Deans of admission. One of them emailed back and, basically, asked if there wasn’t something they could do to change her mind. He specifically mentioned reconsidering her for more scholarship dollars. Not sure what to do with this. She sent in the deposit to her final choice at the same time she emailed this college that she wasn’t coming. Of course they don’t know she sent in a deposit to another college. "</p>
<p>Well, would your dd have placed this school higher on her list if they’d given more money? If they came up with enough, would it change her mind? Would it be worth forfeiting the deposit money (if it’s non-refundable)?</p>
<p>ask all ca_mom’s questions. If the extra scholarship amount is enough to change her mind AND cover the lost deposit, then maybe revisit that school, both on paper and maybe even physically. This is about making the best choice and many factors come into play.</p>
<p>And the deposit may not be forfeited, if your dd changes her mind by Friday.</p>
<p>Absolutely inform the admissions office. There are kids that are waiting to be accepted to their dream school from the waitlist, so it is the least that you can do to inform the schools waiting for your reply. These schools won’t be mad, just reply to them saying “thank you very much, but I have been accepted to such and such and I have decided to attend. Thank you.” Inform the school, it’s not even a conflict. They understand and likely have a large waitlist, allow a kid who actually wants to go to this school a shot. Please, please, please tell your daughter to call or at the very least email them. If she is really that uncomfortable with informing the college then you definitely should call or email them on her behalf.</p>
<p>One of my friend’s has told me her dd is NOT notifying the schools she is not going to and seems to think it’s no big deal. She’s told me that no reply cards were received (I find that hard to believe). What’s funny is that this friend goes ballistic about RSVPs and non responders. I’ve sent her my input, and some input from here as well. But other than send the notifications myself I don’t think there is anything more I can do. Even the comments about letting the schools know so they can open up spots to the wait listed students didn’t seem to impress her.</p>
<p>^^
That is sad, ca_mom. My son sent in his acceptance card and deposit yesterday. At the same time, he e-mailed his regional officer in admissions and told him he was happily accepting their offer. </p>
<p>Today, he wrote letters to each college he was rejecting to thank them for the time and effort they had put into his application. If they had offered him FA or scholarship, he thanked them for that, too. He explained what he had liked about the college he was rejecting. I thought the letters were excellent and absolutely right. It didn’t take him terribly long, but he thought it was important to do more than check the box saying no. I agree.</p>
<p>Honestly, after years of telling my kids about the importance of being polite with thank you notes, etc., I was as happy to see him do this (without prompting!) as I was when he finished his many application essays.</p>
<p>I would say generally no- while it’s technically “courteous” it likely wastes their time. My friend did this and the school thought she had confirmed and asked for a deposit, so she had to clarify she was turning them down.</p>
<p>I can’t belive there’s a thread about this. Respect the process and know that for the spot you received there were maybe 4 people dying to get in who just didn’t make it. Just send a quick email if it absolutely bothers you to send in a few prepaid envelopes.</p>
<p>I don’t think sending an email or letter of declination wastes time at all. I applied to and was admitted to three universities, one of which was Saint Louis University. I sent them a short email stating that I had decided not to attend their institution and thanked them for the scholarships and tours. I received a lovely email back wishing me the best of luck and to feel free to apply again, maybe even perhaps in two years for grad school. </p>
<p>So it is not a time waster. That email or letter could be the window to an opportunity in the future.</p>
<p>I think that applicants owe all schools that accepted them a small response informing them that they won’t be attending. It takes five minutes and its simply common courtesy.</p>
<p>FINALLY got my daughter to email one school saying she was not interested in being on the waitlist and send back the postcard to another school saying she was not attending. Not only is it a courtesy for all the reasons stated above but it’s also an interesting market research study for most. My daughter’s forms all asked where she was attending if she was rejecting their school, they wanted to know their competition. </p>
<p>The school my daughter rejected was her safety school so the two colleges she’s still debating over were pretty obvious, the waitlisted one was on par with her other two in the running so that said something to the administration as well.</p>
<p>Five of the eight places had cards or forms to return, and those have been completed. Only two had postage-paid reply forms, interestingly enough (will that decrease the number of responses?). </p>
<p>One place had no way to respond. One other had an online response only. </p>
<p>They all wanted to know where S will be attending (well, except for the one that had no means of replying); one wanted to know all the places he’d been accepted as well as which one he’d be attending. One place (w/the online response) wanted to know specifically why that place had been chosen.</p>
<p>what is so hard about filling in the little card they send in you in the admitted students packet?? why is this even a question?</p>
<p>Why is this even a question? Because I guess some people, as illustrated by my friend and her dd, think it’s “no big deal” not to notify the un-chosen schools.</p>
<p>We have received snail mail responses thanking S for applying and confirming his decision not to matriculate at their university. I doubt the colleges would put in this type of time if it was no big deal. I think it is important to them and as such deserves appropriate responses from its accepted students</p>
<p>I know dd is still receiving emails from the schools she’s not going to, but I also know she’s left it until the very end to notify them. I also found that in the check list her college advisor puts together for all seniors, one of their check off items is to notify all schools they’ve applied to of their decision.</p>
<p>I notified all the schools that gave me a card. The problem is that one of the schools did not give me a card. I’m thinking of just sending an email to their admissions office.</p>
<p>It’s amazing this question got 81 replies. The answer is a simple yes. </p>
<p>You should inform these schools, which took the time to consider your daughter’s application, with a simple decline of their offer.</p>