You may be asking yourself, "What if I don’t get into college?" Even if you didn’t receive any college acceptance letters this time around, you still have options—and you can still go to college. The United States has nearly 4,000 colleges, so you can still find a college that will be a great fit for you.
Your first step is to talk to your counselor, your principal, or a teacher. The professionals at your school have experience helping other students through this and can advise you on what to do next. Here are some other actions you may choose to take.
Some have late-admission policies or rolling deadlines — use College Search to find colleges that are still accepting applications for next year.
Ask admission officers, politely and respectfully, to explain why you didn’t get in. Use that information to your benefit by improving future applications.
Appealing (that is, asking admission officers to reverse their decision) is an option but only at certain colleges. A successful appeal is rare and requires you to prove your case. For instance, you discover your high school sent the wrong transcript to the college. Talk to your counselor if you have questions about appealing.
In rare instances, a college that has turned you down may allow you to reapply during your senior year if your grades or test scores improve dramatically. But this is an alternative only if the college’s application deadline has not expired. Contact the college’s admission office to ask if this is an option.
Many students in this situation spend a year or two taking general-education courses at a community college — most of which admit all students on a first-come, first-served basis — and then transfer to a four-year college.
Whichever route you decide to take, remember this is only a temporary setback. Many students have been in the same position as you and made it into college. You’re not alone. Stay positive and focused, and one day, you’ll receive your college acceptance letter!
