Each spring, high school seniors across the nation anxiously wait for college admission decisions, with most schools releasing their regular decision results mid to late March.
The University of California (UC) system, which has nine undergraduate campuses, gives applicants a broad range of admission release dates, March 1-31.
As of March 11, several UC campuses have already announced their decisions. UC Davis released its admissions, March 7, while UC Riverside has had rolling admissions since Feb. 28.
Looking at confirmed decisions, UC Santa Barbara announced their decisions would be released March 18, and UC Berkeley announced their decisions will be out March 27. The rest of the UC schools don’t traditionally announce the days they release decisions, which can be frustrating for many applicants as they wait in anticipation.
Beyond the UC system, other notable universities have set their decision dates. For example, Ivy League schools collectively announce their admissions results on “Ivy Day,” which historically falls on the last Thursday of March. This year, Ivy Day is expected to be March 27.
Some universities, such as many California State Universities, have adopted rolling admissions where they notify applicants of their decisions in batches. For example, San Diego State University has been notifying students since December.
The variability and uncertainty in decision release dates can be a great source of anxiety for high school seniors who have applied to multiple colleges and universities. While some universities provide specific notification dates, others offer broad time frames, leaving students in a long state of anticipation.
Once decisions are received, students are faced with the life-changing choice of deciding which college is right for them. Many universities require first-year students to submit their statement of intent to register by May 1, commonly referred to as “Decision Day.”
As college decisions continue to come out, students all across the country are faced with letters giving their acceptances, waitlists and rejections. No matter the outcome, they can take comfort in knowing that they are not alone.
