April showers and the Candidates' Reply Date
I know it will surprise you to read that it was raining this morning in Seattle. Actually, it was real rain for a bit: not drizzling, not showering, or any of the other euphemisms we have for water coming out of the sky. It actually represented a downpour for a few minutes. However, it was 58 degrees as I drove into town, and everywhere the air is fresh and actually fragrant; spring is here and sunny days are ahead. Actually, Friday afternoon and Saturday were drop dead gorgeous -- in the high 60's and I was able to begin tacking the jungle my garden has become. Everywhere you look plants and trees are blooming and the perfume of the flowers is pretty pungent; we turned off the heat and opened all the windows to let the air into the house. You could feel the collective frustration of the Puget Sound region yesterday when it began to shower again. This, too, shall pass.
Confirmation deposits have been coming in steadily; so have calls from those on the waiting list hoping to secure a spot. It is important for those who have been admitted to note that confirmation deposits need to be postmarked by this coming Thursday, May 1. This is true not just at Seattle University, but at colleges and universities across the nation. We need to have a clear idea of who is actually coming so that we can determine whether to offer anyone on the waiting list a spot. It is really helpful if people have decided where they are enrolling to notify the other universities to which they have been admitted. Doing so isn't just nice, it is kind: it means that someone else might have an opportunity -- not just to be admitted, but perhaps an opportunity for a scholarship or admission to an honors program, inclusion on a athletic team, and the like. This is true at universities across the country and with the ease of e-mail it isn't hard to do so.
By the way, I am not attempting to blow smoke in your ear, but the May 1 deadline has teeth at many colleges and universities; even schools you might assume will be flexible might end up having more people accept their offer of admission than they predicted. Both at Seattle University and one of our major (but collegial) competitors in recent years we have been confronted by the unpleasant situation of having to note postmarks and refuse late deposits. Typically we have some flexibility, but it isn't a certainty. Sending a late deposit is particularly inadvisable if you want to be assured campus housing -- and we can't enroll out of area freshmen (the majority here) if we can't house them. If you are pretty sure you want to enroll here or at another university, and there is some compelling reason you can't send your confirmation deposit by May 1 then it is critical that you contact that college or university and secure a deposit deadline extention. Please be realistic: every year we have people calling and saying they need till June; in that case the answer is no; we have to be mindful of the needs of those on the waiting list. Usually 10 days or so is considered reasonable provided there is a substantive reason. An example might be that you have provided Student Financial Services with additional information on your family's financial circumstances and are awaiting notification whether that will result in a change in your financial aid award. I need to be honest, telling a university that you are waiting to learn whether you are going to get off another university's waiting list isn't going to be warmly received; in all likelihood they have a waiting list also.
If you are struggling then you ought to write up a list of your requirements, what you like and what you don't like, and then to compare the institutions you are still comparing to the list and see how they compare.
Best wishes to you and your family as you make your decision.