Fat or thin envelopes? Students learn their college fate

This is the time of year high school guidance counselors give out tissues or high-fives.

Tissues go to seniors devastated after getting rejected by their dream colleges. High-fives congratulate students admitted to their first-choice schools.

Thursday was the day many Ivy League colleges and other competitive institutions told students if they were admitted. Georgia Tech posted decisions online March 15 and students who applied to the University of Georgia learned their fates March 26. Students who applied through early admission got answers several months ago.

"This is a tough week and we've been hearing from a lot of unhappy folks," said Nancy McDuff, UGA's associate vice president for admissions and enrollment management.

UGA admitted about 55 percent of the 17,659 students who applied, officials said. Typically, about half of the admitted students enroll. Another 1,100 students were offered a spot on the wait list. If slots open, students on the list are admitted, but they won't get any additional information until May or June.

"If you're a student on the wait list you need to make your Plan B your Plan A," McDuff said.

Georgia Tech admitted about 48 percent of the 13,566 students who applied, spokesman Matt Nagel said.

Lauren Corbett applied to nine colleges. The Roswell High student was wait-listed at three and admitted to four, including UGA and Georgia Tech. She spent Thursday waiting for 5 p.m. to learn if she was accepted to Columbia and Princeton universities.

"A lot of us are all in the same situation and have no idea where to go or what's going to happen," the 17-year-old honor student said. "I'm only figuring out what to do with the rest of my life. And I have a month to decide."

Rachel McCoy, a guidance counselor at Roswell High School, said many students were worried about affording college and applied to more in-state schools to save money.

That increased the competition at Georgia's public colleges. Students who applied to UGA were academically strong, McDuff said. The average admitted student had at least a 3.7 grade-point-average and took more than five college-level, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses in high school, she said.

Counselors said the desire to save money led more students to consider two-year colleges, such as Georgia Perimeter College.

"Five, 10 years ago people would not consider Georgia Perimeter," McCoy said. "But today students understand they can save some money by going there for two years and then transferring to UGA or Tech."

The Next Step

You opened your acceptance letters and have about a month to decide where to go. College admissions officers and high school guidance counselors offer these tips:

• Visit the different schools.
• Review financial-aid packages and scholarship options.

• Consider location. How far from home do you want to be? What kind of college town do you want?