What Does the May 1st College Decision Day Really Look Like in 2021?

By Jody Bell

The May 1st decision typically marks the decision deadline for the majority of colleges and universities. Last spring, many institutions extended their May 1st deadline towards the middle of summer to account for the pandemic and the upheaval of many teens who weren't sure if they were going to go through a traditional route.

This year, many colleges aren't all sticking with the May 1st deadline. And that's a good thing for today's youth who are still enduring social complexities, depression, and anxiety -- all confounded with the effects of the pandemic.

Below, we're sharing more about why this deadline goes beyond May 1st -- and the new normal for many future college students with more flexibility, online tours, and the ability to negotiate financial packages.

1. Know there's flexibility

Officially the national May 1st deadline is followed by most institutions ‒ but that doesn’t mean you don’t have the opportunity for some flexibility. 

Even though campuses are offering tours and visitation, that doesn’t mean every family is comfortable traveling yet. Colleges understand this, so if you contact your admissions counselors and describe the difficulty you’re having in your decision process, they will most likely accommodate you and hold your spot. They understand this past school year was difficult and every family had a different experience. 

Even some of the institutions themselves have been open about needing additional flexibility on their ends; all of the Ivy Leagues have collectively moved back their decision announcement to April 6th to account for the influx of applications which meant their decision deadline is now May 3rd. 

2. Other ways you can make up your mind

If you have multiple colleges that interest you, you’re lucky! Now it’s just a matter of narrowing down your choices. 

To help choose between these colleges there are a few things you could do. Firstly, research the institution in depth ‒ not just their campus, student life, or programs within your field of study. Make sure they have other majors that you could see yourself exploring, and other activities that you haven’t been exposed to but spark your interest. 

Outside of this, try calling their admissions office and simply tell them what you’re thinking. They know some of the unique facets of the institution they represent and can highlight these to you. On top of this, they could open doors to allow you to sit in on classes, club meetings, and more, 

3. Understand your financial aid flexibility 

Many students receive their financial aid offer and think it’s a take-it-or-leave-it deal. That’s not the case at all. 

It is more than possible to negotiate a better financial situation with an institution if you have the right approach and attitude. However, much of this strategy has to do with the leveraging of additional colleges you could attend ‒ this means that after May 1st your leverage in negotiation dwindles. However, that is twofold; many colleges are way below their quotas of students and may be scrambling to increase their enrollment. That means this is the exact week that families should be having financial aid negotiations. 

4. Embrace the new normal

We are going to be experiencing the new normal for years to come. This pivot will allow for more opportunities for our youth, the ability to have flexibility with their decision, and even how they will finally come to terms with their choice.

After a turbulent year, the return to normalcy while still recovering from COVID-19 is difficult. Overall, the most important thing to keep in mind is the tremendous flexibility that everyone is expecting and receiving as we shift to a normal state. This extends heavily into higher education in regards to admissions, financial aid, and even educational tracks. 

Jody Bell, 19, is Girls With Impact’s Chief Editor and a program graduate of Greenwich High School. Girls With Impact is the nation’s only online, after-school, entrepreneurship program for girls 12-21, turning them into tomorrow’s business leaders and innovators. More info at www.girlswithimpact.org