How to turn down schools?

MommaJ
Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:31 +0000

No, this is not a typical reaction, but I think most people do feel a little twinge when they turn down an offer–after investing so much effort into the college application process, it can be a bit hard to “break up”. But you need to understand that these schools aren’t interested in a long story about why you are turning them down. They don’t care about your rationales or your dreams. They don’t expect or need an apology. They aren’t calling to beg you to come, and their hearts won’t be broken when you decline. You are one of hundreds of applicants who will be declining their offers–they just need to know your answer so they can determine their yields and whether they will need to turn to their waitlists. You’re turning this into a big emotional drama when it’s just business. Your response will not be pored over regretfully by the admissions committee–it will be processed by a clerk who will enter you into the “decline” column in the computer.

Sometimes schools do want to know where you are attending, and they will provide an option to notify them in a postcard to be returned with your response to their offer of admission. If they don’t provide that option, they don’t care. If you don’t have a postcard to return, just send a simple email–thank you for the offer of admission, but I have decided to attend another school. Period. Then go buy the sweatshirt for your dream school and don’t look back!