Accepting an offer of admission and enrolling in the school of your choice is the start of a thrilling new adventure.
It can also come as a welcome relief if it was a high-pressure application process. But what if you’ve committed to a school and are now wondering, “If I accept admission to a college, can I back out?”
First of all, don’t panic. It’s normal to have second thoughts after making a major decision. Those feelings could be normal college anxiety, or they could indicate that the school you’ve selected isn’t the right fit for you. Below, experts weigh in on what to make of your doubts.
Pause and Reflect
Before you make a decision to switch your acceptance to another school, take time to explore your feelings. Emily Sowder, a high school counselor at Floyd Central High School in Indiana, explains that while nervousness or apprehension may be unsettling, these feelings are completely normal. But if it’s something more, and you think you might be making the wrong choice for yourself, look for red flags. That might include feeling a sense of dread about your decision or experiencing “a total change of pathway, such as a sudden interest in joining the military.”
You aren’t signing a life-binding contract.
Caitlin Clemons
A desire to shift direction completely may be a signal that you want to abandon your current plan. Examine what’s pushing you away from one choice and toward another to help you understand what’s motivating you.
If you’re still unsure about what your second thoughts mean, Caitlin Clemons, a teen transition coordinator at Community Montessori in New Albany, Indiana, suggests asking yourself guided questions to help clarify your thoughts and emotions. That includes:
- What is it about this school that makes you question your decision?
- Has another school or program caught your eye?
- How do you feel about leaving home right now?
These questions are designed to help you understand the reasoning behind your doubts so that you can craft an appropriate action plan. Write out your answers and then talk about them with a trusted adult, high school counselor, or friend. These people can help you figure out whether you’re simply nervous about entering a new life stage—or if you may need to rethink your college selection.
Get Tactical
After exploring what’s behind your hesitation, you may feel like you need to make a change. If so:
- Revisit all of your options, including the school where you’ve accepted admission, other admission offers, community college, or taking a gap year.
- Sowder recommends making a list of pros and cons for each option; a strategy that will give you a concrete way to assess your choices and identify which route appeals to you the most.
- Gather as much information as possible from the school where you’ve enrolled. Reach out to current and former students, professors in a program of interest, and the admissions office to talk through all of your concerns. Making a personal connection at the school and gaining clarification may change your outlook.
- Sowder also suggests visiting the campus or taking a virtual tour as part of your information-gathering process.
So what happens if you commit to a college and change your mind? If you do decide to make the switch, be aware of decision-making deadlines and any financial consequences. “If you’ve already submitted your decision to a school, you might lose an enrollment payment or housing deposit if you withdraw,” Clemons notes.
Some schools continue to accept decisions beyond May 1, which is National Decision Day, but deadlines can vary by institution and program. If you’re planning to withdraw from one school in favor of another, confirm that your new school of choice is open to late acceptances.
Remember It’s Not Forever
While accepting your offer or admission is a commitment, it’s not forever. “You aren’t signing a life-binding contract,” Clemons says. “If you do choose to go ahead with the school and find it’s not the right fit, you can always transfer to a school that you feel better connects with you next semester.”
The decision might feel less daunting if you remind yourself that you’re not locked in and can use your first semester as a trial period.
No matter which you choose—attending the school you’ve committed to or taking a different path—there’s no single right decision. Ultimately, the best approach is to gather as much information as possible, carefully weigh your options, and do what feels best for you. Remember that you have options, even if it means figuring out how to tell a college you are not attending after you’ve initially accepted.
Interviews for this article were conducted in 2020.
