What should I do if I missed the deadline to accept an invite for a college interview?
It's a stressful situation: you've missed the deadline to accept an invite for a college interview. Read this on what to do next.
Here are the 10 steps to take after finding out you've missed the interview deadline.
First 4 Steps: Acknowledging your mistake.
- First, contact the college's admissions office. It is best to do this by email so that the process is documented for your own reference.
- Inform admissions that you have missed the deadline for accepting their invitation to an interview.
- Explain why it happened and apologize for any inconvenience caused by your mistake.
- Ask if there is anything else you can do in order to be considered for admission despite missing the deadline - such as submitting additional materials or providing a written statement of interest/intent etc.
Next 4 Steps: Ask for another chance.
- Then, request another opportunity at an on-campus or virtual interview with them so they can get more information about you and assess your candidacy better than just from looking at submitted documents alone.
- Be sure to express genuine enthusiasm/interest in attending this school during these conversations - colleges love seeing students who are genuinely interested. You get a better chance by being vocal and constructive.
- Be proactive throughout this entire process – stay organized & send timely follow up emails after each conversation / meeting where appropriate so schools know how serious you are about wanting admission into their program(s).
- Do not make the same mistake twice. After missing one deadline, colleges may not be so lenient if you miss another cut-off. Make sure all deadlines related to acceptance letters, financial aid forms, housing contracts etc…are met when given by each respective institution prior taking other steps towards enrolment.
Last 2 Steps: Alternative modes of contact with the admissions department.
- Consider reaching out directly via phone call instead of waiting solely on online applications responses; many times direct communication helps build relationships between potential applicants + institutions faster than standard paperwork does.
- Finally, make use of resources like alumni connections, LinkedIn groups to get people you know to help you out informally. These groups are dedicated specifically toward helping prospective students find guidance through application processes successfully.