Giving seniors a different way to apply to college, November 5, 2024, marked the high school’s first Instant Decision Day, allowing students to meet with college representatives and have an admissions decision made on the spot.
Instant Decision Day is when seniors get to meet college representatives face to face and also talk to them about any possible questions they may have about the college they are interested in applying to.
Before the interview is over, the representatives make the decision whether the student has been accepted or not.
This year, it looked a bit different than in other years. In the past, colleges had come in individually on their own separate days. Having all colleges come in on the same day allowed for more schools to participate.
“It was almost like a mini job fair or college fair,” guidance department coordinator Tom Overberger said. “We had schools just lined up at tables in the library and the students came to this room and we had schedules for everybody.”
This year, 32 students participated, with two students receiving full scholarships.
According to Overberger, it was a very effective day with many students getting accepted.
“It was super successful and a great opportunity for students,” Overberger said.
Seniors were able to meet with multiple colleges, including Thomas Jefferson University, East Stroudsburg University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Senior Lily Fickert said she really enjoyed having Instant Decision Day as an option for her college application processes.
“It’s a really good program because you find out early, so you have a lot of time to decide,” Fickert said. “Also, it’s free to apply, which is really nice.”
When students participate in Instant Decision Day, they are given a code to take away any fees that they have for the application process since students have to apply beforehand.
According to senior Amy Pita, it was such a good experience, especially since she got into East Stroudsburg.
“I think the best part was just getting that yes, since that is what I was going for,” Pita said. “It was just really nice to be able to get that yes right away.”
According to Fickert, Instant Decision Day can be nervewracking for participants. “The worst was the nerves of it, the anticipation of it until you make it in or not,” Fickert said.
Overberger said he found it easier to be accepted through this program as you are meeting the college representative face to face.
“Most of the time when it’s face to face it’s a bit harder to give bad news,” Overberger said, “so from an acceptance standpoint, it’s the perfect opportunity for a student.”