What’s a Likely Letter? And More.

by Megan Briggs, JIF ‘16

Applying to colleges is a convoluted process, and it can be even more confusing when you’re not in on the lingo. As a senior having just recently submitted 14 college applications, I’m going to break down a few items you may encounter that I was in the dark about at the beginning of my senior year. I may do several of these blog posts, focusing on one lesser-known topic for each. Before we dig into a “likely letter”, let’s review the basics.  

Early Decision vs. Early Action vs. Regular Decision

The majority of my classmates applied to schools that partake in rolling admission, which means they find out whether they’ve been accepted or not very quickly after they’ve submitted their application. Because of this, I was a bit clueless about other types of admissions. If you’re like me, read ahead!

Early Decision (ED) is applying to a college at an earlier date than normal (usually in November) under a binding agreement that, should you be accepted by the college, you absolutely will attend. You can only apply ED to one school, and upon acceptance must withdraw any other applications. The perk is that you find out if you got in or not early – usually in December. If it works out, this is a great way to save time, money, and stress. Naturally, it is recommended that students apply ED only for their first-choice college that they are sure they want to attend over any other.

Early Action (EA) is similar to Early Decision, but is not binding. This is a great option for students who know what their top choices are and are ready to apply and hear back early (usually in January or February). You can apply EA to more than one college, except in the case of Single-Choice Early Action (SCEA). It’s important to note that while these are the basic guidelines for early admission options, each college may have its own policies, deadlines, and requirements. The golden rule is: do your research!

Regular Decision (RD) is the most obvious option, and what the majority of applicants do. The application deadline is usually in January or February, with decisions release usually in March or early April. You will also likely receive information about your potential financial aid when you receive the decision. You must officially decide what college to attend by May 1st.

Now that we know the basics, let’s look at the topic of the day.

So, what is a likely letter? This is an unusual letter from colleges that few applicants will see, but it’s very exciting if you do. It’s usually for Regular Decision applicants, although not all colleges send them out. The gist is, the applicant receives a letter prior to the decision day that states that should their profile remain the same, they will most likely be accepted into that college. It can be worded differently – some colleges like to say you can "expect good news" – but it will be very clear that you will be accepted, although they can't officially accept you at that time. If you receive one, congratulations! Not only are you almost guaranteed a spot in the class, but the college must have found you to be a very strong applicant.

These letters are most commonly sent to outstanding athletes colleges are trying to recruit. However, some exceptional students receive them on an academic basis (that strategy is usually employed by Ivy Leagues and similarly elite schools). But what if you don’t receive one? Don’t worry! They are extremely rare, and the vast majority of students accepted don’t receive one, so it does not at all mean you are rejected.

TL;DR: Likely letters are awesome to receive and it’s useful to know what exactly it means, but it’s rather unlikely you’ll get one – so don’t stress out about it.