This is a seasonal advice post, not a news story. Decision Day was May 1. The days immediately after committing are when students lose housing spots, miss verification windows, and skip orientation registration — without realizing the deadlines were already live. Here is what needs to happen in the next 30 days, in order of consequence.

The hardest part of college admissions is over. You chose a school, you committed, and you probably felt relief the moment you hit submit. What most students don't realize is that the 30 days after Decision Day have their own set of deadlines — quieter ones, with real consequences for housing assignments, financial aid, and how your first week of college actually goes.

Here is what to do before June 1.

1. Confirm Your Enrollment Deposit

The enrollment deposit — typically $200 to $500 — is what formally reserves your spot. If you paid it by May 1, you are set. If you committed but have not yet paid the deposit, do it today. Some schools release spots from unpaid commitments within days of the deadline.

Check your student portal, not just your email, to confirm the payment processed. A submitted credit card form is not the same as a posted deposit.

2. Submit Your Housing Application Immediately

This is the step most newly committed students miss. Housing applications for fall 2026 are open right now at most schools — and many dorms fill on a rolling basis. The later you apply, the fewer options remain.

Look for the housing portal in your admitted student page or your school's Residential Life website. Some schools send an email with a housing link; others require you to find it yourself. If you cannot locate the portal, call the housing office directly.

Housing application deadlines at many schools fall in May or early June — often before the school communicates urgently about them. Do not wait for a reminder email. Go to your school's housing portal this week.

For what to expect once you get a room assignment, our guide to college dorm life covers everything from shared bathroom realities to making small spaces livable.

3. Accept or Decline Your Financial Aid Award

If you have not formally accepted your financial aid offer in the school's financial aid portal, do it now. Most schools require you to log in and click through each line item — accepting grants, deciding whether to take loans, and declining anything you do not want.

Unaccepted aid does not automatically disburse. Some students arrive in September and discover their aid was sitting in a pending status because they never confirmed it.

Our guide to decoding your financial aid award letter explains exactly what each line means and how to evaluate loan amounts before accepting.

4. Complete FAFSA Verification If Selected

A portion of students each year are randomly selected for FAFSA verification — a process where the financial aid office requests documentation to confirm what you reported on the FAFSA. If your school selected you and you have not responded, your aid may be on hold.

Check your student email and the financial aid portal for any verification requests. Common documents include signed tax transcripts, identity confirmation, or W-2 forms. Missing the verification deadline at your school can result in aid being canceled.1

5. Register for Orientation

Orientation registration is usually separate from your general admitted student portal. Many schools have multiple orientation sessions and let students choose dates on a first-come, first-served basis. Early May is typically when good session dates are still available.

Some schools make orientation mandatory; others make it optional but charge a fee regardless of attendance. Either way, attending matters — it is when you complete placement testing, register for your first classes, and meet your academic advisor.

Our college orientation guide explains what to expect and how to prepare.

6. Withdraw from Other Schools

If you were accepted to multiple schools, formally withdraw from the ones you are not attending. Log into each school's admitted student portal and look for a decline or withdrawal option.

This is not just courtesy — it releases your spot so waitlisted students can receive offers. If you applied Early Decision and committed in December, you should have already withdrawn from other schools as part of the ED agreement. For regular decision admits, now is the time.

7. Watch for AP Score Release in July

If you are taking AP exams right now (the 2026 AP exam window runs through late May), scores are expected to release in mid-July 2026.2 Many colleges accept AP scores for credit or placement, but they often require you to send official scores directly from the College Board after release.

Before scores come out, check your school's AP credit policy. Know which exams earn credit, which only earn placement, and what minimum score is required. Some policies require a 4 or 5 where others accept a 3.

AP credit can let you skip intro-level courses and move directly into upper-level classes — but it can also disrupt your major's sequence if applied too aggressively. Talk to your academic advisor at orientation before deciding how to apply your AP credits.

8. Introduce Yourself to Your Roommate

Most schools release roommate assignments in late June or July. But some schools offer roommate matching tools that open before that — Facebook groups, Discord servers, and school-specific apps where incoming freshmen connect before the official assignment.

You do not need to become best friends with your roommate before school starts. But a brief, low-pressure introduction — even just a text — makes the first day significantly less awkward.

Our guide to how to get along with your college roommate covers what to negotiate before move-in day and what to do when there is friction.

The transition from accepted student to enrolled freshman happens faster than it feels. Our guide to how to survive freshman year covers what the first few months actually look like, and our college move-in day tips guide will be useful when August gets here.

For the social side, how to make friends in college has practical advice that starts working before you even arrive on campus.

Footnotes

  1. Federal Student Aid. (2026). Verification. studentaid.gov. https://studentaid.gov/complete-aid-process/verification ↩

  2. College Board. (2026). AP Score Releases. AP Students. https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-scores ↩