Kid didn’t apply - colleges still accepting apps?

[Anonymous]

Asking for someone else—a friend’s kid who had a lot of independence in the process but felt too lazy to actually apply and kept pushing it off. Now it’s April and she has nowhere to go.

Trying to help them figure out next steps—are there any decent schools still accepting applications (rolling or late deadlines)?

[Anonymous]

Do they want to go? I don't believe they just "felt too lazy."

[Anonymous]

Reed ED2 is still open.

[Anonymous]

???? I think parents need to figure out why their kid behaved like this. Do they have severe untreated ADHD? Massive paralyzing anxiety? Do they not wish to attend college?

There's something serious going on. Normal kids don't just blow off college apps. If the parents force them to apply somewhere without getting to the underlying issues, freshman year will be a disaster.

[Anonymous]

Community college to flagship.

How good of a student?

What likely major?

[Anonymous]

College Openings Update will show soon: https://www.nacacnet.org/college-openings-update/

[Anonymous]

This might be a situation for a gap year and applying (on time!) in the fall. The student will have the most options that way, and perhaps by having a job or volunteer gig and watching friends go off to college they'll have sufficient motivation this go-round.

[Anonymous]

As someone whose kid is going through the transfer process now: it's not easy and the spots are far from a given.

I would recommend a gap year.

[Anonymous]

PPs don't know anything about gap years. They're only recommended if the kid goes through the usual application process, and once accepted, requests a gap year. Otherwise, they're in competition with seniors from the year below, and they need to prove they did something with their gap year - otherwise their academic skills are a year stale.

[Anonymous]

Friend says her daughter really does want to attend a four-year, but struggled to narrow down a list and kept procrastinating. She didn’t ask for help, pushed things off, and then felt too lazy to get through essays. Friend also says the bigger issue is that the kid is generally very, very lazy, which they’re trying to figure out.

She’s a solid student — around a 3.8UW / ~4.2 W, SAT 1500, with all honors/7 APs, decent but not standout ECs. SLACS seem appealing to her, so Reed is a great option. She’s also a quite introverted kid. Major is Econ.

[Anonymous]

I’m sure there are many that aren’t meeting their enrollment numbers. Syracuse, Elon? Maybe not those, but there are many who would accept him depending on his stats.

Start by approaching the ones he’s interested in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PPs don't know anything about gap years. They're only recommended if the kid goes through the usual application process, and once accepted, requests a gap year. Otherwise, they're in competition with seniors from the year below, and they need to prove they did something with their gap year - otherwise their academic skills are a year stale.

I wouldn't have recommended it except that the kid has missed the vast majority of deadlines. Yes, they can still get into a 4-year university. However, if they were hoping for a specific type or tier of school, that ship may have sailed for this year. The gap year puts them in competition with current juniors, but now they have a head start and can apply more broadly and with more careful thought. (And the parents can keep an eye on the process now or hire someone else to do so.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend says her daughter really does want to attend a four-year, but struggled to narrow down a list and kept procrastinating. She didn’t ask for help, pushed things off, and then felt too lazy to get through essays. Friend also says the bigger issue is that the kid is generally very, very lazy, which they’re trying to figure out.

She’s a solid student — around a 3.8UW / ~4.2 W, SAT 1500, with all honors/7 APs, decent but not standout ECs. SLACS seem appealing to her, so Reed is a great option. She’s also a quite introverted kid. Major is Econ.

A kid with this profile who put off applying until this late probably doesn't want to leave home. That needs to be solved for. The inability to apply coupled with that GPA and SAT is pretty telling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Community college to flagship.

How good of a student?

What likely major?

This is the correct answer.

Taking a gap year would also be acceptable - but the year needs a plan that includes a schedule for applying the following year.

[Anonymous]

https://expertadmissions.com/colleges-still-accepting-applications-for-fall-2026/

Might be a good starting place but I second taking time to work through why they missed *all* the deadlines. Anxiety that needs to be addressed? Executive function skills that need honing? Burnout? Just doesn't really want to go to college?

If they enjoy languages & wouldn't mind starting DuoLingo now to prep, Norway's Folk High School program (not high school, doesn't give credit) sounds like such a cool way to transition to adulthood. They have everything from cultural studies to Artic bushcraft options (and more affordable than many designed gap year programs): https://www.folkehogskole.no/en/about