L.T. of Garden City Park, NY writes:

My son, the great procrastinator, graduated high school last June, never bothered to apply to college, and had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Suddenly, a light bulb went off over his head and he wants to go to college -- this fall! Can he still get in to a college starting in just a few weeks? Any colleges here on Long Island accepting students at this late date?

The College Whisperer responds:

So, The Great Procrastinator was playing the role of The Great Houdini, and has suddenly decided it was time to reappear, eh?

Yes, soon-to-be high school seniors are awakening to the fact that -- OMG -- they have to get started on college applications, personal essays, and finding the dough to pay for college. High school graduates, as you surmise, are already beginning to pack for college, thinking about how to accessorize that dorm room.

Fret not, parent of the wait-to-the-last-possible-minute kid. There are options, and, yes, there are schools, including several right here on Long Island, whose doors remain open to "at the bell" applicants.

For starters, take a peek at The College Whisperer's past post, Late Doesn't Mean Never, paying particular attention to the part about colleges offering what is known as "rolling admissions" (meaning, technically, there is no deadline date for submitting an application).

Right here on Long Island, there's more than a handful of institutions of higher learning where rolling admissions are offered, and applications deemed tardy at other colleges are most welcome. [As is, of course, your money!]

Adelphi. C.W. Post (Long Island University). Five Towns College. Hofstra. Molloy. All of these fine schools offer rolling admissions. That doesn't mean they haven't reached or won't soon reach the saturation point (judging from the amount of money these colleges are spending on advertising, dollars to donuts, all things considered equal, Junior still has a shot at getting in). It is well worth a call to the admissions offices of any or all of these schools to see if applications continue to be accepted, even now, during the Dog Days of August.

And then, there's Nassau Community College, which should, by no means, be discounted (although the tuition most certainly is, compared to other public and private colleges). NCC is no longer that "extension of high school" of yesteryear, but rather, a portal of excellence to a two-year degree, where a student (particularly one who has yet to decide what he wants or where he wants to go, for school or in life) can excel. Do well at Nassau and, it's true, the world (read as acceptance to any college your little heart desires) is your oyster (or, in this instance, your son's sushi).

There's no time to loose, though, with classes beginning within the month at most schools.

Junior may have hit his stride in late bloom, but now that he's out of the gate and sprinting, the bell lap heralds, and that finish line at the college gate is almost in sight. Go for it!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer.
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