Some freshman deadlines altered after decision day change
By Theo Velasquez-Arreaga, contributing writer
A delayed decision day has prompted several Towson University departments to alter their freshman deadlines.
Towson changed its 2024 decision day, nationally recognized on May 1, due to federal delays in reporting financial aid information to colleges and universities, The Towerlight reported.
Subsequently, the University System of Maryland, which includes Towson, decided to give its admitted students until May 15 to decide where to enroll.
When students commit to Towson, their enrollment deposit is also due. Therefore, the enrollment deposit deadline also moved to May 15, according to an email Monday from Boyd Bradshaw, vice president for Enrollment Management.
“Traditionally some students do deposit prior to reviewing their financial aid award,” Bradshaw said. “We anticipate that more students will delay their decision as we get closer to May 1 and wait until May 15.”
Additionally, the housing enrollment deadline for incoming students was moved from May 1 to May 17, according to an email Wednesday from Abbas Hill, director of Housing Operations.
Hill said the move was meant “to better accommodate students.”
New Student and Family Programs Director Katie Murray said the department worked in coordination with Admissions to communicate deadlines to admitted students in an email Tuesday.
Deadlines for the New Student and Family Programs, which hosts the freshman and transfer student orientations, remain the same, Murray said.
Freshman orientation registration closes on June 1, the same as it has previously been, according to Murray. Registration for orientation will open at the end of this month.
She said orientation sessions tend not to fill up until the deadline.
Bradshaw said the deadline for transfer students to enroll will remain June 1.
“We are continuing to track the delays and are prepared to adjust deadlines as needed … The adjustment gives students more time to make a decision to attend, especially those who want to review their financial aid award prior,” he said.
