You submitted your applications.
You exhaled.
You’re waiting.

But here’s what many students (and parents) don’t realize:

College is still watching.

And they are communicating with you — through your student portal.

If you ignore it, you risk missing deadlines, financial aid, housing, honors invitations, and even admission updates.

Let’s talk about why you should never “ghost” your college portal.

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What Is the College Portal?

After you apply, each college creates a personalized student portal for you.

This portal is not optional.
It becomes your primary communication hub.

Colleges often stop sending detailed emails and instead post important updates inside your portal.

If you’re not logging in regularly, you could be missing critical action items.

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What Colleges Post in Your Portal

Here’s what commonly appears:

🔔 Missing Documents

• Transcript requests
• Test score confirmations
• Residency verification
• FAFSA corrections

If something is marked “incomplete,” your application may not be reviewed.

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💰 Financial Aid Requests

• Verification documents
• Tax transcript requests
• Additional financial forms
• Scholarship notifications

Delays in responding can delay or reduce aid.

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🏠 Housing Deadlines

Housing deposits and contracts often open quickly — and spots can fill.

If you miss the window, your student could lose priority housing.

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⭐ Honors & Special Program Invitations

Many honors colleges and competitive programs notify through portals first.

These invitations often have short acceptance deadlines.

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📌 Admission Decisions

Yes — some colleges post decisions in the portal before sending formal emails.

Imagine finding out days later because you didn’t log in.

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Why Students Ignore Portals

Let’s be honest.

• Senioritis is real.
• They assume email is enough.
• They think “no news is good news.”

But silence in your inbox does not mean silence in your portal.

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How Often Should You Check?

At minimum:

• Once per week during application season
• Twice per week once decisions are approaching
• Immediately after FAFSA submission

And yes — parents should remind (but not take over).

This is part of teaching responsibility while protecting opportunity.

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Final Thoughts for Families

The college application process does not end when you click “submit.”

It shifts.

The portal becomes your student’s digital handshake with the institution.

Ignoring it sends the wrong message — and can cost time, money, or opportunity.

Do not ghost your portal.

College is watching.