College Vacancies: 240 Colleges Where You Can Still Apply

Don’t like where you’re heading to college in the fall? Take heart: There are still at least 240 schools with college vacancies.

Most of the schools with college vacancies have room for both incoming freshmen and transfer students. All but one school on the list still has financial aid available and 236 still have dorm space.

You can find the list of schools thanks to the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s annual college vacancy survey.

Seventy seven percent of the colleges with openings are private. Of the colleges and universities on the list, 226 have freshmen space available and 240 are still welcoming transfer students.

Here’s a sampling of the public universities that have college openings:

• Colorado State University
• Kennesaw State University
• Morehead State University
• Northern Michigan University
• University of Arizona
• University of Arkansas
• University of Florida
• University of Iowa
• University of North Dakota
• University of Vermont

Here’s a sampling of the private schools that have college vacancies:

• Bethany College
• Drew University
• Eckerd College
• Gustavus Adolphus College
• Lebanon Valley College
• University of San Francisco
• Lewis and Clark College
• Pace University
• The Citadel
• University of Puget Sound
• Willamette University

This list might be a lifesaver for teenagers who overreached and got denied at all the schools they applied to. It could also be helpful for students who are having second thoughts about their ultimate choice. I heard a story just the other day about a boy from California, who is regretting only applying to large universities. The family concluded that a small school would be better for this child. There are plenty of small colleges on this list.

The number of colleges with vacancies for transfer students is also good news because of this reality: About one out of five students at four-year colleges end up transferring to another school.   I think one reason for the large exodus is that students don’t spend enough time evaluating their college options!

Some schools will be wary of latecomers. Consequently, students should be prepared to provide a good explanation for their last-minute college search. And it’s the teenagers who must place the call to school.

Lynn O’Shaughnessy is the author of The College Solution and she also writes for CBSMoneyWatch. Follow her on Twitter.