Every year, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) conducts a space availability survey to learn what colleges still have spaces available for new students after the May 1st decision deadline has passed. Most colleges will report their status by today, and the space availability survey will become available tomorrow, May 3rd. In recent years, over 250 colleges have reported openings in May.

So if you've found yourself in the unenviable position of having no college acceptance letters, if you've come to the college admissions process late, or if you're hoping to transfer over the summer, then you'll want to check back tomorrow to see what colleges and universities are still looking for students. The list typically contains some excellent options.

It's May Day, the time when most colleges require students to make a decision about whether or not they will accept an offer of admission. Some students, for financial or personal reasons, don't feel ready to make such an important decision yet. This leads many students to "double deposit." That is, they send a check and a promise to attend to more than one school.

The practice has consequences other than the obvious throwing away of several hundred dollars. For one, colleges rely on deposits to predict the size of the incoming class. When double-depositers make the deposit numbers an unreliable measure, colleges are forced to create large waitlists in case they miss their enrollment targets. In short, double-depositing is a headache for colleges, and worse yet, it keeps thousands of students around the country in waitlist limbo.

The practice is also unethical -- the double depositer has promised to attend two different schools (or more) when that is clearly impossible. If caught, the student could find an offer of admission rescinded by a college. Many schools would rather enroll an honest student on a waitlist than a double-dealer who has submitted false information.

During your college interview, you might be given the chance to explain a bad grade or weak semester. The question can take a variety of forms, but it will be something along these lines: "Does your high school record accurately reflect your effort and ability?"

If you've had a major disruption in high school that affected your grades, this is your opportunity to explain the circumstances. However, be careful to avoid coming across as a whiner who likes to blame others for a bad grade. These college interview tips can help you with this question.

More Tips for Common Interview Questions:

• "Tell me about yourself."
• "Why are you interested in our college?"
• "What can I tell you about our college?"
• "Who has most influenced you?"
• "What will you major in?"
• "What will you contribute to our campus?"
• "Tell me about a challenge you overcame."
• "What do you do for fun in your free time?"
• "What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?"

For those of you who took the ACT on April 14th, scores are now available on the ACT website. If you took the ACT Plus Writing, you can expect the score on the writing section to appear about two weeks later. (Each essay gets evaluated by two trained readers, so essay scoring is a much more time-intensive process than the multiple choice section.)

If you find that you are unhappy with your scores, don't panic. There are now about 850 test-optional colleges, and even at schools that require the SAT or ACT, the exam is just one part of the application. Most selective colleges have holistic admissions, so the admissions folks will also be looking for a winning essay, meaningful extracurricular activities, demonstration of your interest, and good letters of recommendation. Most important of all is a strong academic record.

If you're a junior, you still have lots of time to beef up your test-taking skills and retake the exam. Retaking the exam doesn't always result in a better score, but students with a disciplined study strategy will often see improvement (read more: When should I take the ACT?)

If you're wondering what your ACT numbers mean, read this overview of ACT scores. To see how your scores measure up to the middle 50% of matriculated students at different colleges, check out these comparison charts:

• ACT scores for the Ivy League
• ACT scores for top universities
• ACT scores for top liberal arts colleges
• ACT scores for top public universities
• ACT scores for top Catholic colleges and universities
• ACT scores for colleges in: California | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Indiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri | New York | North Carolina | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Tennessee | Texas | Virginia | Washington | more states
• ACT scores for Division I athletic conferences: ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, C-USA, MAC, MWC, Pac-10, SEC, Sun Belt, WAC
• More ACT Comparison Charts
• GPA, SAT and ACT Score Graphs