Are waitlists soft rejections?

First, a note: I know getting that waitlist decision can be painful. It is, in lots of ways, a soft rejection and that's by far the healthiest way to look at it, but that's also what makes it sting even more. So, be sure to take care of yourself.

Is being waitlisted a soft rejection?

No. Being rejected means that your application, compared to all other applicants for the program, was on the weaker end of the scale. This means that you have not been granted admission to the university. Being waitlisted means that your application was somewhere in the middle.

How likely is it to get accepted after being waitlisted?

According to recent data from the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, colleges on average admit 20% of students off the waitlist. At the most selective institutions, that figure was 7%.

Is waitlist better than rejection law school?

Yes, it is. The admissions committee recognizes the strengths in your application. Unfortunately, getting waitlisted can be mentally harder than getting rejected because you find yourself in limbo.

Is waitlist worse than deferred?

Deferrals and waitlists are two very different statuses that you could receive when applying to college. The main difference between the two is that a deferral means that your application has been put on hold, while a waitlist means your application has been neither accepted nor rejected.

What to Do If You're Waitlisted | The Princeton Review

Is a deferral basically a rejection?

What is a Deferred College Admissions Decision? A deferral means the college wants to review your application again with the regular decision pool of applicants. While it might feel like a rejection, a deferral is not a denial, nor does it mean there was something wrong with your application.

Do colleges waitlist overqualified applicants?

Waitlisting seemingly overqualified applicants is a factor at some colleges, but being able to pinpoint which ones in particular participate in that ploy is very difficult. One school that has been relatively famous for this in recent years is Washington University in Saint Louis (WUSTL).

Why did I get waitlisted instead of accepted?

Colleges have a limited number of seats each year given physical space requirements or to maintain faculty-to-student ratios, so some students are put on a waitlist in case enrollment spots open up. Universities offer some applicants spots on the waitlist during the regular decision round of admission.

Do waitlisted students get rejection letters?

Most universities send out acceptance or rejection letters to waitlisted students after May 1, or National College Decision Day.

Should I retake the LSAT to get off the waitlist?

Consider retaking the LSAT: While there isn't much you can probably do about your GPA, if you believe your LSAT score impacted your application, consider taking it again.

What not to do when waitlisted?

Don't let them think you've got sour grapes. Don't fill out the card stating that you wish to remain on the waitlist and then do nothing else. You need to submit a powerful Letter of Continued Interest as soon as possible.

How can I increase my chances of getting off the waitlist?

The most important: Write an essay to show demonstrate your interest! Look for any way to show continued interest in the school. Make sure to accept your waitlist spot! Submit a deposit to another school.

Is being waitlisted for a college good or bad?

Being waitlisted for college means you have met the requirements for admission, but your application was not strong enough to give you a seat in the first group of admitted applicants. You will be admitted if and when a spot becomes available after other students have responded to their acceptance offers.

How long should a waitlist letter be?

A Waitlist Appeal Letter should be between 500-650 words (the length of a Personal Statement) and include the following: Specific after specific of how a student is going to contribute their singular hook to an institution through the school's programs, institutes, activities, culture, traditions, etc.

Is it better to be deferred or waitlisted?

In general, you can assume that your odds are better if you've been deferred rather than waitlisted. Deferred students are reconsidered during the regular decision round and should have about the same chance as other regular decision applicants.

Do waitlist decisions come in waves?

We did see a wave of applicants get accepted off waitlists in both 2020 and 2021 and even in 2022, but that was a new trend. Usually, I say think of it as a gentle rejection — and I still do for the most part.

Do colleges release rejections first?

“Do universities send rejection letters first?” No. Remember that, at the end of the day, universities do not know for certain who will accept and who will not. So they generally want to get acceptances for their offers before they send rejections.

Do grades matter for waitlist?

Deferred and Waitlisted Students

That correspondence will include grades from the second semester of your senior year. Colleges and universities look for consistency or improvement when you're in this position, so don't slack.

Do colleges tell you why they rejected you?

While colleges are not likely to share their specific reasons for rejecting an application, colleges do tell you if they rejected you. For students wondering what to do if you get rejected from all colleges, you may want to consider taking a gap year and reapplying next year.

Can you get waitlisted for being too good?

It does appear to happen at some colleges, but not just because an applicant is "overqualified". Colleges that are traditional safeties for students who are really hoping to get into more competitive top-tier schools sometimes reject or waitlist candidates that they believe are not serious about attending.

What are the chances of getting into Harvard if you are waitlisted?

And, while we can't know for absolute certain, there were likely more than 1,000 students waitlisted that year, so the acceptance rate off the waitlist was, at most, an uninspiring 2.7%. If you want to get off the waitlist, though, you'll have to write a great letter of continued interest.

Is being waitlisted an accomplishment?

Getting on the waitlist is an accomplishment in itself. That doesn't make you feel better does it? It should, because it means that there is still hope. I've seen many students who've been put on the waitlist for the upper-level Ivy League and Ivy League competitive schools.

Why is it called Tufts syndrome?

Yield protection is also commonly called “Tufts syndrome,” a moniker bestowed due to the large number of times Tufts University has been accused of the practice. One of the greatest debates over yield protection is over its existence—no school openly admits to the practice.

How do colleges decide who to take off the waitlist?

If you rank higher, you'll have a greater chance of getting off the waitlist. But some colleges may neither rank waitlisted students nor accept them by priority. Individual colleges may take a more holistic approach. They may make their decision based on factors such as which majors they want represented.

Is Tufts syndrome real?

Most experts don't believe it actually exists. There aren't many ways to prove it, either—although lots of colleges have been accused of yield protection, none have ever admitted to the practice.