Do colleges waitlist overqualified applicants?

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.

Can you be waitlisted for being overqualified?

Colleges may deliberately waitlist overqualified applicants who do not intend to attend the school to keep their yield rate high.

Do colleges reject you for being overqualified?

Generally speaking, it's not a student's overqualifications themselves that lead a school to reject them—though this may be partially the case. Rather, overqualified students are rejected because of other related factors.

How likely is it to get accepted after being waitlisted?

How likely is it to get accepted from the waitlist? Colleges admit about 20% of students who choose to remain on waitlists, according to a 2019 report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Keep in mind that these numbers will vary based on the college waitlisting you.

Can you get rejected for being overqualified?

If your skills and experience are plentiful and advanced, it is only natural that you will want to earn a figure that is in line with market value. In this case, facing rejection for being overqualified means the organization isn't willing to pay more for the experience that may not be needed for the position.

Do colleges waitlist overqualified students?

What are the disadvantages of being overqualified?

Being overqualified means that your experience and skills far exceed what is needed. You're not the ideal match for the position because you might expect to have greater authority or challenging work than the role offers or you won't enjoy the position.

What is it called when colleges reject overqualified students?

So what is “yield protection”? Also known as “Tufts Syndrome”, it's colleges' tendency to reject overqualified applicants in fear that they will turn down the college in favor of a higher-rated school to which they've also been accepted, thereby decreasing the college's yield.

Is waitlist basically a rejection?

If your college application is waitlisted, it's basically the same as receiving a "maybe" from that school. If your application is deferred, you will not receive an early admission decision. If waitlisted, agree to enroll in a backup school, but consider writing a letter of continued interest.

Is a waitlist a soft rejection?

As decisions keep rolling out, I know you might have some questions. 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.

What not to do when waitlisted?

Waitlisted students can accept or reject the offer presented by the college. However, don't take up a spot on the list if you're not planning on attending the school anymore. You'd be taking the spot away from another student who may be more interested.

What to do if a candidate is overqualified?

Consider hiring an overqualified candidate with a true passion for the role, as this usually makes them more excited and committed to submitting valuable work.

Can you disqualify a candidate for being overqualified?

The simple answer is yes. But being “overqualified” is seen as a bad thing, not because someone “overqualified” will perform too well, but because they are expected to be dissatisfied with the job.

How can you tell if someone is overqualified?

Why am I getting waitlisted by so many colleges?

Here are the most common reasons applicants are placed on a waitlist: Too few spaces are available. There might have been too many students with your particular set of credentials or academic interests. The admitted applicants were just slightly better than you in some arbitrary way or applied earlier.

Is getting waitlisted impressive?

Getting waitlisted at a college certainly isn't a bad thing—your application was good enough to not get rejected! —but it's definitely an uncomfortable place to be. After all, when you're on the college waitlist, you don't know whether you'll be admitted or not, and that alone is anxiety-inducing.

Why is it called Tufts syndrome?

Understanding Yield Protection

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.

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.

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

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.

Is waitlist for college bad?

Being waitlisted means you still have a chance if they don't see anyone they like better in the regular admissions cycle. It is better than being rejected, but don't count on getting in. This is when you need to expand your college options and consider other schools.

Do colleges call you about waitlist?

Often colleges will call you about a waitlist offer before they email you or text you, so they need to be able to reach you. You don't have to answer in the middle of your English Lit or Calc class, but you do want them to be able to leave a voicemail.

Should I accept waitlist?

First things first—be sure to accept your waitlisted status. When a school informs you that you have been waitlisted, they are essentially offering you a spot on the waitlist. Therefore, to be added to the waitlist, you must accept the waitlist offer.

Is it better to be overqualified or underqualified?

According to hiring managers surveyed, more than 3 in 4 would advise candidates to apply for positions they're overqualified for, while 66% would recommend candidates apply for jobs they're underqualified for.

Can you be too overqualified for a college?

Yes, colleges reject overqualified students not because they're overqualified but because the admissions committees feel that these brilliant students may not accept their schools' offer of admission at the end of the day.

What to do if all colleges reject you?