Do you get financial aid if waitlisted?

One big consideration for waitlisted students is availability of scholarships and financial aid. Many colleges do not offer merit scholarships to waitlisted students. Most will offer need-based financial aid; however, need may be a factor in deciding who among waitlisted students gets offered a spot.

What are the chances of getting accepted after being waitlisted?

What Are My Chances of Getting Off the Waitlist? 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%.

What happens if you are waitlisted for a college?

Being waitlisted is a gray area; you're not rejected, but it will be much later in the spring before you learn if you have been accepted. It's necessary to take into account that the chances of being admitted off the waitlist at a highly selective college are pretty slim. That being said, it's not impossible.

Is it better to be deferred or waitlisted?

Is one's chances better after being deferred or waitlisted? An applicant's overall chances are similar after being deferred or waitlisted. About 10% of deferred applicants and about 10% of waitlisted applicants ultimately get in.

Do colleges email you if you get off the waitlist?

If the college eventually offers the student a spot in the incoming class, they will typically notify the student of their acceptance, often through email or regular mail, and provide instructions for accepting the offer and completing any necessary enrollment steps.

Maximize Your Admissions Chances: A Letter of Continued Interest for International Students

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.

Are college waitlists first come first serve?

There is no guarantee you will be enrolled from a waitlist. Remember, it is first come, first served. May I enroll and waitlist in different sections of the same course? Yes, you may waitlist for different sections of the same class.

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.

Is getting waitlisted impressive?

Being waitlisted isn't terrible if you can be patient and have a backup plan. Alternatively, you can choose to back out and move on. If you were waitlisted by one of your reach schools, you might have already been planning for the alternatives. So usually, being waitlisted isn't bad.

Is being waitlisted for a college good or 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.

What should you do if you are waitlisted?

Do colleges waitlist overqualified applicants?

While there is some anecdotal evidence that overqualified students get rejected, these students aren't usually turned down because of their better-than-average grades or test scores. Most likely, the overqualified student isn't the right fit for a school or they haven't shown enough interest to admission officers.

What questions to ask when you are waitlisted?

How many applicants have you admitted from the waitlist in recent years? Do you think this year will be similar? Can I submit additional application materials or test scores? What is the deadline for additional submissions?

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.

Why do colleges waitlist so many students?

Schools use waitlists to ensure that they can remain selective while still knowing that they will be able to fill their freshman class, even if yield drops a bit. If fewer students enroll than were anticipated, the school can turn to the waitlist to fill the gaps.

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

How many kids are waitlisted at Harvard?

Unfortunately, how many people are on the Harvard waitlist is not public knowledge. Due to the competitive nature of Harvard, and the published numbers from similar schools, Harvard's waitlist is roughly 1000 to 2000 people. For the 2026 class, we know that Harvard accepted 36 students from the waitlist.

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.

What percentage of waitlisted med students get accepted?

How many applicants get accepted off the waitlist depends on the school and varies widely, but some schools admit up to 50% of their class from the waitlist. Therefore, if you are on the waitlist at one or multiple medical schools, you may have a very good chance of getting an acceptance.

How long does it take for a college to accept or reject you?

It's not unusual for a college's application process to take four to six weeks. Colleges that have an application portal allow students to go online to check the status of their applications at any time.

Is college waitlist binding?

Keep in mind that college waitlist offers aren't binding. You won't be required to attend the college if they accept you from the waitlist.

How do colleges decide who to accept from 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.

How are people chosen from waitlist?

"Waitlist decisions are subject to a variety of factors and events that students may never be privy to – why they were waitlisted, how many students were waitlisted, how many and what type of students chose to accept their spots in the class, the college's enrollment needs and institutional priorities, availability of ...

How do colleges choose from waitlist?

Finally, some college waitlists rank the applicants on it.

Nevertheless, most colleges don't rank waitlist applicants and instead make their admissions decisions based on other factors such as what majors they want to have represented and which applicants will be most likely to attend if admitted.

What to do if you are waitlisted for college class?