How do they decide who gets 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.

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 likely is it to get off waitlist?

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%.

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

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.

College Admissions: Inside the Decision Room

Is getting off waitlist random?

Just like in the regular admissions process, colleges need to evaluate their yield, institutional needs, legacy status, and other factors before deciding which students, if any, to admit from the waitlist. Waitlists aren't ranked – meaning there's not a number one student who will definitely get in if there's room.

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.

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.

How does a waitlist control work?

A wait list control group, also called a wait list comparison, is a group of participants included in an outcome study that is assigned to a waiting list and receives intervention after the active treatment group.

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 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.

Why am I still on the waitlist?

A college may put you on a waitlist. This can happen when you meet the admissions requirements, but the college has already accepted the number of applicants it has room for. If a spot becomes available later on, you may be offered a place.

Should I stay on the waitlist?

If you receive a waitlist decision, take time to consider if that college is still a top choice. Remember that many waitlist acceptances don't come until the end of the spring or even in the early summer, so students will have to decide if they're comfortable with waiting that long to receive a final decision.

How do colleges decide who gets in?

Offers of admission are based on each school's enrollment objectives. Making admissions decisions is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Large state schools may use a test score and GPA formula. Highly selective schools may have multiple reviewers with many voices weighing in on a decision.

Do waitlist decisions come in waves?

Acceptances from the waitlist frequently come in waves, perhaps even just before the start of the school year. Understandably, not every applicant on the waiting list will be accepted. In fact, some universities might admit just a few students or even none at all in one year!

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.

What does waitlist position 1 mean?

 If your waitlist position is number 1 (one), it means that you are next in line to receive an email when an open seat becomes available.

What to do if you are on the waiting list?

What is the difference between waitlist and waiting list?

Compound nouns tend to evolve from open (wait list) to hyphenated (wait-list) to closed (waitlist). It's often hard to tell where in that process a particular compound is.

Why do waitlist decisions come out after May 1?

Essentially, once the May 1 deadline has passed, if not enough applicants have decided to attend, the school will start to admit applicants off the waitlist with the hope they'll accept the offer.

How do I ask for waitlist status?

Just call and ask, or send an email. They probably get a lot of those calls, and rest assured they won't consider it rude.

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?

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.

What percentage of waitlisted students actually end up getting accepted?

It's possible. In a normal year, the odds of getting accepted off the waitlist are not great. Among all colleges that use a waitlist, about 20 percent of students who choose to remain on the waitlist are admitted. At the most selective colleges, only 7 percent are admitted.

Is waitlisted same as rejection?

Remember that if you have been waitlisted or deferred, it does not mean you have been rejected admission. It's as if you have been asked to stay in the waiting room a little longer, pending an ultimate decision.