How long do waitlists usually take?

How long does it take to get off the waitlist at a college? There's no set timeline for hearing back when you're waitlisted. It could be weeks or months before you receive an official acceptance or rejection. Colleges may accept you from the waitlist as space opens up or wait until after National Decision Day on May 1.

How long does it take to hear back from a waitlist?

How Long Do Waitlist Decisions Take? If you're waitlisted, you may not expect a decision until May at the earliest and sometimes even as late as July or August. This can make being waitlisted all the more frustrating since there is no set deadline to hear back.

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 it worth it to wait on a waitlist?

Furthermore, waitlists can vary greatly from year to year, and there's no surefire way to predict whether a student will be offered a spot in the incoming class. However, if a student is genuinely interested in attending a school, it doesn't hurt to stay on the waitlist.

Are waitlists soft rejections?

Don't check it obsessively. That's not healthy. ❤️‍🩹A note: I know for some of you, getting that waitlist decision is incredibly painful. It is, in lots of ways, a soft rejection, and I believe that's by far the healthiest way to look at it, but that's also what makes it sting even more.

How to get off the College Waitlist - My Real Story

How can I increase my chances of getting off 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 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.

Is the waitlist a good or bad thing?

Basically, schools waitlist because they like you, not because they don't like you. If a school didn't think your application was up to snuff, they'd reject it upfront. While many applicants interpret waitlisting as a sign that they're not good enough, this is a narrow and inaccurate perspective.

What are the disadvantages of waiting list?

Waiting lists have been associated with negative psychological and physiological responses such as anxiety and stress; more uncertain, unexpected and longer waits lead to further aggravation of these symptoms [18, 19].

How many people get off waitlist?

While many colleges will waitlist hundreds or even thousands of students, not all of those students will accept a spot on the waitlist, making the pool and the chances of getting in slightly better in some cases. According to NACAC, 20% of all students who chose to remain on waitlists were ultimately admitted.

How do I ask for waitlist status?

Contact the admissions office or check the college's website to find out if the college ranks waitlisted students or if it has a priority list. Most are willing to let you know your status. The higher you rank on the list, the better your chances are of being accepted.

What happens if you accept waitlist?

Many times after accepting a place on the waitlist, colleges will encourage students to write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) and give the admissions office a little more information about what they've been doing since they submitted their applications.

Does waitlist usually mean rejection?

The meaning of waitlisted is pretty simple: you haven't been offered acceptance, nor have you been rejected. You are currently being held on a waitlist and might eventually be accepted if a spot opens up. Schools use the waiting list to deal with the uncertainty of the admissions process.

How are waitlist decisions made?

"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 ...

Is it better to be deferred or waitlisted?

If you are waitlisted, you remain in a state of uncertainty without the guarantee of being reconsidered. While deferral status requires you to wait longer for a decision, it gives you an opportunity to strengthen your application before the regular decision round.

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.

How do you ask for waitlist status in email?

If that information is not publicly available, send an email to the general admissions email address requesting your advisor's contact information. Then, reach out to your admissions officer via email to ask questions about your waitlisted status.

Can you be waitlisted for being overqualified?

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).

How does Waitlisting work?

If you don't get into the class you want, you can ask to be put on the waitlist. As students drop the class, the waitlisted kids are offered a seat. Sometimes if the waitlist gets large enough, the college will open a new class, but you can't count on that happening.

What happens if you get off a waitlist after May 1?

If you get off the waitlist at another school and accept their offer (this is typically after May 1^st), you call the original university that you submitted your statement of Intent to register and let them know that you do not plan to attend that university.

How do I get off waitlist?

Should I email if I get waitlisted?

Keep Communication Open. If you really want to attend a school that waitlisted you, communicate that message quickly and clearly. Write a letter or email and ask that it be included in your file. You should state in no uncertain terms (assuming you mean it) that if you are accepted, you will without question attend.

Should you email after being waitlisted?

Absent any instructions, you should send a short LOCI as soon as you get waitlisted. This can be as simple as “Thank you for your consideration.

How many people get off Harvard waitlist?

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.