What does it mean when a university waitlists you?

Waitlisted means that the admissions office has reviewed your college application and determined that you have the academic and personal credentials for admittance, but you were not selected during their first round of admissions.

Does being waitlisted mean you are accepted?

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.

What are the chances of getting into a university after being waitlisted?

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.

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.

Is a college waitlist a rejection?

Getting on a waitlist is not a rejection — waitlisted students still have a shot at earning admission to the school. College waitlist statistics from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) show that 43% of postsecondary institutions used a waitlist during the 2018-19 school year.

How to get off the College Waitlist - My Real Story

Is it bad to be on a waitlist?

Getting waitlisted means the student is a good fit, but unfortunately, the school doesn't currently have enough space to offer enrollment. It's possible that a waitlisted (or wait-pooled) student may receive an enrollment offer after the school gets commitments from new admits and returning students.

Should I accept waitlist offer?

Taking into account the low percentage of students accepted off the waitlist, it's smart to go ahead and accept a spot at one of the best-fit colleges that did accept you. Don't worry – accepting an admission offer at another college will not hurt your chances of being admitted off the waitlist.

Why did I get waitlisted instead of accepted?

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.

How does college waitlist work?

Waitlists are comprised of applicants who are just as qualified as admitted candidates, but there just weren't enough spots in the freshman class. Once a university can better gauge its enrollment numbers, the school can begin to offer vacant spots to candidates from the waitlist.

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.

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?

What to do after being waitlisted?

Is a waitlist a soft rejection?

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.

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 waitlist part of acceptance rate?

When we talk about acceptance rates here, or see them on USNews or College Navigator or whatever, do they generally include waitlist accepts or no? They should include waitlist acceptances. The initial acceptance rate is announced round April 1 or so. The final acceptance rate would not be known until 9/1 or so.

Are college waitlists first come first serve?

The waitlist process uses a "first come, first served" concept, meaning that those earliest in line have a lower waitlist position number. Those in the front of the line will automatically be enrolled when a space opens as long as they meet the enrollment requirement/requisites.

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.

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.

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.

What is the meaning of waitlist?

(also waitlist) /ˈweɪtˌlɪst/ uk. /ˈweɪtˌlɪst/ to put someone on a (= a list of people who have asked for something, especially a place or ticket to do something, that is not immediately available but may be in the future): In case a wait-listed booking is confirmed, immediately inform the customer over the phone.

How many people get off the waitlist at UCLA?

UC Berkeley accepted only 1% of students from the 2022 waiting list: 48 of the 4,650 students who opted in. UCLA's rate was nearly as low, with 3.3% of waiting list applicants accepted, though the actual numbers were higher: 372 of 11,169 students who opted in.

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.

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

The date by which you apply will vary by your application plan. If you apply under an earlier plan, you'll probably get your decision earlier, too. But in general, it usually takes admissions offices 1-2 months to return your admissions decision.

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.