Wait for it...

Steps You Can Take If You've Been Put on the Waitlist

Mother's Day is notorious for having extremely long wait times at restaurants, even if you made reservations.

​And don't get me started on the waiting line for an amusement park ride! 

Through March and April each year, while many students (who did not apply early) are waiting to review their award letters or an appeal letter response from the college, a few have been placed on a waitlist. For the most part, students have until May 1 to finalize their decision and notify the college.

CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS
For waitlist students who are undecided, community college might be the best option if their top choice is unavailable or if financial aid remains an obstacle. Also know that NACAC releases their College Openings list (4-year colleges) soon after May 1st indicating available options for incoming freshmen, financial aid, and housing.

Students, if you were waitlisted at one of your top choices, you may have to select another college option. Overall, the odds of being selected from the waitlist are very slim, especially at most selective colleges. Consider these waitlist admission rates from the class of 2018: Carnegie Mellon (4%), Princeton (5%), University of Pennsylvania (8%), and Vanderbilt (4%).

WRITE A LETTER
IvyWise, a college consulting firm, suggests that students “express their interest in attending through a waitlist letter.” A letter still demonstrates interest and gives college’s additional information for forming their class from the waitlist. Since waitlists are not ranked, admissions officers will look for special interests or certain majors to complete their class: a female agricultural major, an engineering major from the Southwest, or another tuba player.

NOTIFY COLLEGES
Once a decision is made you should notify colleges of your intent. Jessica Velasco, former admissions officer, encourages students to let other colleges they won’t be attending as soon as possible. Here are four benefits:

• Notifying the colleges allows students on the waitlist to be considered, especially in the final two weeks of April. This is more important for selective colleges. Although it’s not a good practice, some colleges with May 1 deadlines allow students to submit their deposits at a later date.
• Students can avoid awkward emails and phone calls by proactively notifying the college. Colleges who have not heard from students may start contacting the students to learn of their plans for college. Almost 20% of students who accept an offer, change their minds (called “summer melt”). They may attend another college or drop out altogether. (Some encourage students to request for aid in early June – to claim the money freed up by the students who withdrew after May 1).
• It allows students to maintain a good relationship with the admissions officer. It also keeps the doors open in case something happens with their initial choice or they decide to transfer in the future.
• And it may help colleges understand why you chose another college. Admissions officers want to learn why students made their choice to improve their outreach to future students and keep that waitlist short.

As you approach the end of your college selection journey, it's important to make good, timely decisions and notify the colleges when your decisions are made.

Originally posted in April 2015. Updated in May 2019.

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