9th Grade Waitlist Movement and Timing

[Anonymous]

Our child was waitlisted at multiple competitive DC schools for 9th grade. With the enrollment deadline at the schools where our child was accepted being tomorrow, I'd be interested to hear from those who got off the waitlist for 9th grade: 1) when did it happen; and 2) what school. Was it a surprise when your child got off the waitlist or were you hearing rumblings of low yield along the way (i.e. more than positive feedback about your kid from your continued interest communications)?
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

For us it happened two years ago on the Wednesday of this second week, two days before contracts were due. Via surprise phone call. We had received an email the day prior from the Admissions Director, confirming receipt of our continued interest email (after a week of radio silence) and suggesting that they hoped to be able to offer DC a spot.

[Anonymous]

OP, why not just say which schools you are specifically hoping to hear waitlist movement about?

[Anonymous]

For the large entry grades (like 9th), you're most likely going to hear in the next 1-2 weeks. Schools see how the initial round shook out and then make WL offers to fill the gap. Yield can be super hard for the smaller schools in particular to predict, so it's anyone's guess whether they go to the WL.

I'm sure you know this, OP, but not all waitlists are the same. Some schools will waitlist the vast majority of applicants, and you have no way of knowing if an offer is a real possibility or not. (Was in this boat in 2021.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the large entry grades (like 9th), you're most likely going to hear in the next 1-2 weeks. Schools see how the initial round shook out and then make WL offers to fill the gap. Yield can be super hard for the smaller schools in particular to predict, so it's anyone's guess whether they go to the WL.

I'm sure you know this, OP, but not all waitlists are the same. Some schools will waitlist the vast majority of applicants, and you have no way of knowing if an offer is a real possibility or not. (Was in this boat in 2021.)

Thanks! Yes - we are on waitlists that are apparently real (i.e. historical movement of waitlists at these school).

[Anonymous]

Historical movement doesn’t mean a school has a real WL. A wait list that isn’t “real” is one that puts most applicants on it as a soft no. While a couple ppl get off of it, there are so many on it that chances are very unlikely . A real WL is shorter, used more for its true intention (chances still slim, but not as slim), and not a soft no. GDS and some others put most all on WL.

[Anonymous]

Is EOB today deposit deadline for majority of the schools in DMV?

[Anonymous]

NO ONE KNOWS

[Anonymous]

This is an annual thread too….unfortunately, schools telegraph the false hope that waitlists are “real.” They are indeed real, much like the college waitlists are real, but unlikely the competitive colleges, they don’t disclose the percentage that are ultimately admitted. The large Catholics may have a decent number, but the competitive independents are likely in the low to mid single digits in terms of percentages.

And to echo previous posters, many schools (GDS, Maret, Potomac plus others) will put nearly all denied applicants on the waitlist to ease the pain of rejection. It’s shitty that they do this but they do.

[Anonymous]

someone just reported they got off waitlist from GDS, not sure what grade though, any other movement?

[Anonymous]

Please let's do a waitlist version of this:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/94308.page