Waitlis vesus Rejection: Please Vote and Share Thoughts

[Anonymous]

The waitlist phenom is highly flawed and is all about the school, not about the student and parent.
I've been through this three times, and was exceedingly naive about our prospects the first time.
I'm not sure how to reform the process, except perhaps to maintain smaller waitlists.
I would also appreciate a modicum of transparency.
For instance, is a waitlist the size of the available slots in a given year, or a multiple of that number.
I'd prefer a rejection than a waitlist!

Which would you prefer?
Can any admissions folks weigh in on this?
What is the rationale for maintaining such large waitlists?

[Anonymous]

as a parent, I think it would be helpful to know the overall size of the waitlist for the grade you're applying to.

[Anonymous]

There is no blanket "one size fits all" answer pp. Some schools take their waitlists very seriously; others...not so much. I know when my DD applied for 7th grade she was coming from a Montessori School (8yrs. worth) and many of the traditional schools put her on the waitlist. She only got into The Field School outright...but made it to everyone else's waitlist. She ultimately got into GDS and Holton and is at an Ivy now. So, I would say not to put too much stock into the rejection vs. waitlist situation.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Ultimately off waitlist or another application round? TIA.
I have learned not to put too much stock in it, but reading posts from folks who seem new to the waitlist world, it reminds me how naive I was the first go-round.

[Anonymous]

Rejection preferred -- closure, then move on.

[Anonymous]

While the waitlist has its emotional advantages... they like me, they just didn't have room! ... my head prefers the clean break, the rejection.

Would you prefer to have your arm twisted off slowly or just hacked off quick with a machete?

[Anonymous]

I do wish that the letters would tell you how many applicants there were, and the number of available slots. That way rejection has some perspective.

[Anonymous]

We applied at 9th grade and the only plus of the waitlists at that age is that it was less painful for the kids, who are invested in the process at that age, than being rejected. We were also naive the first time (oh how great that DC was waitlisted at Maret!), much more realistic the second.

[Anonymous]

17:02 OP here. I see that, but wish schools were more intellectually honest about the whole process with all. I'm fine with it now, I just hate watching first timers overestimate the chances of moving off the waitlist. And ha on the waitlist at Maret! I think it's as big as the class!

[Anonymous]

How many children are placed on the wait list and how many stay on it are two entirely different numbers. Anyone on a wait list should call the school you are hoping for a few days before your deposit is due at other schools. However, it is only when admission staff have a handle on how many families accept enrollment and how many want to remain on the wait pool, will they be able to give you a true sense of the likelihood of acceptance.

[Anonymous]

For Pre-K or K students, I can't imagine the criteria by which a school would use to put some kids in the reject pile and others in the waitlist bucket. Educationally, most of the kids will do fine if the school is doing its job so a rejection would be so cruel and baseless. However, I agree that school can be more transparent about the size of the waitlist since people do have unrealistic expectations. Most waitlisted students do not ultimately get in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For Pre-K or K students, I can't imagine the criteria by which a school would use to put some kids in the reject pile and others in the waitlist bucket. Educationally, most of the kids will do fine if the school is doing its job so a rejection would be so cruel and baseless. However, I agree that school can be more transparent about the size of the waitlist since people do have unrealistic expectations. Most waitlisted students do not ultimately get in.

Here's a reason: The child would truly be welcome at the school, there just isn't room. I know of at least one school that happens to have a surplus of well-qualified female applicants for K, and fewer well-qualified boys for the same grade level. Depending who accepts, they will happily take girls from the waitlist if the space opens up. It was just one of those years.

[Anonymous]

Two very different WL experiences. First one told us DC was on a "very short" WL. We ended up getting in.

Second school merely told us WL. Friend was on the Board and talked with AD. Was told our DC was great and nothing holding us back but they had too many acceptances. They did not do a WL order as it was totally dependent upon someone leaving and then having to comb through the list again to find a similar match.