The Annual Waitlist / Waiting Pool Reality Check Thread

[Anonymous]

I get that, and it feels bad to hope that happens. My curiosity was more, do those circumstances m open 1 spot a summer? 2? Usually none but maybe you get lucky? - PP

[Anonymous]

More likely for kindergarten at a Catholic school than it would be for, say, a 9th grader at a super competitive independent school.

[Anonymous]

Bumping for those wondering what their waitlist chances are in 2026.

[Anonymous]

There will still be many who say "I'm declining my spot so that will open up a spot on the waitlist."

Nails on a chalkboard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There will still be many who say "I'm declining my spot so that will open up a spot on the waitlist."

Nails on a chalkboard.

That’s just one of the things about the Admissions process at these DC area schools that people don’t understand.

Need blind admissions versus reality of the role of tuition in school budgets, the role and objectives of Admissions departments, enrollment yields and waitlist and other whole areas seem to mystify many of those who post here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will still be many who say "I'm declining my spot so that will open up a spot on the waitlist."

Nails on a chalkboard.

That’s just one of the things about the Admissions process at these DC area schools that people don’t understand.

Need blind admissions versus reality of the role of tuition in school budgets, the role and objectives of Admissions departments, enrollment yields and waitlist and other whole areas seem to mystify many of those who post here.

Do any schools around here have need blind admissions? I thought that was only for the wealthiest of colleges.

I’m actually interested in how financial aid needs affect acceptance rates. No financial aid vs some vs full ride. My first thought was that if you’re paying full freight you’ll have an easier time getting in but there may be so many families that fit the bill that it doesn’t really work out that way.

Does anyone here actually know? Probably school dependent too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will still be many who say "I'm declining my spot so that will open up a spot on the waitlist."

Nails on a chalkboard.

That’s just one of the things about the Admissions process at these DC area schools that people don’t understand.

Need blind admissions versus reality of the role of tuition in school budgets, the role and objectives of Admissions departments, enrollment yields and waitlist and other whole areas seem to mystify many of those who post here.

Do any schools around here have need blind admissions? I thought that was only for the wealthiest of colleges.

I’m actually interested in how financial aid needs affect acceptance rates. No financial aid vs some vs full ride. My first thought was that if you’re paying full freight you’ll have an easier time getting in but there may be so many families that fit the bill that it doesn’t really work out that way.

Does anyone here actually know? Probably school dependent too.

Being full pay isn't a guarantee of admission.

Schools have a Financial Aid budget that they cannot exceed. They can admit only so many who get financial aid.

And were aren't talking about huge amounts of financial aid in most cases. Half the financial aid recipients get less than half tuition off.

Schools couldn't admit more FA applicants then they can afford. So the idea if need blind admissions doesn't work. Maybe in the early stages of weeding applicants out they may not pay as much attention to ability to pay. But at the end of the day they must.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will still be many who say "I'm declining my spot so that will open up a spot on the waitlist."

Nails on a chalkboard.

That’s just one of the things about the Admissions process at these DC area schools that people don’t understand.

Need blind admissions versus reality of the role of tuition in school budgets, the role and objectives of Admissions departments, enrollment yields and waitlist and other whole areas seem to mystify many of those who post here.

Do any schools around here have need blind admissions? I thought that was only for the wealthiest of colleges.

I’m actually interested in how financial aid needs affect acceptance rates. No financial aid vs some vs full ride. My first thought was that if you’re paying full freight you’ll have an easier time getting in but there may be so many families that fit the bill that it doesn’t really work out that way.

Does anyone here actually know? Probably school dependent too.

Being full pay isn't a guarantee of admission.

Schools have a Financial Aid budget that they cannot exceed. They can admit only so many who get financial aid.

And were aren't talking about huge amounts of financial aid in most cases. Half the financial aid recipients get less than half tuition off.

Schools couldn't admit more FA applicants then they can afford. So the idea if need blind admissions doesn't work. Maybe in the early stages of weeding applicants out they may not pay as much attention to ability to pay. But at the end of the day they must.

That all makes sense. I wonder what percent of students receive financial aid and what percent of applicants are looking for it.

For example, if admitted full pay (FP) vs FA were a 50/50 split but applicants were 20% FP vs 80% FA you’d have a considerably easier time getting in as FP. If the numbers are more balanced the acceptance odds may not materially differ.

It’s an odd process (though understandable) if one applicant pool has 60% acceptance rates while the other has 10%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will still be many who say "I'm declining my spot so that will open up a spot on the waitlist."

Nails on a chalkboard.

That’s just one of the things about the Admissions process at these DC area schools that people don’t understand.

Need blind admissions versus reality of the role of tuition in school budgets, the role and objectives of Admissions departments, enrollment yields and waitlist and other whole areas seem to mystify many of those who post here.

Do any schools around here have need blind admissions? I thought that was only for the wealthiest of colleges.

I’m actually interested in how financial aid needs affect acceptance rates. No financial aid vs some vs full ride. My first thought was that if you’re paying full freight you’ll have an easier time getting in but there may be so many families that fit the bill that it doesn’t really work out that way.

Does anyone here actually know? Probably school dependent too.

Being full pay isn't a guarantee of admission.

Schools have a Financial Aid budget that they cannot exceed. They can admit only so many who get financial aid.

And were aren't talking about huge amounts of financial aid in most cases. Half the financial aid recipients get less than half tuition off.

Schools couldn't admit more FA applicants then they can afford. So the idea if need blind admissions doesn't work. Maybe in the early stages of weeding applicants out they may not pay as much attention to ability to pay. But at the end of the day they must.

That all makes sense. I wonder what percent of students receive financial aid and what percent of applicants are looking for it.

For example, if admitted full pay (FP) vs FA were a 50/50 split but applicants were 20% FP vs 80% FA you’d have a considerably easier time getting in as FP. If the numbers are more balanced the acceptance odds may not materially differ.

It’s an odd process (though understandable) if one applicant pool has 60% acceptance rates while the other has 10%

Many schools do publish information on the FA programs. This usually includes the percentage of students who receive FA, what the average FA is (% of tuition) and what the total amount of GA given is. So if you understand a little bit about Statistics and distributions, it gives you a pretty good idea.

But that’s all they publish.

But, if the Admissions people know that 70% of the class has to be full pay, then common sense will tell you how they sort applications into piles early on in the process.

Admissions tries hard to drive the largest number of applications they can. They are never going to say anything that serves to depress the number they receive. It’s one of the reasons they talk about the millions of dollars of total FA.

[Anonymous]

And to REMIND folks - please don’t come here patting yourself on the back saying you’ve opened a spot on the waitlist when you “turned down” x,y,z school. IT DOESNT WORK THAT WAY. It’s not a turnstile. It’s not a 1:1. Your kid “turning down” a school doesn’t open up a spot for little Sally. Schools have already calculated this in their yield protection. If they want a class of 250, they don’t accept 250…. They accept more KNOWING they aren’t number 1 for each student.

Ok, I feel better now.

[Anonymous]

Just came here to say a few years ago I had two kids get off waitlist for a competitive school in the area.

[Anonymous]

Yes, agree with all this AND if you know you are turning down a school, it really is just best practice to let a school know as soon as you have made that decision. Like anything, admissions offices are competing with other schools and an uncertain local economy. It is not a perfect science. The sooner they have this information, the faster they would potentially look at their wait-pool. It isn't as helpful when people wait until the final day for no real reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, agree with all this AND if you know you are turning down a school, it really is just best practice to let a school know as soon as you have made that decision. Like anything, admissions offices are competing with other schools and an uncertain local economy. It is not a perfect science. The sooner they have this information, the faster they would potentially look at their wait-pool. It isn't as helpful when people wait until the final day for no real reason.

They will only look at the wait pool when all the results are in and they know where they are against their projected yield.

They don't keep a running tally. That's just additional work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just came here to say a few years ago I had two kids get off waitlist for a competitive school in the area.

Sure, there's hope.

But Waitlists are a low probability deal and if a kid is waitlisted, the smart thing to do would be to start seriously considering Plan B.

[Anonymous]

Which is why the sooner they know the better….they want to make offers before people sign with another school

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, agree with all this AND if you know you are turning down a school, it really is just best practice to let a school know as soon as you have made that decision. Like anything, admissions offices are competing with other schools and an uncertain local economy. It is not a perfect science. The sooner they have this information, the faster they would potentially look at their wait-pool. It isn't as helpful when people wait until the final day for no real reason.

They will only look at the wait pool when all the results are in and they know where they are against their projected yield.

They don't keep a running tally. That's just additional work.