Waitlist movement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Emory waitlist movement...
https://blog.emoryadmission.com/2025/05/2025-waitlist-update-1/

Certainly not a ton.

95 seems large for an initial round

If they need 95, they'll accept more than 95. They accepted 171 last year.

Don’t they call you first and see if you will accept? A lot of schools reach out before they offer.

[Anonymous]

Ah - DC waiting for UChicago.

Still waiting (no pun intended).

Has it closed?

[Anonymous]

A neighbors kid just got off WL at Georgia Tch.

[Anonymous]

Son was offered a spot at W&M this earlier this week, but he is almost certainly going to stay with where he has already committed.

[Anonymous]

Know someone who got off of Vanderbilt's WL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like Georgetown and WashU have moved.

This seems like a LOT so early

I actually don't think so. These schools have all moving like 5-10 spots. Not a whole lot at all.

Interesting analysis on CC:
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/2025-waitlists-expect-movement-read-why-and-list-them-here/3687896/376

- So exciting to see so much WL movement so early in the process. Summer melt should also be active.

- Since there does seem to be so much waitlist movement, I wonder how that will affect colleges in terms of planning for the fall? I know that waitlists are generally designed for the benefit of the college, but if they let a waitlist kid in on May 5 who then drops a different school that picks up a waitlist kid who committed to a different school, and on and on, it seems as though the musical chairs activity could be potentially as problematic as the yield projections they were trying to do with their initial offers to students. Waitlists seem beneficial if there are only a few students being moved off the waitlist, or if there are only a few schools using waitlists. But the more pervasive waitlist usage is, the more I question its benefits for colleges as a whole.

- The musical chairs has always been part of the WL offers. What seems a tad different this year is the short, time-limited “exploding offer”. Have previously only seen that in job offers! My guess is, as students find and settle into their acceptances, including those who get into desired schools from WLs, the acceptance of WL spots will drop off as students pay their deposits at other schools, find roommates, make move-in plans, etc. There are always those who will hold out for a strongly desired school, but my guess is that many WL offers will ultimately be declined by the students (as several have posted in this thread).

We've seen the "exploding offer" the past few years at our school, mostly for LACs. I think it's annoying, schools clearly are doing it to not increase acceptance rates or lower yields. I would just have my kid say yes, they'll take the spot, and than give them a week to decide and we'd be out $500.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like Georgetown and WashU have moved.

This seems like a LOT so early

I actually don't think so. These schools have all moving like 5-10 spots. Not a whole lot at all.

Interesting analysis on CC:
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/2025-waitlists-expect-movement-read-why-and-list-them-here/3687896/376

- So exciting to see so much WL movement so early in the process. Summer melt should also be active.

- Since there does seem to be so much waitlist movement, I wonder how that will affect colleges in terms of planning for the fall? I know that waitlists are generally designed for the benefit of the college, but if they let a waitlist kid in on May 5 who then drops a different school that picks up a waitlist kid who committed to a different school, and on and on, it seems as though the musical chairs activity could be potentially as problematic as the yield projections they were trying to do with their initial offers to students. Waitlists seem beneficial if there are only a few students being moved off the waitlist, or if there are only a few schools using waitlists. But the more pervasive waitlist usage is, the more I question its benefits for colleges as a whole.

- The musical chairs has always been part of the WL offers. What seems a tad different this year is the short, time-limited “exploding offer”. Have previously only seen that in job offers! My guess is, as students find and settle into their acceptances, including those who get into desired schools from WLs, the acceptance of WL spots will drop off as students pay their deposits at other schools, find roommates, make move-in plans, etc. There are always those who will hold out for a strongly desired school, but my guess is that many WL offers will ultimately be declined by the students (as several have posted in this thread).

We've seen the "exploding offer" the past few years at our school, mostly for LACs. I think it's annoying, schools clearly are doing it to not increase acceptance rates or lower yields. I would just have my kid say yes, they'll take the spot, and than give them a week to decide and we'd be out $500.

That's exactly how I would handle an exploding offer - if I would even consider letting my kid attend after such car sales tactics. My kid came off the waitlist last week and was given a couple of weeks to make a decision, which is much more reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Waitlist offers have always had a deadline. Why are people acting like this is some new concept? This is how it was done when we applied to college, too. Or maybe no one here got off a waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Billy bob here can get you a couple hot dog lunches....how about a couple tshirts and hats, cmon what do we need to do to close this deal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A neighbors kid just got off WL at Georgia Tch.

Do you know what major?

[Anonymous]

Seems like some movement but not as much as I expected.

[Anonymous]

How often does a school provide details of a financial aid package when offering a spot from the waitlist? Is it not reasonable to want to know about the financial aid package before accepting the spot? A relative has been told that they must accept the spot in order to learn about the financial aid package.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Dartmouth, Brown, Penn, and Columbia all have about 50% yield for regular decision.

Cornell also about 50%

50% is a pretty low number. Where are you getting this data?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How often does a school provide details of a financial aid package when offering a spot from the waitlist? Is it not reasonable to want to know about the financial aid package before accepting the spot? A relative has been told that they must accept the spot in order to learn about the financial aid package.

From what I understand financial aid may not be available at all coming from the waitlist. It's why full pay is an advantage for the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How often does a school provide details of a financial aid package when offering a spot from the waitlist? Is it not reasonable to want to know about the financial aid package before accepting the spot? A relative has been told that they must accept the spot in order to learn about the financial aid package.

That does not sound correct at all, even if the college doesn't promise to meet full need. Can't agree to a contract when you don't know the price.

They should call the financial aid office. And run the college's Net Price Calculator.

PP is correct that many colleges are unlikely to accept those needing lots of aid off the waitlist, that is, most schols are need-aware for the waitlist even if they are need-blind for admission. This depends on how they are doing with their financial aid budget at any particular point in time.