Mysterious voicemail this morning from the school that waitlisted my DC...

[Anonymous]

I am suspecting that they must be offering her a spot, right?? We probably know until Monday.

If this news had come a month ago, we would have driven the few hours away and visited again. It is higher-ranked than the school she has accepted...but I am not sure that it is a better fit.

My feeling is that we should hear them out moneywise (I know they offer FA regardless whether you were accepted off the waitlist or RD). Not sure whether we will have time to visit before they expect a decision, since there are APs next week. Plus, my DC has sort of mentally committed to her new school I think.

Still, I am curious. In the end she will decide...but this is unexpected!? Anyone else going through something similar? What would you do if you were?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, second sentence should read, "probably won't know until Monday"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am suspecting that they must be offering her a spot, right?? We probably know until Monday.

If this news had come a month ago, we would have driven the few hours away and visited again. It is higher-ranked than the school she has accepted...but I am not sure that it is a better fit.

My feeling is that we should hear them out moneywise (I know they offer FA regardless whether you were accepted off the waitlist or RD). Not sure whether we will have time to visit before they expect a decision, since there are APs next week. Plus, my DC has sort of mentally committed to her new school I think.

Still, I am curious. In the end she will decide...but this is unexpected!? Anyone else going through something similar? What would you do if you were?

Is this a boarding school?

[Anonymous]

My D's offer off the waitlist came to her email with all the F/A info. Not every school, of course, may follow this. Maybe some call.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Turns out that they are calling the kids from the waitlist that they "have their eye on" (within a given region's pool)

If we are still interested, they will work up a financial aid package. Then she could decide if she wants to stay in the running, based upon that.

Yikes! Good for the ego, but I am not sure that my child wants to mentally revisit her choice.

She has until Monday afternoon to let them know if she wants to go the next step (financial aid work up).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am suspecting that they must be offering her a spot, right?? We probably know until Monday.

If this news had come a month ago, we would have driven the few hours away and visited again. It is higher-ranked than the school she has accepted...but I am not sure that it is a better fit.

My feeling is that we should hear them out moneywise (I know they offer FA regardless whether you were accepted off the waitlist or RD). Not sure whether we will have time to visit before they expect a decision, since there are APs next week. Plus, my DC has sort of mentally committed to her new school I think.

Still, I am curious. In the end she will decide...but this is unexpected!? Anyone else going through something similar? What would you do if you were?

Is this a boarding school?

This is the college board, so probably not.

[Anonymous]

Take up the offer to get the F/A figure. The waitlisted school knows the student is set for another school. It may up the F/A figure. Most colleges know what its peers offer.

[Anonymous]

If she mentally moved on to another school, why not free up the spot for someone who is really dying to go there? Why even stay on the list if she wouldn't be able to decide without a visit? i would assume that being on a waitlist is so etching you do for a school you're head over heels in love with. Everyone seems to get a day or two to decide, after all. This sort of sounds like trophy hunting?

[Anonymous]

Not if the aid is meaningful.

[Anonymous]

I think that's just annoying. They know kids are in the process of mentally committing so they intentionally call them up and say "we don't have a spot for you yet but we might". That's called the waitlist and until you have an opening you should keep it to yourself.

[Anonymous]

I think she’ll be offered a spot. They are just feeling you out, I think their stats get dinged if they offer and you say No, so it’s like they’re getting the Yes first

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that's just annoying. They know kids are in the process of mentally committing so they intentionally call them up and say "we don't have a spot for you yet but we might". That's called the waitlist and until you have an opening you should keep it to yourself.

+1

OP's D has already indicated interest in the waitlist. The school should just wait 'tll it was ready to offer a spot. It also needed to have the F/A info in the offer. Normally when the waitlist moves, everything works under a compressed schedule. The phone call to check on the waitlist only multiplies the stress when kids are totally stressed from the application process.

[Anonymous]

This is a tough one. But your daughter probably already knows in her gut if she will switch or not. Unless you know positively that you would require her to move because of the FA, assuming a better package at this waitlist school than her second choice, I would just let her take the time to reason it out and give her until Monday morning to tell you/the school. Good luck to your daughter! I hope she feels gratified in knowing that this school is still pursuing her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think that's just annoying. They know kids are in the process of mentally committing so they intentionally call them up and say "we don't have a spot for you yet but we might". That's called the waitlist and until you have an opening you should keep it to yourself.

What most schools do is they ask students on the phone if they're still interested in attending the school. If the student gives a verbal yes, they're admitted off the waitlist, otherwise, they just thank them for the time and wish them the best. That allows them to control their acceptance rate for US News and whatnot, which is based on the post-waitlist data.

[Anonymous]

If there's a particular FA number that they'd need to hit for your DD to switch, just tell them the number. See if they can hit it. Maybe they can, maybe they can't. You'll likely get more if you toss a figure out (that you would consider to be good) than if you wait to see what they come up with.