Experience with College Waitlist

[Anonymous]

Anyone have any experience with successfully getting off the waitlist? Is it worth it?

[Anonymous]

Look at the school's CDS.

For prior years you can see how many students were waitlisted, and how many they took from the waitlist.

When I looked earlier this year many universities and colleges waitlisted several hundred people and fewer than 10 were eventually admitted.

[Anonymous]

Private colleges tend to have more movement on waitlist because they can't afford to over admit because there is no extra rooms. A waitlist for a public university is so low. So very low for movement.

Also, some see movement as late as June and even Aug. My daughter's friend got a call July 30th last year. Unless it is an absolute dream school, if you don't hear from them by May 1st, I would just asked to be removed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private colleges tend to have more movement on waitlist because they can't afford to over admit because there is no extra rooms. A waitlist for a public university is so low. So very low for movement.

Also, some see movement as late as June and even Aug. My daughter's friend got a call July 30th last year. Unless it is an absolute dream school, if you don't hear from them by May 1st, I would just asked to be removed.

what is the down side for staying on the waitlist longer than may 1st?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private colleges tend to have more movement on waitlist because they can't afford to over admit because there is no extra rooms. A waitlist for a public university is so low. So very low for movement.

Also, some see movement as late as June and even Aug. My daughter's friend got a call July 30th last year. Unless it is an absolute dream school, if you don't hear from them by May 1st, I would just asked to be removed.

what is the down side for staying on the waitlist longer than may 1st?

You lose your deposit and whatever else you paid for the other school you accepted.

[Anonymous]

It's worth it to have your school's college counselor to make a call. I know someone who got off w/l for Yale Law School. They had someone write a letter describing how great the applicant was. I couldn't believe it worked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private colleges tend to have more movement on waitlist because they can't afford to over admit because there is no extra rooms. A waitlist for a public university is so low. So very low for movement.

Also, some see movement as late as June and even Aug. My daughter's friend got a call July 30th last year. Unless it is an absolute dream school, if you don't hear from them by May 1st, I would just asked to be removed.

what is the down side for staying on the waitlist longer than may 1st?

You lose your deposit and whatever else you paid for the other school you accepted.

And for some kids sitting on a waitlist hoping just delays the process of coming to terms with, and hopefully getting excited about, the school where you were admitted and placed a deposit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private colleges tend to have more movement on waitlist because they can't afford to over admit because there is no extra rooms. A waitlist for a public university is so low. So very low for movement.

Also, some see movement as late as June and even Aug. My daughter's friend got a call July 30th last year. Unless it is an absolute dream school, if you don't hear from them by May 1st, I would just asked to be removed.

what is the down side for staying on the waitlist longer than may 1st?

You lose your deposit and whatever else you paid for the other school you accepted.

And for some kids sitting on a waitlist hoping just delays the process of coming to terms with, and hopefully getting excited about, the school where you were admitted and placed a deposit.

Yes, this happened to my DD. She could not get excited about her May 1 deposit. Actually got off waitlist near the end of May and decided to go for it. Everyone had already picked roommates, housing was selections had been made, got last pick of orientation in addition to last pick of classes because of orientation. And to top it off she kind of got soured on the school because they waitlisted her so even after making the deposit, she really never got excited over the summer.

[Anonymous]

DC was on 4 wait-lists at top 20 schools a couple of years ago. Got off none of them. At least 1 didn't go to the WL at all because it ended up overenrolled, and another 2 closed the WL in mid May.

[Anonymous]

It is really hard being on a waitlist waitlisted. DD had several. She was very proactive in reaching out and got off several; however by the time the waitlist decisions came in she had pretty much made up her mine.

[Anonymous]

I read somewhere that you should probably just say no to the waitlist, it causes too much stress and ultimately false hope.

[Anonymous]

At our private many kids got off the waitlist at places like Northwestern, UVA, Norte Dame....I also know quite a few public school kids that got into UVA off the waitlist. If it’s your kids dream it can’t hurt to try - and get your counselor involved.

[Anonymous]

The waitlist is a tough thing for all the reasons folks talk about above. Made it hard for my son to commit to the school he thought he would attend. Then he got the last-second call from one of his top schools and it all changed. He was one of 56 admitted out of 1281 accepting WL spots so it was a long shot, but better chance than most places. Dig through the last five CDS’s and see their tendencies. Some are a lottery ticket and should be treated as such.

[Anonymous]

My kid accepted all of the waitlists that he was offered. He put on a full push for all four of the waitlist schools. Ultimately he got in all except for 1 and ended up not going to any. Once he picked his school, he was still hopeful for the waitlist. We made the May 1st deposit. At that point all of the kids are telling everyone where they are going and they where the college t-shirt to school on May 1st. A week later he got a call from his original top school but he was no longer interested. Three weeks later he got a call from a school he would have selected had they accepted him a month earlier. I am glad he got off the waitlist for his self confidence, but it was just too hard to change once he had committed.

[Anonymous]

Just not worth it unless it is your dream school.