Waiting for college decisions is often an exciting time. After months of hard work, you finally get to take a break! And the possibilities still feel endless. But waiting for college decision letters can also be stressful. Really stressful. In fact, managing your expectations as you wait for college decision letters is a key part of Managing College Application Stress.
Managing your expectations means considering all future possibilities. And one possibility that lots of students forget about is being waitlisted. Being waitlisted is a confusing process. In fact, lots of waitlisted students find themselves asking “what does being waitlisted mean, anyway?”
What is a waitlist?
If an accepted student decides to enroll in a different school, a waitlisted student will receive an offer of admission. This means that it’s possible a spot will open up for you! Keep in mind that waitlisted students won’t receive a final decision until after National College Decision Day on May 1st. This is because on May 1st schools will have a final count of how many students have decided to enroll. Then they can start accepting waitlisted students!
If you’ve been waitlisted, you likely have lots more questions, such as “what percentage of waitlisted students get accepted?” And “what should I do if I get a waitlisted letter?” You might have other, more specific questions, too, such as how long is the Georgia Tech waitlist? And “I was just waitlisted at NYU, what are my chances of getting in?” Don’t worry, we’ll address all of your concerns!
And if you’ve been waitlisted at Harvard or another Ivy League, we’ve got you covered. Check out our article, What to Do After You’ve Been Waitlisted on Ivy Day.
What is a waitlist?
First off, what does “waitlisted” mean? And is being placed on a waitlist a rejection? Being waitlisted means that a school has reached its maximum number of acceptances, but that they want to keep you on a “waitlist,” in the case accepted students don’t decide to enroll. In other words, you meet the school’s standards and criteria, but they don’t have enough room for you — at least not yet.
If an accepted student decides to enroll in a different school, a waitlisted student will receive an offer of admission. This means that it’s possible a spot will open up for you! Keep in mind that waitlisted students won’t receive a final decision until after National College Decision Day on May 1st. This is because on May 1st schools will have a final count of how many students have decided to enroll. Then they can start accepting waitlisted students!
If you’ve been waitlisted, you likely have lots more questions, such as “what percentage of waitlisted students get accepted?” And “what should I do if I get a waitlisted letter?” You might have other, more specific questions, too, such as how long is the Georgia Tech waitlist? And “I was just waitlisted at NYU, what are my chances of getting in?” Don’t worry, we’ll address all of your concerns!
And if you’ve been waitlisted at Harvard or another Ivy League, we’ve got you covered. Check out our article, What to Do After You’ve Been Waitlisted on Ivy Day.
What is a deferral? How is it different?
Now that we’ve answered the question, “what does getting waitlisted mean?” let’s shift our focus for a moment. What is a college deferral? The terms “waitlisted” and “deferred” are sometimes used interchangeably, even though they are different. So it’s important to understand each term fully.
Being deferred is more-or-less the waitlist equivalent for Early Action and Early Decision applicants. When an Early Decision or Early Action applicant receives a deferral letter, it means that the college admissions officers need a bit more time, and context, to consider the student’s application. Rather than reject the student, the college reexamines the application at a later date while reviewing Regular Decision applications.
For a more detailed explanation of college deferrals, check out our article, Being Deferred: What It Means and What Your Next Steps Should Be.
6 Steps to take after you’re waitlisted
Getting waitlisted can be a stressful and confusing process. Oftentimes, students are prepared for an acceptance letter or a rejection letter. But a waitlisted letter can leave students feeling disappointed and unsure about how to proceed. In many cases, students have no idea how long the waitlist waiting list is, nevermind where they fall on this list. This is why it’s important to understand exactly what steps you should be taking after you receive a waitlist letter.
Decide if you still want to attend.
While some colleges give more insight into your chances of being accepted off the waitlist, others don’t. It all depends on the school. For example, Stanford University submits a very lackluster letter leaving students with lots of questions and an overall sense of uncertainty. The University of Pennsylvania, however, provides more information into how many students off the waitlist they typically admit. You can also decide if you still want to attend by finding out where you are on the waitlist ranks. Not every school releases its ranks, but for those that do, it’s a very helpful tool!
First, ask yourself if you still want to attend this school. You might decide that there is a better school out there for you. If this is the case, no further action is needed and you can go forward with other college plans. If you do decide that you do still want to attend, you will need to formally accept your position on the waitlist. Your waitlist letter will include details on how to proceed. Be sure to follow instructions carefully!
While some colleges give more insight into your chances of being accepted off the waitlist, others don’t. It all depends on the school. For example, Stanford University submits a very lackluster letter leaving students with lots of questions and an overall sense of uncertainty. The University of Pennsylvania, however, provides more information into how many students off the waitlist they typically admit. You can also decide if you still want to attend by finding out where you are on the waitlist ranks. Not every school releases its ranks, but for those that do, it’s a very helpful tool!
Formally accept your spot on the waitlist.
After deciding that you definitely still want to be considered for this school, you must formally accept your spot on the waitlist. Your waitlist letter will detail how to do this. Most likely, you’ll be able to do it online. Follow up with the admissions office to let them know that you will attend the school if accepted. This is, of course, assuming that you mean it. Otherwise, reach out to let them know that they can remove you from the waitlist.
Be sure to keep communication open with the school during this time. Reach out to the admissions office with any questions or concerns you may have. While they may not be able to give you a straightforward answer about whether or not you will be admitted, they’ll likely have more information about potential timelines and whether or not waitlisted students receive the same financial aid package.
Follow the instructions on your waitlist letter.
Some schools will request that you submit additional materials, such as an updated transcript or standardized test scores. Other schools will indicate they don’t want anything from you beyond an email stating your continued interest. Make sure you follow the instructions! After all, it won’t reflect positively on you if you don’t.
Restate your interest in attending the school.
As previously mentioned, the school may ask you to submit more information — such as newer test scores, AP scores, or an overall update on your extracurricular activities. If this is the case, make sure to highlight these details in your letter of continued interest.
If you are waitlisted, the best way to continue demonstrating interest in the school is by writing a letter of continued interest. Do your best to remain positive and avoid restating information that is already a part of your application. Rather, express your enthusiasm about potentially attending and share meaningful updates, such as an increase in your high school GPA and any recent awards or publications.
As previously mentioned, the school may ask you to submit more information — such as newer test scores, AP scores, or an overall update on your extracurricular activities. If this is the case, make sure to highlight these details in your letter of continued interest.
Submit a deposit to another university.
Since you won’t hear back from your waitlisted school until after Decision Day (May 1st), you’ll need to submit a deposit to another school. This will ensure that you have a spot at another school in case you don’t get admitted. While you won’t get this money back, it’s important to have a backup plan. Otherwise, you risk not having a plan for the fall. Just know that submitting a security deposit to another school is a risk that students and parents will both have to agree to take.
Continue to excel in school and beyond.
We know that it’s hard to keep the momentum when the end of the school year is so close, but make sure you aren’t losing focus. Continuing updating the school on any new accomplishments. If you let yourself slip, it will be hard to demonstrate to a school that you are still a good fit. Maintaining your grades and extracurricular engagements will also show that you are able to remain positive, hard-working, and determined amidst challenges.
Waitlisted is not a rejection, but students should be prepared to attend a different school in the fall than the one they previously envisioned. This is okay! In the end, you will be happy at any school as long as it is the right fit for you.
Key takeaways and moving forward
If you’re still in the midst of college application season, remember, the best way to ensure you have plenty of options is to learn How to Create a Balanced College List. If you have questions about your college application strategy, consider reaching out to one of our expert college counselors. You can also learn more about how we can help you through the waitlist process here.
In the meantime, check out some more of our college-related blog posts, such as Reasons College Applications May Get Rejected and Everything You Should Know About FAFSA.
Key takeaways and moving forward
It’s important to know how to manage college application stress. A large part of this involves preparing yourself for all possible outcomes — such as being waitlisted at one of your top schools. Do your best to remain positive, while managing your expectations. And remember, being waitlisted means that you’re a good fit for the school, even if they can’t offer you admission. So regardless of what happens, try to take this news as a victory!
If you’re still in the midst of college application season, remember, the best way to ensure you have plenty of options is to learn How to Create a Balanced College List. If you have questions about your college application strategy, consider reaching out to one of our expert college counselors. In the meantime, check out some more of our college-related blog posts, such as Reasons College Applications May Get Rejected and Everything You Should Know About FAFSA.
