Welcome to part two of our Navigating College Decision News series. Last week we shared our tips for managing acceptance notifications. Now it’s time to talk about limbo - otherwise known as the waitlist!

So what exactly is a waitlist? As we mentioned in our previous post, a waitlist is much like being put on hold. For a variety of reasons, a school may not be able to admit a qualified student right now. Instead, they’ll invite the applicant to join the waitlist, and IF space becomes available, the student could be admitted in the coming weeks or months. The waitlist is really a numbers game, as well as a test of patience. Schools work hard to estimate their yields- the percentage of accepted students who actually choose to enroll. If they come up short in their estimations, they turn to the waitlist to fill demographic gaps in the accepted student population. For example, admissions staff might be directed to pull files for every classics major from the midwest who doesn’t need financial aid.

We know it can be really confusing, even downright frustrating, to find out that you’ve been waitlisted.  After all, you don’t know whether you’ll be admitted or not, and suddenly your future may not be as definitive by the May 1 deadline you had been anticipating all year.

But don’t worry! There are plenty of steps you can take to help feel more empowered and navigate the decisions you’ll have to make.

PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK

First of all, don’t get down on yourself because you didn’t get the news you may have been hoping for. The number of college applications per student have been soaring (up over 18% in just two years, according to Common Application data ) and admissions is more competitive than ever. Remember that if you’ve been waitlisted, the school thinks you’re a viable candidate who’s qualified to attend that school. They would like to take you! And regardless of the outcome, you should feel proud of that! So pat yourself on the back and approach the next steps with a positive, confident attitude.

ACCEPT AN ACCEPTANCE

Sometimes students get so distracted by a waitlist that they forget they have a stack of acceptance offers “waiting in the wings.” The reality is that there are no guarantees when it comes to a waitlist, and you don’t want to gamble on a maybe. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a school to which you have been admitted and submit a deposit by May 1. If you’re having trouble deciding between schools, take a look at our advice for weighing your acceptance options. 

What happens, though, if you’re eventually admitted into your waitlisted school? Notify the first school ASAP that you’re withdrawing your intent to enroll. You will lose your $500-$1000 deposit, but for many families. this is a small price to pay to gain admission to the school of your choice. And if the financial implications of losing the deposit are significant, given your financial situation, we encourage you to reach out to both schools to see if someone will work with you on the financial end.

RSVP TO THE WAITLIST

Now that you’ve secured a spot at a college or university, you have another decision to make. How will you RSVP to the waitlist? Just like any invitation, you’ll need to accept or decline. To help you make an informed decision, we encourage families to do their homework. Determine if/how the school ranks or prioritizes the waitlist and learn where you stand on the list. Sometimes your notification letter can provide this information, or you might have to reach out to the admissions office.  To help you get a sense of the bigger picture, use resources like College Search, which provide helpful data about waitlist outcomes from the previous admissions cycle. While we have seen dramatic year-to-year shifts in our post-Covid world, you can at least begin to gain a frame of reference.

Another great way to predict what your chances might be is to stay up-to-date on whether the school has already begun to take students from the waitlist - or even whether other schools have! When you see waitlist movement at highly selective schools before May 1, that’s a general sign that there’s a LOT more movement to come - for a wide range of schools. Highly selective waitlist admission results in a trickle-down effect: School A will take a student from their waitlist, and the student who takes it will free up a spot at School B to come to School A. Now School B takes a student from School C, and so forth.

And the good (great) news? We have already seen waitlist movement this year! UCLA, University of Michigan, and University of Chicago have begun to take students from the waitlist over the last several days. It’s extremely rare for schools to start accepting students this early, so this is a very promising sign for waitlist movement to come.

While statistics and updates can be extremely useful, there are other questions families should be asking and researching.

• Is it worth it? Do you like the school enough to live in limbo for weeks, even months? Or is it more important to you to wrap up your decision now? Sometimes it can be helpful to set an “waitlist end date” in advance so that you know a sense of closure is on the horizon, one way or the other.

• How might a late acceptance impact your housing options and course selections for fall? You can always reach out to the school’s admission office if you can’t find the information on their website.

• What’s the financial impact? In addition to the risk of losing deposit money, you may also miss out on financial aid packages or merit scholarships. Calculate these factors carefully! 

SHOW YOUR INTEREST

Don’t assume that just because you’re on the waitlist, you have to literally sit back and wait. If you really want to attend the school, let them know by writing a letter of continued interest (LOCI). I cannot emphasize enough how important this is! When they pull the files of all of those midwestern classics majors, the spots are going to go to the students who reached out and established a line of communication. Remember, colleges are still focused on yield. They do not want to offer a waitlisted spot to a student if there is any question about whether the student will accept it.

A LOCI is the ideal space to explain why the school remains your top choice, and you must state explicitly that you are committed to attending if accepted. Of course you shouldn’t profess your love and commitment unless you really mean it, though! 

As part of your letter, you’ll also want to share any recent updates, such as achievements, awards, even summer plans (if they include something academic or professional). 

And one last thing - before you hit the send button, make sure to re-read all communication to double-check that your school of choice has not already issued guidance on LOCIs. Some schools do not want them, and you do not want to send one to a school that has already told you not to do so!

MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS

To avoid falling into the waitlist waiting trap of false hope and disappointment, you’ll want to be realistic. Assume that you’ll be attending the school to which you submitted a deposit, and get invested in the exciting next steps. That way if you do happen to be admitted off of a waitlist later, it will be a pleasant surprise rather than a life-altering tragedy. We know this is easier said than done, but a positive mindset can make all the difference in how you manage your expectations!

KEEP UP WITH YOUR COLLEGE COMMUNICATIONS

If you’re in waitlist limbo, be sure to check your email and/or application portals frequently. It’s also a good idea to maintain communication with the admissions office, especially to share a letter of continued interest or to follow up with questions. 

There’s just one catch! Don’t be ‘that’ student who becomes a pest to the admissions office. You’re not going to increase your chances if you’re constantly asking for updates or inundating the admissions office email inbox on a daily basis. No more than one point of contact every 7-10 business days, please!

DO YOU NEED HELP NAVIGATING YOUR WAITLIST NOTIFICATIONS?

That’s what we’re here for! Book an appointment with DC College Counseling today.

STAY TUNED!

Next week we’ll close out our series with part 3: what to do when you’ve been rejected!