What to Do If You're Waitlisted
Understanding the Waitlist Process
The waitlist process can be confusing and frustrating for students. It's important to understand how the process works and what your options are if you find yourself on a college waitlist.
When a college waitlists a student, it is essentially putting the student in a holding pattern. The college is telling the student that they are qualified to attend the school, but there are currently not enough open spots for them. The college will continue to review applications and as spots become available, students on the waitlist will be offered admission.
Most waitlists are unranked. An unranked waitlist is when a college does not rank its waitlisted students. This means that the college will review all of the applications and then decide which students they would like to offer admission to.
What are your chances of getting off a waitlist? This depends on each individual college and its admissions process. Some colleges have a very small waitlist and are able to offer admission to all or most of the students on their list. Other colleges have a much larger waitlist and are only able to offer admission to a handful of students.
What should you do if you're waitlisted? If you've been waitlisted, don't despair. There are steps you can take to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist.
The first thing you should do is send in a letter of continued interest to the admissions office.
If you're waitlisted for a college, it means that the admissions office likes you as an applicant, but there aren't enough spaces available to offer you admission at the moment.
The good news is that you still have a chance of getting in!
The first thing you should do is send a letter of continued interest to the admissions office. A letter of continued interest is simply a letter expressing your interest in attending the college, even though you've been waitlisted. It's a way to show that you're still interested and excited about attending their college.
In your letter, you should share any new information, such as higher test scores or new extracurricular activities. Then, simply express your interest in attending and explain why you think you would be a good fit for the college. It's also a good idea to mention any new accomplishments or awards that you've received since you submitted your original application. Sending a letter of continued interest is a great way to remind the admissions office of your strong interest in attending their college.
Submitting your letter of continued interest is easy—simply address it to the admissions or upload it to your applicant portal. Be sure to include your full name, date of birth, and student ID number so that the admissions office can easily find your file. Sending a letter of continued interest is a great way to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist and into the college of your dreams.
Visit the campus and meet with admissions representatives in person.
Here is a list of things you can discuss:
Explain why you want to attend the college
Share what you like about the school
Discuss your academic goals and how attending that particular college will help you achieve them
Reiterate your interest in the program or major
Talk about any new information or developments in your application that shows who you are
Reach out to your admissions representative.
The quickest way to reach an admissions representative is usually via email. You can usually find their contact information on the school's website. If you are unable to reach them directly, you can also try contacting your regional admissions representative.
When contacting an admissions representative, be sure to be polite and respectful, explain why you are interested in attending their school, and be sure to thank them for their time.
Here is an example of an email you can send:
Hello [your admission representative],
I am writing to express my continued interest in attending [name of school]. I strongly believe that I would be a great fit and would love the opportunity to attend.
I have enclosed new information that I believe will bolster my application, such as recent awards or accomplishments. I remain confident that I am an excellent candidate for admission and would be proud to attend [name of school].
Thank you for considering me for admission. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Do not bombard them with emails or phone calls, as this will only serve to annoy them. Once you have made initial contact, give them a week or two to respond before following up.
Stay on top of your grades and coursework.
It's important to finish your senior year strong. This means you should focus on your classes and maintain or improve your grades from the first semester of senior year. If you have been waitlisted, it will show the admissions office that you're still focused on succeeding academically.
In addition to your grades, colleges will also be looking at the courses you're taking. Make sure you are challenging yourself by taking advanced classes and maintaining a strong course load. The admissions office will be impressed to see that you're still working hard and challenging yourself.
Continuing to participate in extracurricular activities is a great way to demonstrate your interest in the college. If you're involved in student government, continue to attend meetings and take on leadership roles. If you play sports, maintain your commitment to the team and continue to train and compete. If you're in a club, go to club meetings and participate in club activities.
Doing all of these things will show the admissions office that you are still interested in attending their college and that you would be a great addition to the freshman class.
Be patient and wait for a decision from the college.
It's important to remember that you're not alone in this process. Many students are waitlisted every year and many of them eventually receive admission.
The best thing you can do is to remain patient and wait for a decision from the college. The college may take its time making a decision, but eventually, you will receive an answer. Some schools admit students from the waitlist right up until the start of the school year, so you will need to monitor your email and your applicant portal for information. While it's difficult, try to remain positive and optimistic. Do not give up.
Finally, keep your options open.
It is important to keep your options open in case you are not accepted off the waitlist. Review the schools that admitted you and commit to attending one of them, this way, if you are not admitted off the waitlist, you will still have a place to go to school. It is also important to accept your spot on the waitlist if you would like to continue to be considered for admission. If you aren’t interested in being considered, you should let the college know so they can offer that spot to another student.
Applying to college can be a stressful process, but don't let being waitlisted get you down. There are over 4000 colleges in the United States and there are sure to be many that are a good fit for you.