College Wait Lists: Now What?

This year’s NCAA tournament was exciting, full of thrilling finishes and upsets. It may be mere coincidence, but March and April have a similar feel in the world of college admissions. There is excitement, disappointment and uncertainty. Thankfully, as May 1 approaches, so does the reality that the admissions process is nearly complete. Soon students will have made final decisions and can enjoy the remainder of senior year activities.

I have previously written about what it means to have your application deferred. Some of the strategies I offered then will apply to a student who has been wait listed.

First of all, let’s be honest - being wait listed is a uniquely challenging decision to receive. You’re not in, you’re not out, you’re not…anywhere. During my time in admissions, as soon as the wait list letters would “hit the streets”, my phone line would light up with students (mostly parents) calling to ask these most common questions:

1. What number am I on the wait list?

2. What can I do to increase my chances?

3. I have to submit a deposit to a school by May 1, will I know before then if I’ve been accepted?

How a wait list is organized depends completely on the school. Some will have a numbered order and some have no order, meaning that all wait listed students begin on a level playing field. Many schools will make every effort to let as many students know if they will be offered a spot off of the wait list prior to May 1. College is expensive enough without you submitting a non-refundable deposit to one school, only to be called the next day and offered a spot at your first choice, leaving you with another difficult decision. It also benefits a school to let students know their status prior to May 1 because the number of students still interested/willing to forfeit a deposit elsewhere drops dramatically with the passing of that important date. Admission offices look very closely, daily, at historical data depicting how the class is filled. They will also look at how many students have typically been taken off of the wait list in previous years. All of that data shapes how the current year will look.

Be sure to check the websites of each college at which you’ve been wait listed. It is common for schools to have a page dedicated to the wait list process and what students can expect.

So, what can you do if you are waitlisted?

1. Fill out whatever form or documentation the school requests accepting a place on the wait list. Most schools won’t consider you if you haven’t followed their instructions for remaining on the wait list.

2. Contact the admission office (best coming from a student, but parents may have more in depth questions). Reiterate your interest and ask important questions like:

- Do you anticipate going to the wait list this year? How many students are typically offered admission from the wait list?

- How many students were placed on your wait list this year? How many students do you hope to have in your freshman class?

- Is the wait list numbered in any way?

- What can I/my student do to increase their chances? Is an opportunity to interview/meet with an admission staff member available?

- Will financial aid be available? If so, will students taken off the wait list be packaged differently? (One note: every year parents would call and ask about scholarships for wait listed students - unfortunately, if a student wasn’t accepted outright there is very little chance they would be eligible for a scholarship)

2. Email or write a note to the admission counselor for your high school expressing your interest. Send any updated grades, honors, awards you receive. Be creative! Are you good with video? Send a quick video about your interest in the school. Several years ago a wait listed student sent another admission counselor in my office an “Admission Counselor Survival Kit” box full of cute, school related items. That student was eventually offered a spot off of the wait list, not because she sent the box, but because we knew she was very interested. We called these students “noise makers” and very often they are the students who rise to the top of the wait list pile.

What I hope for all students dealing with a wait list decision is that they are treated fairly and given an honest assessment of the situation. Sometimes, difficult as it may be to hear, it is best if an admission counselor can just tell you, “it’s not looking good,” rather than keep you hanging on. Don’t be afraid to call and ask any questions you have. You don’t want to call every day, but you are certainly entitled to be updated occasionally with the status of the process.

Most importantly, as May 1 approaches, be sure to submit a deposit to a school. It’s not worth taking a risk waiting to be taken off a wait list, and you want to make sure that the student has secured a spot in a freshman class at a school. If you aren’t taken off of the wait list at your first choice, know that the college experience is what you make of it, and be happy with your decision to attend your chosen college!

Good luck!