After months of wondering, it’s finally time for a verdict–were you accepted or rejected by the college of your dreams. Sometimes that long-anticipated envelope contains something between yes-and-no, though–the dreaded wait-listed letter. Here’s what you need to know when you’ve been put into the college-prep equivalent of purgatory.
You’re Not Alone
According to US New & World Report, roughly 10% of students end up on a wait-list as part of their college application experience, and the number is only expected to go up. As the race for spots at top schools gets increasingly competitive, more students are choosing to apply to more schools, making it harder for colleges to predict which students will actually accept an offer of admission. The wait-list provides a helpful layer of insurance for schools…and a possibly painful delay for hopeful students.
Respond
If you’ve been wait-listed, you have a big decision to make–whether you want to stay on the list or not. Only opt to stay on the wait-list if you’re serious about attending the school should an acceptance offer appear, otherwise you’re doing yourself the disfavor of putting off moving forward with your other options while potentially taking the place of another student on the list.
Once you’ve decided to stay on the wait-list, don’t forget to actually indicate that choice using the online-link or mail-in card. You are generally not considered part of the list until you’ve formally responded, and the deadline to do so is often only a couple of weeks.
Keep Track of Deadlines
Going the wait-list route means working with compressed deadlines. Make a list of all key deadlines for both the wait-list school and your fallback option, including dates for things like final acceptance, housing, meal plans, deposits etc. Note that one of the side effects of dealing with wait-lists is that it can affect the types of options for dorms etc. still available once you do accept an admissions offer.
Put Your Best Foot Forward
While calling to ask for a breakdown of exactly why you were wait-listed or to beg for admission is a big no-no, it doesn’t hurt to remind them why you’re exactly the person to fill any seats that do become available. It’s acceptable to send a single letter reaffirming that their school is your first choice and to provide any additional information that may be helpful, including an additional letter of recommendation, updates on any recent accomplishments, recent grade reports, etc. If you haven’t done an interview with the school yet, now is also a good time to consider doing one.
Congratulate Yourself–No Matter What Response You Get
Statistically, only about thirty percent of wait-listed students are actually admitted, and at some schools the rates are much lower. Even if you ultimately aren’t accepted, let yourself feel flattered for even making it so far into the process. And by waiting-out the waiting-list at least you’ll always know you gave it your best shot.