According to recent data from the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, colleges on average admit 20% of students off the waitlist. At the most selective institutions, that figure was 7%.
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While many colleges will waitlist hundreds or even thousands of students, not all of those students will accept a spot on the waitlist, making the pool and the chances of getting in slightly better in some cases. According to NACAC, 20% of all students who chose to remain on waitlists were ultimately admitted.
Being waitlisted isn't terrible if you can be patient and have a backup plan. Alternatively, you can choose to back out and move on. If you were waitlisted by one of your reach schools, you might have already been planning for the alternatives. So usually, being waitlisted isn't bad.
Waitlisted students can accept or reject the offer presented by the college. However, don't take up a spot on the list if you're not planning on attending the school anymore. You'd be taking the spot away from another student who may be more interested.
A deferred applicant will be considered again before any reconsideration is provided to a waitlisted applicant. As such, being waitlisted at a school is worse than a deferral because the institution has decided not to admit you unless other applicants decline their admission offer and seats become available.
You can use a waitlist to strategically generate interest and excitement before the full launch of your innovative new product. By offering a preview and collecting signups, you'll have an engaged customer base eager to become users from day one.
Being waitlisted means you still have a chance if they don't see anyone they like better in the regular admissions cycle. It is better than being rejected, but don't count on getting in. This is when you need to expand your college options and consider other schools.
Before May 1st, write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) to your admissions representative (the person responsible for evaluating applications from your high school) and copy a dean of admissions. Be upbeat in your approach, and do not show frustration or disappointment.
It can take a few weeks to a few months to hear back for a college admissions decision, depending on the type of application you submitted. Early applicants — such as early decision or early action — will generally hear back in December while regular decision applicants will receive their admission decision in April.