Guest Post: What to Do if You’re Waitlisted at a College
Admission Tips for Sucess
Greenhaus College Consulting
Why Was I placed on the College’s Waitlist ?!
You may have been placed on a college waitlist for many reasons. The college received many competitive applications and had to make difficult decisions about who to accept, and your application was borderline. Perhaps your grades were not strong enough or your extracurriculars were not very interesting. It could also be that the admissions committee was impressed with your application but ultimately offered admission to other students they felt were a better fit for their college. In these cases, the other students, such as athletes and musicians, met the college's institutional priorities. You may have applied to a competitive major and there were simply too few spaces available. If you have been placed on a college waitlist, it's essential to remember that it does not reflect your abilities. However, there is still a chance that you could be admitted to the college, so it's a good idea to follow up with that school and express your continued interest in attending. In the meantime, you must accept your spot on the waitlist through the student portal and follow the directions closely.
Timelines of Waitlists: What to be aware of and How to take the next steps
The timeline of waitlists can vary depending on the college and the admissions process. However, here is a general timeline of what you can expect.
Admissions decisions: Most colleges send out their regular admissions decisions by April 1st. This is when you will find out if you have been accepted, rejected or waitlisted.
Waitlist offers: After admissions decisions are made, colleges will start offering waitlist spots to students. This can happen anytime from late March to early May.
Acceptance response deadline: Once you have been offered a spot on the waitlist you will usually have a deadline to respond to the offer. This can range from a few days to a few weeks.
When do acceptance spots become available? After students accept offers and send in their tuition deposits the colleges will start to get a better idea of how many spots are now available. This can sometimes be before May 1 but more likely after May 1.
Final Decisions: By later May or early June most colleges will have made their final decisions on who they will admit for the upcoming school year. Sometimes these decisions could stretch into the summer months if additional spots open up.
It is important to remember that the waitlist timeline can vary significantly from school to school. Additionally, some colleges may offer waitlist spots for different periods or have rolling admissions where they continue to accept students throughout the summer. If you have questions about a specific college waitlist timeline, it is best to reach out to their admissions office directly. Some colleges will post statistics from previous years on their website, or you can find this information online.
What can I do to try to get off the waitlist?
If you have been placed on a college waitlist, there are several things you can do to increase your chances of being admitted.
Respond to the waitlist offer promptly. Make sure to respond to the college as soon as possible to let them know you are interested in remaining on the waitlist. The college might assume that you lost interest and move onto the next student.
Follow the instructions on what you need to do to remain on the waitlist. Make sure to follow these instructions carefully and provide any additional information or material that the college requests.
Write a letter to the college expressing your continued interest. Use this letter as an opportunity to update them on any recent accomplishments or achievements since you have submitted your application. Provide additional information if there have been any significant changes in your academics.
Consider visiting the campus if possible and meet with the admissions staff. Send a thank you note after your visit. You might do the visit prior to sending the continued letter of interest.
By following these steps, you can increase your chances of being admitted.
How to Write a College Waitlist Letter
These guidelines apply to students who have also been deferred in the early action round. The letter will be added to the student's file and considered when the admissions office reviews the next round of applications.
Writing a waitlist letter to the college can demonstrate your interest and abilities, potentially improving your chances of being accepted. Here are some tips on what to include in a waitlist.
Express your continued interest: Begin the letter by expressing your gratitude for being placed on the waitlist and your continued interest in attending the college. This demonstrates that you are still invested in the college and want to be considered for admission.
Highlight your accomplishments: Emphasize recent achievements or successes demonstrating your abilities and potential. This could include academic honors, extracurricular activities, community service, or work experience. Make sure to tie these accomplishments to how they align with the college's values and mission. For example, do mention this if you worked hard at a subject in which you had previously struggled.
Discuss any academic updates: Address any weakness in your application that you are now addressing, such as improving your grades or retaking a standardized test. Explaining your progress shows you are serious about your education and want to enhance your college preparation skills.
Provide new information: If you have any further information to share that was not included in your original application, such as a recent internship or project, share it. This can provide a fresh perspective on your abilities and interests. Demonstrate why you believe you would be a good fit for the college. Include information about specific programs or courses that align with your interests, mentioning connections with the college community, or discussing your goals and how they align with the college's values.
Additional Letters of Recommendation: Ask the admissions office if they will accept an additional letter of recommendation. Have one of your senior-year teachers write an academic letter of recommendation for you. You could also have one of your coaches or supervisors write a character reference on your behalf that addresses your leadership skills and outstanding personality, and wellness to help others.
College Waitlist Letter Sample
Here are some excerpts from a waitlist letter :
Dear Admissions Committee (try to find out who handles the applications for your state and address the letter to that person),
[If you are instructed to upload the letter to your student portal, please follow the directions.]
Thank you for reviewing my application. I am writing to update you with my extracurricular accomplishments since December, and why I believe that Red University is the perfect school for me.
Since the time I submitted my application I have continued to participate in all of my extracurricular activities including the Westview Youth Orchestra where I was honored with the most outstanding cello award both at my school and in the State Competition in Los Angeles. My orchestra traveled to Carnegie Hall in January and won 1st place in the National Youth Music awards. In addition I have continued with my science internship at UCLA and my paper on gene splicing is due to be published in mid June. I feel that your institution will be the perfect fit for me in that I can continue my studies in both science and music as well as my research efforts. Additionally, I hope to participate in research with Professor Alan Johnson whose work on CRISPR genes align my strong interests in genetics and the medical field. Your school would offer me additional leadership opportunities to run for the student government and tutor first generation refugee students through the GIVE Back program which is a very similar program that I participated in during high school. As ASB president we raised over five thousand dollars during the December holidays for refugee students at the (East Valley school) and donated school supplies to those in need.
Final Comments:
It will be important to highlight your future goals and why you are the best candidate for not only the school but for the major you have applied for and highlight how you might be an asset to this campus. Keep the tone confident, polite and positive. Make sure to provide evidence of how you will be an active member of the academic community and participate in other campus associations and clubs.
Regina Gerrato Greenhaus is the Founder of Greenhaus College Consulting and an expert on college admissions. If you would like our support to assist your student with writing a waitlist letter of continued interest please contact us at: www.greenhauscollegeconsulting.com.
