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Is it normal to be wait-listed by almost all the top-tier colleges that you applied to? Because I got wait-listed by Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern University, and Duke University all on the same weekend. All the letters say pretty much the same thing: that my academic record was too high to be rejected outright and that there was nothing wrong with my application. If there's nothing wrong with my application, how come they didn't simply accept me? Is it a wicked trick the colleges play nowadays to decrease their acceptance rate while increasing there enrollment rate? The reason why is because I didn't visit any of the colleges that I got wait-listed from. Do they contrue that as a lack of interest on my part?

By Kw_Michelle (Kw_Michelle) on Wednesday, April 02, 2003 - 04:13 am: Edit

Hey, I also have been put into Wellesley College's waiting list. I am really disappointed that cuz W is top choice.
But nothing we can do now---except waiting.

by the way, which one you want to go really?

Thanks

By Rokko91 (Rokko91) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 10:58 am: Edit

If you are wait-listed, is there anything that you can do? Is it worth writing a letter or should you just sit tight and wait?

By Hautbois (Hautbois) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 11:37 am: Edit

You should send them any updates about what you've been doing: Is there anything new to add to your ECs? Any honors? Any other fabulous things you can tell them about yourself that you didn't manage to get in on the app.? Any letters of rec you could add? Continuing to pursue them lets them know that you are still very interested.

At least that's what I've been reading!

Best to you all!

By Shennie (Shennie) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 12:28 pm: Edit

There is a school of thought that waiting lists are really just a consolation prize. The school has many more qualified applicants than it has spots. Waitlisting is a way of telling an applicant that you met all of our qualifications, but you were not exactly the person we were looking for this year. Some schools have huge waitlists and very few people are ever admitted from the waitlist. So you need to deal with this emotionally and move on.

By Anotherdad (Anotherdad) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 12:46 pm: Edit

NEVER count on coming off a wait list, because the odds are against it. However, it is perfectly acceptable to send in a letter expressing continuing interest and citing new information. If W or whatever really is your first choice and you will attend if accepted -- say so. The Vassar wait list letter says exactly that.

Wait lists are not just a cruel trick. The colleges can only guess which acceptances with actually come and they will use the wait list to make later adjustments. Also, wait lists fill niches -- If all 8 violin players accepted decide to go everywhere, you can bet that the Orchestra conductor will be screaming to get violin players off the wait list. The schools need all sort of different types of kids and they will dig deep into the wait list pool to find the right one if necessary. Don't give up hope but don't count on anything either.