A few schools have offered to put me on their waitlists, with the promise that I will hear back from them by June 1. But isn’t the “national decision day” or whatever May 1? Does this mean I am supposed to place the enrollment deposit down at the school I would otherwise attend if not accepted via waitlist, and then if accepted from the waitlist withdraw from the school I’ve placed a deposit at? I was waitlisted by a school I’d really love to attend, but I’m not going to place all my hopes and chances on them since it may not pan out. I’m just kind of confused as to how it works, and the few answers I’ve received from admissions offices confused me.
You must make a choice and deposit by May 1. Some schools go to their waitlist fairly soon depending on what their yield is like, while others never go the waitlist at all. A June 1 decision for a waitlist means that on or about June 1 you will receive an email or a letter stating that the enrollment period is complete and no additional candidates will be taken from a waitlist. It doesn’t guarantee anything. If you end up with an acceptance off a waitlist from a school you would prefer going to , you lose the deposit you placed with the first school.
You definitely should put down a deposit down at a school by May 1st to ensure that you will be enrolling somewhere next year. In the unlikely event that you are admitted off the waitlist, if you would like to attend that school, you would forfeit the deposit that you put down.
The above are correct. Definitely put down one (and only one) deposit by May 1. Good luck.