Guys don’t worry too much about this - that’s the worst possible thing you can do at this moment. In fact, I would recommend that if you already have a college acceptance, just withdraw your name from the waitlist. That’s what I’ve decided to do after much deliberation, for several reasons.
Withdrawing will give me complete peace of mind (as much as I would try to forget about it, I would still keep on stressing about Harvard well into June, even though I already have a great college that has accepted me)
I wouldn't really be okay with giving up several hundred dollars from my college deposit at a moment's notice.
I don't want to spend the next few months developing a relationship with many of the students at the school I will go to, only to throw it all away at the last moment.
Ultimately, there are people who truly have absolutely 0 other places to go, that are banking on the waitlist to save them. While it may have been poor planning on their part, I feel greedy making it tougher for them.
Does sending additional recommendations to the Harvard admissions office help if you have been waitlisted? If so who should I ask for the additional recommendation- another teacher?
I know a couple of adcoms (not at H) and their advice for updating info when waitlisted is the same: any supplement should add to your application, not just underline it. So maybe since applying you won an award, or did exceptionally well in a class for which the teacher could write, etc.
While most colleges require students to make a nonrefundable Tuition Deposit when accepting an offer, HYP (and some others) do not. So a student who chooses to remain on H’s waitlist but accepts an offer at YP would not lose any money.
That’s very altruistic of you, but I would think most students wouldn’t be thinking this way.
Waitlisted as well! How many applicants send in significant updates to boost their chances? What kind of updates can applicants have anyways from now until May? On Yale’s website it says that there is no need to send additional information and that they’ll review the same application they looked at in March
How do we get additional Letters of Recommendation in? Through the common app? Have the recommender send it through the mail? I’ve found little info and I’m just very confused
^^ @tacimaci: Additional letters of recommendation can be sent directly to Admissions. The recommender should put the student’s name, high school, birth date and Common Application number at the top of their letter, and the letter will make into your file and be considered when Admissions goes to the waitlist. Harvard Admissions’ mailing address is
^^ My guess is that most waitlisted students WILL NOT have significant updates to provide, but a few students might. For example, the Intel finalist Science and Engineering Fair is being held May 14-19. That would be a significant update to let Admissions know about and could take a student off the waitlist.
^^ It’s really NOT necessary to send an update. In fact, if you go through waitlist threads of past years, many students admitted off the waitlist did not send updates.
FWIW: Over the weekend, I received this private message from a student
My answer: No, this is not normal. In all my years on CC this was the first time I’ve heard of an applicant that has NOT been interviewed in the RD round, offered an interview once on the waitlist. Given that Harvard received close to 40,000 applications and had issues with interviewing every student, I’m wondering if this is the “new normal.”
NOTE: If Harvard is indeed interviewing applicants on the waitlist, it’s best to wait to be contacted by an alumni for an interview rather than contact the Admissions Office about it.
@gibby Thanks for responding! Since I’m not a legacy, if I say I wouldn’t mind deferring an offer of admission for a year, would that compromise my chances for being admitted this for the class of 2021? I’m actually very interested in taking a gap year, but I don’t want to risk lowering my chances even more than it already is.
@banditrabbit: You could let Admissions know of any honors or awards you have received since you submitted your application. You could also submit an additional letter of recommendation from someone who can add new information and depth to your application file (for example, a senior year teacher who has come to know you well and could highlight your scholastic growth and achievement).
Only send what is absolutely necessary though – you don’t want to overload your file with extra fluff. Many students accepted off the waitlist do not send additional information. Remember: Admissions LIKED what they saw in your original application as they didn’t reject you, so don’t provide unnecessary clutter (like an extra essay) that might detract from an otherwise notable application. Often times, “less is more.”
@TheIG19: I don’t think it would comprise your chances if you stated you’d be willing to take a gap year if Harvard agreed to put you on the zlist. However, taking a gap year just for the sake of taking time off might not seem as focused as having a plan of action for what you wanted to do. Here are some ideas to get you thinking: http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/05/08/50-inspiring-gap-year-ideas-for-high-school-students/