This student didn’t commit to a college by May 1 – find out what options may still exist. https://www.collegeconfidential.com/articles/help-i-missed-the-may-1-deposit-deadline-do-i-have-any-options/
You think it okay to
" tell all of your waitlist colleges (three now, not two) that you will enroll if admitted, and then grab the first offer you get."
Is that ethical?
Sure … as long as she withdraws from the other two schools right away after accepting the first offer.
It’s actually also kosher to accept an offer from a waitlist while remaining on other waitlists. But, in THAT case, it’s NOT appropriate (or at least it’s not good karma) to tell a college that you’ll enroll for sure if your sights are still set elsewhere.
The waitlist is torture for people who are really hoping to get the call. As soon as D SIR’d (well before the deadline), we urged her to immediately contact the schools at which she was waitlisted to withdraw her name. Giving up that spot as quickly as possible to free it up for someone who really wants to attend is the right thing to do.