<p>I was just wait-listed. What happens now?</p>
<p>You tell them if you want to remain on the waitlist (usually there is a post card to send), then you, along with about a thousand other waitlisters, wait. About the second week in May they offer the first few places, then every few weeks another wave of offers go out, until about beginning of July, when the last offers are made. I believe about 180 people were accepted from the waitlist last year.</p>
<p>What do I do about my other schools then?</p>
<p>You say you want to go to a school and pay their deposit. Then you wait. If no news, you’re going to the other college. If you do get news, just withdraw your offer from the other U and go to H. If you want to, that is.</p>
<p>You can accept an offer from another school, yet still remain on Harvard’s waitlist. In fact, you better accept another offer in case H does not make an offer. You may need to send a deposit to the other school to hold your place there. Then, if you get accepted off the Harvard waitlist, you would have a week or so to decide to accept Harvard or not. You would have to forfeit your other school’s deposit.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot</p>
<p>You’re welcome, and good luck with the waitlist, and your other decisions!</p>
<p>Last year there were about 80 off the wait list. In the Crimson article just posted Fitzsimmons expects between 50 to 125 to come off. The most important thing–and I am the dad of S who got in in early May-- is to let them know that you are honored to be placed on the wait list and that (if TRUE ONLY) you will immediately accept an offer if one were to be proffered bc Harvard is your top choice college.</p>
<p>Then only write back further if you have something notable to add-- you do not want to be a pain to your regional rep–it is he or she that will be your advocate if an opening happens. So it is a tricky line–not to be invisible but also not a pain.</p>
<p>The first group happens in early May. This group usually the small group that just was on the other side of the accept line but that the Committee fully excepts that they will admit once they have a sense of the yield. Then a group in early June and then a third group in late June. After each group some people will be told as well that they are no longer on the list, especially in early June. They expect to close the list by 1 July.</p>
<p>Don’t bombard the Committee with more recommendations except if your head of school hasn’t weighed in on you, she or he has a history with Harvard and he or she will do it for you alone-- the “all of my kids on your wait list are great” does you no good. </p>
<p>Send in your final grades when you have them or major awards. </p>
<p>Most importantly–and I mean it–start falling in love with those schools that accepted you. I don’t know of anyone who ended up at another college after not making it off the List, who hasn’t written to say that they are so pleased to be a XYZ University. Please do not see it as your safety school.</p>
<p>If you get in–you also are not second tier–no one knows and no one cares. Each year summas, presidents of major clubs etc are former wait listers. If you made it-- you made it, 'nuff said.</p>
<p>Now go and take a hot bath.</p>
<p>Correcting my previous post–Fitzsimmons says 100 were taken off last year’s waitlist.</p>
<p>So how do they choose who gets taken off?</p>
<p>They look at the class and see where there are holes–a math geek, a flutist etc. Also each Reg Rep has their faves that didn’t make it through the first time and they are lobbying for them too. It is NOT ranked–well, perhaps for the few that they know that they will accept once the yield is known but that is a handful at most.</p>
<p>Watch and see how many cross admits and check the yield/gap year data on May 1. That will give you a pretty good idea of what sort of wait list year it will be. Harvard actively pushes gap year and so may have more spaces if those who are coming off a gap year are less than those taking one…</p>
<p>^Thanks. So they don’t really look at final grades too much, right?</p>
<p>Does the college want us/require us to send extra info like achievements or final grades?</p>
<p>yes–those items are important. but writing just to check in is not a good idea. Patience is a virtue but also again, don’t obsess over Harvard.</p>
<p>are waitlistees encouraged to send additional stuff?</p>
<p>Send in important new awards or accomplishments, but do not bother them with just random news. Final grades will be important as they review waitlist apps through June, until early July.</p>
<p>There’s also the possibility of being on the Z-list. This is the final group of the waitlistees to be admitted. Students may be notified as late as early to mid July (as my D was in 2008).
If Z-listed, the student agrees to take a gap year, without enrolling into another university, and is admitted the subsequent year…in this case for fall 2012.</p>
<p>Best of luck to all of you!</p>