Hi! I’m a 10th grade Phillips Exeter applicant who was applying for the Fall 2017 semester. I was recently rejected via email on the accord of “There were only a few spots open” (A little doubtful, I think they may have just been trying to let me down easy) anyway, this is the first time and only time I’ve ever applied to any kind of prep school as Exeter was the only one that appealed to me. Although I’ve been formally rejected, I would like to get on the waitlist if that’s possible (no reason to waste a chance if I have one!) Does anybody know if Exeter is even using a waitlist this year? Can I request to be put on the waitlist? If so, how, and what’s the best way? If you can answer any of this a response would be really appreciated since I don’t know much of anything about the process 
When you apply to a boarding school (or most other private schools) you will either get declined, waitlisted, or accepted. It sounds like you got declined from Exeter. The waitlist is not something can request to be put on. You are either contacted if you were out on the waitlist, accepted, or declined, but being waitlisted and declined are very different. I’m sorry to put this so frankly for you, but if you were declined there is no way to get on the waitlist. Best of luck 
Hi! Sadly, you have to be put on the waitlist and not rejected. If you were put on the waitlist, they would tell you in your decisions letter. So sadly, you are not and can not be put onto the waitlist. All top boarding schools do have waitlists, but rarely a kid gets off of it (it’s like winning the lottery). And in response to what you said at the beginning, don’t doubt the fact that they had very little spots open. It’s over 3,000 kids applying for limited spots. Furthermore, 11th grade is the hardest year to be accepted into. Chances are that Exeter didn’t even take anybody off of their waitlist this year.
Thanks so much for replying! This will really help me in the future, I appreciate it
Thank you for replying! I didn’t realize wait-listing and rejections were totally different, I heard once if you are rejected you can request to be on the waitlist, but I didn’t know if it was true. Thanks a bunch for clearing that up!
@Kamina_Blue2020, there ARE only a few spots open for 11th grade. E.g., SPS accepted only 5 girls in that form.
@Kamina_Blue2020 , Some schools take a larger number for 10th and 11th grade. Unless you are local to Exeter and Andover and applying as a day student, you need to look more widely, including outside New England, if your parents are OK with that.
Day student status would work if you are in the area or your family can move.