I got waitlisted from my favorite college. Now what?

Parents Forum
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<p>I got waitlisted from Grinnell College, and rejected from my second favorite college, Carleton. This came as somewhat of a surprise, considering that people told me that Grinnell was a match and Carleton was a high match. I have a 3.75 unweighted GPA, 2210 SATS, and I am in the top 10% of my class. I am a white female from Washington and the first in my family to go to college. My dad died suddenly right before my junior year, and my GPA that year was only about a 3.3, down from a 3.9. Everyone said that this would be okay considering what had happened to me, but apparently it wasn't? </p>

<p>Anyway, my third favorite college is Whitman, which I have not heard back from yet. But it is a very distant third favorite. Even if I get in (which I think I will), I just don't want to go. I would be willing to go into some debt for Grinnell or Carleton, but I don't know about Whitman.</p>

<p>I could enroll at another school, and try to transfer to Grinnell, but I know that transfer admission is much harder than freshman admission. So, what I am thinking of doing is simply not going to college next year, and applying to Grinnell ED in the fall, as a freshman. I feel pretty confident that I would get in, because Grinnell's ED admission rate is somewhere around 75%. I am also going to try to get off the waitlist, but I don't know how successful that will be. I haven't really earned any new awards or anything like that.</p>

<p>I wanted to apply ED to either Grinnell or Carleton this year, but I read this site and I know that you are not supposed to apply ED to schools where you need aid as well as schools that you have not visited, so I decided to apply RD. But now I am devastated, and I wish I would have applied early.</p>

<p>So, parents, would not going to college this year be a bad choice? I have already completed four quarters of community college, which means that I have at least some college experience, although I don't think Grinnell will take too many credits from another school. Also, my birthday is in July, which means that I won't be way older than the incoming class of 2013. I know that lots of kids defer admission, so would entering a year late be basically the same thing?</p>

<p>What should I do?</p>

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<p>I am skeptical of taking a gap year for the sole purpose of reapplying to a certain college.</p>

<p>You must think this over very carefully. First of all, you will need something constructive to do during your year off. This is the most important thing to consider carefully. Without a particularly good plan you will likely reduce imo your chances of admission.</p>

<p>Second, you will need a new set of colleges to apply to. You will be turning down the colleges that accept you, so you cannot be certain that those colleges will accept you again next year. What will those new colleges be?</p>

<p>Third, you cannot assume that ED means you, or anyone else, is automatically accepted. Certainly, someone who has been waitlisted RD should not imo rely on ED to get in next time. ED is not a free pass into the college of one's choice.</p>

<p>Fourth, it sounds like you would be devoting an entire year of your life simply to getting into Grinnell. Are you sure that that is a good use of your time? Certainly Grinnell is a fine place, but what is so great about Grinnell that makes it worth spending a year of your life to *try to<a href="no%20guarantees">/i</a> get into? </p>

<p>Your educational experience depends far more on you than on any specific college. You can get a good education at many many colleges. Where else have you applied? </p>

<p>Why don't you wait and see what your final choices are before devoting any more time to Grinnell?</p>

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<p>I think you should (re)visit Whitman. You would likely be very happy there and if for some reason you're not, you can transfer. I wouldn't take a year off and hope ED at Grinnell works because as you've already learned, admissions isn't as predictable as you thought. I think you'll find after a semester at Whitman that you'll wonder why you didn't consider Whitman your first choice.</p>

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<p>The differences between Grinnell and Carleton and Whitman are so small (and in many areas, Whitman is the best of the three), that it would hardly be 'biting the bullet' to happily attend (if you get in, of course.)</p>

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<p>I agree with the parent who said take another look at Whitman. My son has so far been waitlisted to two of his top choices and one that he thought would be a safety. However, of the three schools he's been admitted to, two have offered merit scholarships so he is going to visit those and see if he is more excited. In the end,as someone said to me recently, it's not where you get in, it's what you do with your time wherever you go that matters. Taking a gap year doesn't mean you'll get in next year. Another strategy might be to defer your acceptance to Whitman for a year and reapply to the other schools as well as some larger schools that might also appeal. In retrospect, my son's biggest problem was that, like you, he only applied to small schools. Good luck whatever you decide. I think there are a lot of disappointed seniors walking around right now!</p>

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<p>Have you thought about trying to get an appointment with an admissions counselor? The school is getting its responses and deposits now, and they will have a better idea as to your wait-list chances. If you tell them that it's definitely your #1 choice and your checkbook is ready, it may make a difference. In a meeting with a counselor, you might also discuss whether they have Spring semester admissions, which would mean only a semester off (during which time you could try to pursue meaningful experience in your intended major while earning money). </p>

<p>See if your 2nd choice will put you on a wait-list, instead of an outright rejection.</p>

<p>Definitely take another hard look at your third choice too. You selected it instead of some other school for your third application for a reason. Consider whether all of the credits earned there will transfer, as another possibility. </p>

<p>Also take another look at any other options that may still exist -- local schools, etc., and make appointments to meet with admissions counselors at schools which may appeal to you and that are still inviting applications. Your GC should be able to help with this. Your GC may even have some connections and be able to pull some strings for you, if you had some other options that you missed. You have good credentials, and there are schools that will welcome you if you make a commitment to them.</p>

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<p>I believe that Whitman is often on the list of " students deliriously happy".
We didn't look, as older D studied the Whitmans in Washington state history and never wanted to hear their name again, but I have known other students who really love the school.</p>

<p>I would also not be surprised if you didn't get off the wait list at Grinnell although I admit I know nothing about how many students they place on waitlist.
You might send a note however, confirming your desire to remain on waitlist.</p>

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<p>This year is so tough. Look at where you're in and try to make that work for you.</p>

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<p>Stats from the Fall of 2006 for Grinnell: 349 placed on the wait list, 25 admitted. Hope this helps. I suggest asking your GC to call the school to advocate for you</p>

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<p>I ditto mini's post. These schools are brands. If the diner serves Pepsi instead of Coke people are usually fine. Whitman is a fine school.</p>

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<p>Ouch. I'm sorry to hear about this. Do get your GC involved. Send an update and a letter saying how much you'd love to go to Grinnell ASAP. Get in contact with the admissions officer responsible for WA. Every little bit of love (without being a pest) should help, but waitlists are a crapshoot. And keep senioritis in check!</p>

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<p>Andrea, please, please don't apply somewhere ED. Finances can be complicated for a family with a parent who has passed away. You would be locked into whatever financial aid package school the school says meets your needs, even if you don't think it meets your family's financial situation. We've seen some real ED messes here on the parents' forum lately.</p>

<p>Another gap year consideration is that if you're not a full-time student, you will lose coverage under your family's health insurance and auto insurance plans. That is a very costly situation to be in. Very importantly, ADad is right about having the right plan, or actually reducing your chances of acceptance.</p>

<p>Pulling through a parent's death like you did takes resiliency. You've got what it takes to thrive anywhere. As emeraldkity says, Whitman has a reputation for extremely happy students. I wonder if part of Grinnell's appeal is that it is out of state. One good thing about being closer is that it will be far easier to go home for Thanksgiving, spring break, etc. I think the advice about trying to get off Grinnell's waitlist is great. You've got a lot going for you, and personally I hope you (and those 40 pairs of socks:)) head off to campus somewhere next fall. My gut feeling is in retrospect you will be very glad you did.</p>

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<p>You only mentioned these three schools. Are there others you're waiting to hear from?</p>

<p>Everyone I've known who didn't get into their first or second choice winds up very very happy at the place they ultimately go. College is what you make of it. Whitman is a great school. Assuming you get in there, you'd be silly not to enjoy it and take advantage of everything it has to offer!</p>

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<p>Okay, I just got home from work so now I will try to respond to all of you guys. Thanks so much for all of your help and advice.</p>

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<p>Right, these are good points. If I were to take a year off, I would work full time, and save the money. I would apply ED1 to Grinnell (I would apply in November and then I would hear back in December). If I got rejected, I would then apply ED2 to Carleton, as well as RD to some other schools. There are several schools that I like, but did not end up applying to, like Oberlin, Kenyon, and Colby College. If I do decide to take a year off, I would rewrite my college list.</p>

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<p>True. Someone else on the Grinnell board was waitlisted and emailed his regional admission counselor, who replied that he would have been admitted last year, or early decision this year, but RD this year was simply very competitive. I am sort of interpreting my waitlist as "we don't have room for you" rather than "you aren't good enough". Also, Grinnell's ED admit rate is quite high. But I will definitely contact my regional admission counselor and discuss this with him.</p>

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<p>I do see your point here. But I would do my best to use my time wisely - working full time and saving money. I would then spend some money on college, of course, and then invest the rest and leave it until I graduate, so I could have some money to start my life with. I don't think it would be a total waste of time.</p>

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<p>Right, I will wait until I have all my college letters, and I will visit Whitman (if I get in) before I make my final decision.</p>

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<p>Yeah, that is true. If I get into Whitman, I will definitely visit, and hopefully fall in love and forget about Grinnell.</p>

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<p>True, I know they are all good schools. But if I end up going to Whitman, I am almost sure that I would want to go to grad school in the Midwest, and it seems like Whitman maybe only has a good reputation in the West, but I will have to do some more research about that.</p>

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<p>Thanks, this is good advice. But if I were to defer my acceptance to Whitman, doesn't that mean I would have to go there next year? I thought it was binding, like applying somewhere early decision. I think applying to larger schools would be a good idea too. If I decide to wait a year, and I don't end up getting in ED, I think I would also apply to larger schools like UW Madison and U Minn Twin Cities.</p>

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<p>Right, I have heard this too. If I get in, with a good financial aid package, I will definitely visit and see how it tuns out.</p>

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<p>Do you mean an admission counselor at Grinnell? Well, I really can't afford to go to Iowa when I haven't been accepted. And my checkbook isn't exactly ready - I do need financial aid. That is another reason why I think it might be better to wait a year rather than get off the waitlist - I have heard that "admitted-from-waitlist" people generally don't get very much aid.</p>

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<p>This is very true, but Grinnell is need blind and meets 100% of need as well, and I have never talked to a student who is dissatisfied with their financial aid package. Even if I had to take out some loans, I feel like the education I would get there would be worth it. Also, Whitman (where I would go if I did not wait a year), does not have the financial resources that Grinnell does. I feel like I would have better luck with Grinnell ED than with Whitman RD.</p>

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<p>I actually lost my health insurance after my father died, so I don't have any right now. I was planning on simply waiting to go on my college's plan. Yeah, I know that not having insurance is very bad....but everything has worked out so far. I haven't been sick enough to actually need a doctor in years.</p>

<p>I do have car insurance though. I will have to see how that is affected; thanks for the advice. I would be working though and therefore could probably afford to pay for any increases.</p>

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<p>Haha, yeah, I might not need so many socks in sunny Walla Walla. But I will definitely check out Whitman if I do end up getting accepted.</p>

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<p>Right, I did see this floating around the web somewhere. I wonder how relevant it is, though, considering Grinnell's admissions have changed so much in the past few years. It seems like a lot of kids got waitlisted this year.</p>

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<p>Thanks BunsenBurner. I agree with what you and 2moretogo said about getting my guidance counselor involved. I tried to avoid "whining" about all my family problems on my application, because I didn't want to seem like I was simply making excuses. I was hoping that my teachers would mention how upset I was but how I still continued doing (fairly) well in school, but I am not sure if they did. I think I am going to ask my counselor to write more about that.</p>

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<p>Well, I applied to eight schools, but I have only gotten into my safeties so far. And basically, the only schools that I actually wanted to go to were Grinnell and Carleton.</p>

<p>Here they are, more or less in order of preference.
Grinnell *- waitlist.
**Carleton *- reject.
*Whitman *- haven't heard back from yet. But I don't truly, passionately want to go like I do with Grinnell and Carleton.
**Lewis and Clark - accepted. But I don't know how grad schools see Lewis and Clark, and I am concerned about going into debt for a school where I might not get my money back, in terms of future grad school/jobs. Also, the gender ratio concerns me.
Macalester- waitlist. I doubt I will accept the spot.
Reed- haven't heard back from yet. But I know I don't want to go. I didn't like what I saw at my visit. I don't think I would fit in.
University of Washington - accepted, but I don't want to stay in state and I got a fairly bad financial aid package.
Western Washington University - accepted, but I don't want to stay in state.</p>

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<p>If you work for a year you will be competing with the same credentials you currently have, you will not become more competitive. At minimum you will lose a year in reaching your grad school goal, you also may not get into your dream school next year- is the economic cost of working at your current wages worth giving up your chosen profession's wages for a year? Do well at one of the schools you are accepted at and you can go to the grad school of your choice. There are many paths to every grad school, don't discount your current undergrad options in getting you there. You will refine your goals as you attend college, you may not even want the grad school you currently desire, or the same field. Many students fall in love with their safeties- there had to be a reason you bothered to apply to them.</p>