Is the wait list ranked?

<p>Hello. I have been wait listed by Whitman College, and I might accept it. So do the colleges rank the students in the wait list?</p>

<p>[Common</a> Data Set](<a href=“http://www.whitman.edu/content/institutional_research/factbook/cds]Common”>http://www.whitman.edu/content/institutional_research/factbook/cds)</p>

<p>According to Whitman Common Data set from 2010 - 2011, they do not rank their waitlist, and only 1 student was admitted off of the wait list last year. (Middle of Page 7, section C2)</p>

<p>Sometimes schools change their criteria for their wait list. My D was wait listed at a need blind school, and was informed that students who didn’t need financial aid were given priority off the wait list. I don’t know Whitman’s criteria, but I assume that once they have a good picture of their incoming class after May 1, they may use their wait list to help round it out.</p>

<p>Thanks 2boysima and kolijma.</p>

<p>I don’t know about Whitman, but what I have heard about waitlists is that they pick what they need to build a class off of the waitlist (ie they might need an oboe player or a math major etc…)</p>

<p>Should I improve my essays so that if they read the essays when selecting from the waitlist, I might shine! (My essays do need improvement) What else can I do to get off that list? I called the college and they said I didn’t need to do anything but I just can’t sit tight!</p>

<p>At this point, you can’t really send in revised essays, I think they’ll just go with what they have. But you could ask someone who knows you very well (a teacher, an advisor for one of your extra curriculars, etc) to write an additional recommendation if they did not have the chance to do one for your initial application. Make sure it’s someone who really knows you and can speak to your strengths. Also, if you have won any awards or earned any honors since you turned in your application, you might notify the college of those.</p>

<p>^Thanks for your response. Actually when I called the college, they said I can send in the revised essay. But do you think they will read them when selecting off the waitlist? Also, an additional recommendation sounds like a good idea. I can have my Soccer coach write one. One new q tho: what should be the form/ format for an EC recommendation?</p>