If it’s not binding, there’s no reason to say no, correct?
Yes, but if you are absolutely sure that you’re not going to attend , it’s better to say no and let someone else fill that spot.
My DD was offered a place on 3 waitlists last year. She only took 1. I guess it depends on the hierarchy of your schools. If accepted to one you like better, why would you sit on the waitlist for a lower one on your list?
Like others have said, if that school eventually offers you a spot, would you accept it over the school you’re committed to? If not, let it go. Also, if you’re tired of waiting and want to finalize things, it’s OK to decline a WL spot as well. My daughter declined a WL spot b/c by that time, she was ready to commit and wanted to go all in with the one in front of her.
Take every wait list unless you are sure you will not go there. Sometimes you cannot be sure until you get in. If it is at a top meet full needs school a number but not all still meet full needs at the wait list. Last year a friend got a better FA (need) after being on the wait list at the #15 school on USNWR than he did at his accepted school which is #28 or so (not actual numbers but close). After thinking abut it he decided he preferred #28 butgot them to give him several K$$ in aid to match #15.
You should turn down a waitlist if you know you won’t attend if accepted. This can happen if you already got into a school you prefer. And some turn down a waitlist spot because they just want the process to be over.
Both my Ds turned down their wait list offer figuring they had schools that already wanted them and worked within the budget.
My senior year of high school, I was accepted to my top 2 choices with full-tuition scholarships, the honors college at one of my safeties, and waitlisted at another one of my “safeties”. There was no point in pursuing the waitlist- I had way better options!
Yes. Accepting a position on the wait list psychologically stops you from getting excited about and falling in love with the school you’re most likely going to attend. And if you don’t get in from the wait list, you get to be disappointed all over again.
My D signed in to the waitlist, but she is proceeding as though it won’t happen. She has done her due diligence with follow up emails to the colleges she is waitlisted at, so that is it as far as she is concerned. Let the fates play out.
“Yes. Accepting a position on the wait list psychologically stops you from getting excited about and falling in love with the school you’re most likely going to attend. And if you don’t get in from the wait list, you get to be disappointed all over again.”
In my opinion there does come a point where you need to transition from HS to college. I think the transition is psychological and unless you are 100% sure you prefer the school that waitlisted you I think your putting off making that transition. There is a sense of identity and mental preparation that you begin to take on once a decision is made. It might be that by hanging on to schools in hopes of something “better” you never completely make the commitment to the school you eventually attend.
Just discussed this thread with my D. She emphatically feels that she had to accept waitlist status. She would always wonder “what if” if she hadn’t accepted it, and if she changes her mind, it is simply a matter of emailing to ask to be taken off it. Anyway, in her opinion, accepting the waitlist is simply doing due diligence, unless it is a college you aren’t really interested in any longer.