According to the CDS, Wesleyan only took 81 (out of 1557) off their wait list last year and Case 436 (out of more than 6000). So, the odds aren’t good.
I always look at a WL as a “no”. Which I think is psychologically it’s easier to move on from than a “maybe”. I hope your student can get excited about some of the other options who have loved her back!
We are in a similar situation.
Our school waitlists won’t move, most likely.
Waiting on 1 Ivy (legacy who didn’t apply ED), but will commit to a state flagship that was a safety and move on.
High stats kid + terrible college results = heartbroken kid who worked their tail off for… nothing.
Really frustrating and depressing.
I wish your applicant the very best of luck.
Getting off a waitlist is horrible odds. As a mom who’s on my third kid, here’s what I have told my children. Take solace in the fact that the school waitlisted you because they think you are qualified, then forget about those waitlist schools and move on with your acceptances. As in, forget about them completely. If by some slim chance your student gets off a waitlist in the summer, you can have the conversation, but move on now.
At her school yes, her bill was almost cut in half.
“New mental health center at wpi”
This is my concern about WPI for a student with issues as described.
They had multiple suicides within the last couple years. It’s, I’m assuming, super high stressed with fast pace classes.
Is that good for a student like this ?
They may have a new resource - forced into building - but should someone who can’t handle issues as described, chance going ?
I’m sorry this happened to her. It’s tough. I agree with others that it might be best to consider a WL a no and go on to choose a school and fall in love. If a WL does come through, then it’s an interesting surprise to deal with later.
You’re not alone. 
In our case, my son is getting acceptances at schools that are not offering enough aid. So much hard work and they go on the no pile. We have our fingers crossed for something feasible from USC, and we keep learning more about the yeses and all the great things about them!
My niece just got WL at one of her top choices (got denied at the other two). Just looked at the Common Data Set for the school where she is WL and last year, out of 8,994 kids on their WL, only ONE was offered a spot 
so I def think it is worth looking at schools CDS and seeing the likelihood of WL actually “moving”. It is so disappointing and hard for these kids.
To be fair in comparing WPI to BU, BU has also had suicides in recent years. I think both may have fast-paced classes; I can’t really comment on the stress levels. As far as I know, BU doesn’t have a mental health center and most students are referred to off-campus providers for therapy. I’m glad the parents will be close by to step in, no matter which school is chosen.
Wpi had 7 in 8 months. Pretty excessive. No doubt steps have been taken. But while many schools have suicide that’s an enormous amount of kids in a tight timeframe.
Just a note of caution for OP.
As a professor, I just wanted to chime in and say that is very sad. Also suicide tends to come clumped in groups due to suicide contagion among students (lots of research and news articles on this).
For example, my university has only had 3 “successful” suicides during my 14 years; however, they all came within a 5 month period.
I’m glad WPI is adding more resources. All universities has seen the need for counseling skyrocketing. The OP should be taking a hard look at the two schools Accessibility Offices also.
What’s amazing to me is so many kids have dream schools or I must go here etc. and look what they get into.
It’s sad all the stress / pressure on kids today. Some societal, some self imposed.
Not sure if this will help.
Deposit elsewhere. The college that has offered you a spot on their waitlist should be instructing you to take this step, as it is absolutely critical. Because many admitted students wait until the week prior to the deposit deadline to commit, the majority of waitlist activity occurs in May, June, and July. That means you need to put your money down at another school in order to secure your spot. Just like the college, you are hedging your bets.
I hate to go all Effie Trinket on you here, but just in case no one else says it… the waitlist odds are not in your favor. “But I thought you just said…” I know, I know. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it is a numbers game, and this year you’ve got plenty of company on the waitlist. Your job is to get excited about a school that did admit you and secure your space in their class.
That is a hard position to be in as a parent. I suggest you try and adjust the thinking to assuming the waitlists are no and get emotionally connected to another choice before committing by May 1. In the extraordinarily unlikely event she gets off a WL, it will be an exciting and unexpected bonus. But the odds of that happening are far lower than the odds to have been accepted at those schools in the first place. On the other hand, to commit to the other school half-heartedly while still pining for a call to get off the WL, may have a lasting impact on the feelings about the other school that will mostly likely be attended.
Love the school that loves you.
yeah, I know. We ARE going to open house at CWRU this next week - not necessarily to demonstrate interest (though it can’t hurt), but because that’s one of only two colleges she applied to that we haven’t visited, and if she were to get off the waitlist there may not be time to visit before needing to commit, and there’s no way we would have her commit to go without having visited.
Also, it seems of all the colleges that use a WL, the odds are better at CWRU than most - they take 20%+ of their class from the WL. It’s rumored to manage yield #'s, but whatever the reason having 20% to 25% of the freshman class come from the waitlist, while harder than being accepted outright is way more likely than at Wesleyan.
agreed. A hard conversation for sure, though.
There’s no done after May 1 unless you go to a school on the list of those still accepting apps.
A wait list is a rejection it’s a no. It’s simply a hedge for the school in the case they mis judge yield. But you have to realize - it’s a pure rejection.
If Wesleyan and CWRU were the top 2, I’m not sure how MIT or Cal Tech mattered ( in regards to not applying ED) but that ship has sailed.
CWRU put offered 10.6k WL spots last year - more than 25% of applicants. Think about that. It’s obscene. Yes, some got in …about 400.
Wesleyan offered more than 2700 out of 14.5k applicants. Yes some got in - 81 but you can’t count on it.
You do need to be done b4 May 1 and love that school you choose.
I’m sure while they offer as many as they do, it’s in part because the yield on WL is probably tiny and they have to go deeper and deeper. They’re not offering all those kids at once. By then, most have already fallen in love with where they committed, decline the late admit, and they have to go deeper.
So May 1 is it - you’ll be much happier. Stay on a WL but then forget the school. They’ve already rejected you.
Good luck.
Edit. If CWRU is managing yield through WL, they’re bad at it. Their yield is atrocious. 1553 enrolled out of 10607 accepted.
They did accept 436 from WL but not knowing how many enrolled - I doubt it’s 25% of the class. Or even close.
Thank you for replying. I will be getting more pushy with them now.
we know the #'s 
I mentioned CWRU and Wesleyan as her top 2 - I meant “remaining” top 2, AFTER the rejections from MIT, CalTech, and UChicago (those were her original top 3). She hadn’t gone ED because she didn’t want to close the door on a long-shot for any of those - and because we’re not in a position to commit without seeing the actual COA.
She WILL commit to a school by May 1 - at this point, I think it will likely come down to Sarah Lawrence or Bryn Mawr (assuming she is accepted next week), I think. Though if Steven’s were to increase their initial aid offer (they are reviewing updated information we sent in), they could be in the running as well.
In regards to CWRU, their freshman class is under 1600 - taking 436 off the waitlist is over 1/4 of that. I guess that might mean they OFFERED admission to 436? I had assumed that “taking 436 off the waitlist” was that 436 got to go? I guess it could be interpreted either way. If we assume that was just 436 offered admission, their yield on the waitlist is likely way better than overall, as they make kids continually respond to stay on the list.
7% is LOW - but technically still better than the overall rates at her original choices LOL
I would think otherwise but there’s no way to know.
I would hypothesize that wait list yields stink. If they were good they wouldn’t offer so many which frankly is torturing to the most that think they’re one of a select few.
I think kids start settling into the idea of a different school, get roommates, etc. also it’s likely merit is less for WL kids which could drive some away.
Guess there’s no way to know but I’d be shocked if they were high.
That you’re accepting to another - you got it covered. Congrats.
23 took a school off the list today. The COA for that was $27k.
We have four left, so we are getting there.
Pitt COA $45k
State U COA $30k
SLAC COA $13k
UVM COA $45k
23 could play sport at the small one, and it offers some unique experiences. The choice is a challenging one!
Two are outstanding, and I’m assuming rejections for those.
Our family deadline to decide is April 15th.
WHOA: I just this minute realized two of these four are ones I suggested. 
That makes me happy! 
