<p>I have recently been wait listed at Harvard and Stanford, and before I accept the offer I had some questions I wanted to ask.</p>
<p>Does accepting a wait list offer have any contractual obligations attached to it? If they offer me a place after I take the wait list place do I have to go there? Or can I still make my own decision?</p>
<p>And I read somewhere that if you are wait listed, the colleges almost expect a letter reiterating the student's desire to attend, and other information about why you are truly the best candidate. Is this true? Should I send an e-mail or additional information to the schools if I decide to accept the wait list offer?</p>
<p>Does accepting a wait list offer have any contractual obligations attached to it? </p>
<p>No</p>
<p>If they offer me a place after I take the wait list place do I have to go there?</p>
<p>No, it’s an offer like any other.</p>
<p>And I read somewhere that if you are wait listed, the colleges almost expect a letter reiterating the student’s desire to attend, and other information about why you are truly the best candidate. Is this true?</p>
<p>Nervous HS students say that. Schools will accept you on the strength of your file.</p>
<p>^As far as I understand, the letter stating at least continued interest is pretty important. Considering these schools are hoping to increase yield by pulling students off the waitlist, and considering the issue of time at the point when waitlist decisions are made, they’re ideally going to offer spots to students who are most likely to accept the offer. Keep in mind there are only a few spots to fill on the waitlist, and everyone in the waitlist pool is pretty similarly qualified. </p>
<p>That being said, reiterating why you are a great candidate is probably not necessary. If you have any updates, worth sending, go for it, but otherwise, I’d think just showing serious interest is significantly beneficial to your profile.</p>