<p>My son applied to 6 schools, was accepted at 2, and waitlisted at 4! All 4 schools said they don't number their waitlists. April 10th is approaching and we will need to put a deposit down at 1 of the 2 schools he where he was accepted. We aren't in a position to lose $3500 of a non-refundable deposit either. From the letters the waitlist schools sent, it doesn't look like any students come off the waitlist until after April 10. So what do you do? Is a waitlist just a nice way to say your child was qualified, but there is no room for him, and to forget about it?</p>
<p>Practically, your last statement described the process almost exactly. Your child was qualified but he was simply not as strong a candidate as some other applicants. The waitlist is practically impossible to get off unless your son has some kind of extraordinarily talent (often athletic) and some1 who had a smiliar talent turned the school down. The thing is that the school will admit maybe 250 students if there are 200 spots because some tudents will reject the acceptence. If more than 50 students reject the acceptence the school will turn to the WL. But you should definitely pick one of the school to which he was accepted since the chance of getting of a WL is microscopic, but it happens.</p>
<p>Bird in hand is better.</p>
<p>Don’t gamble - if your child is really happy with the two choices he/she has - go with the best one.</p>
<p>It is possible to get off the waitlist - but in today’s environment - not likely. And some report hearing as late as July. You don’t need to be “extraordinary” to get off the waitlist - but likely, the school will balance their needs by finding a kid on the waitlist that comes close in terms of qualities as students who turned them down. Which is why waitlists are not ranked.</p>
<p>So - one one hand - so many kids applied to the same schools - it’s possible that when they choose “one” the others will have spots. On the other hand, last year some schools oversubscribed and they admit based on historical data - so admit rates, this year, are lower.</p>
<p>It’s a tough call - but I’d put the deposit down on the school that said “YES” rather than wait for a “MAYBE.”</p>
<p>I would say wait until the very last minute to send in your deposit. While not common, openings CAN occur in the very last days before April 10 as the re-visit days come to an end. We were told by two schools that there could be openings between re-visit days and April 10th. AND, I know of two students a couple of years ago who got off the WL on April 10. One parent was literally on their way to second choice school with the deposit when they got the call. </p>
<p>BUT…if you don’t hear by April 10, ExieMITAlum said, go for the YES rather than gamble for the MAYBE.</p>
<p>April 10 is a Saturday but I believe the deposit can be done on-line. Should we consider April 9th the cutoff given that admissions offices are closed on Saturday?</p>
<p>I would think it might vary by school. I would call the admissions office.</p>
<p>wcmom1958: one of the 2 schools son was accepted at said April 9th is there drop dead date! So, they must have recognized that April 10th is a Saturday and moved it up one day. But, that said, I think if you email them that your child is coming and that the check is in the mail they will believe you. Won’t they?</p>
<p>Sorry, I meant “their” not “there” drop dead date. Need caffeine!</p>
<p>From my very modest knowledge - wait lists at the day schools in the Boston area are very unpredictable. My sense, based on only a few data points , is that not many kids come off of them. Kids are generally not ‘ranked’ because who a school pulls from the list depends on who has accepted the school. So, for example, I know of a school that , a few years back, ended up with more girls than boys initially. Anybody they pulled from the waitlist was probably a boy.
I would wait until the drop dead date, but I don’t delay past that by a minute! Remember that the schools your child is accepted at have waitlists too.</p>
<p>How is the dropdead day defined? like the tax day, post marked by the day is OK?</p>