<p>Is it true that colleges have 2 wait lists? One with those they would really like to admiit and another for sensitive cases? I.e. legacies, connected, feeder school kids where a wait list placement soothes the blow but they will never take those kids?</p>
<p>Waitlists are used for a variety of reasons. Because of the way applications are coded, there's no reason to use multiple lists. Rather, of those on the list, the school can classify them into (1) no way in h---, and (2) if only space would allow.</p>
<p>Now, from our perspective, there's no way to tell which group. We can tell that our prospects are not good, but we all know the stats.</p>
<p>I think most colleges simply break it down into the list of those offered waitlist;</p>
<p>and then the list of those who choose to be on the active waitlist. </p>
<p>From amg. those on the active list, the college will choose any later admits if they do, indeed, go to the waitlist to meet their enrollment goals.</p>
<p>Schools do it in different ways depending on how they are structured. I don't think any waitlists are numbered, but there are clusters. When it becomes evident that X number can be admitted off of the waitlist, generally they come right off the first cluster, with exceptions made if some specialty types need to be replaced. For instance if 3 french horn players decline, there is a good chance that a french horn player will be taken off the waitlist even if he is not in the first cluster. For colleges that have specific schools, the WL is separated by schools. An engineering major is not going to be replaced by a drama major. Even schools that are not so compartmentalized try to keep some sort of balance.</p>
<p>jamimom's post seems to sum it up.</p>
<p>I would add then if a college turns to a waitlist (some never do in recent years, such as Stanford) then it is interested in taking kids likely to enroll. They don't want to offer admission to a few, see how many accept, then offer the remaining spaces, repeating until all slots are filled.</p>
<p>So students that indicate an active interest in attending (past merely returning the postcard) have a leg up. I've heard one effective method is to write a letter to the college indicating that if accepted from the waitlist you will enroll. Naturally this should only be done if it is absolutely true.</p>
<p>Some schools actually do have TWO waiting lists. CMU has a priority waiting list and then a regular waiting list. Odd, and interesting at the same time.</p>
<p>We just found out first hand that Rice also has two wait list categories.</p>
<p>tlaktan, I guess one has the option to remain on regular waitlist or priority waitlist at CMU. However, priority waitlist is binding i.e. if you are taken off the waitlist, you have to enroll.</p>
<p>I don't know how accurate Rachel Toor's book, "Admissions Confidential," still is about the process at Duke, since it was published in 2001 and she's no longer there. But according to her, Duke has a three-tiered waitlist. WL1 is for the kids the school would really like to admit, if there turns out to be room (and, according to Toor, this list is not ranked; each officer lobbies for his/her kids on the list once the number of enrolling students is known). WL2 is for those with the dreaded BWRK tag, not likely to get in but not applicants they wanted to deny outright. WL3 is for applicants with no chance, students waitlisted for political reasons (so as not to offend a feeder school or alum who hasn't donated much). </p>
<p>So which waitlist is my d on? It would be nice to think they really, really wanted her but just didn't have room. But she's also a BWRK poster child who is "diligent" to boot, so it's probably WL2. She won't be accepting a spot, since Duke was her "what the heck" application and she already knew finances would preclude attending.</p>
<p>I liked what she said when she saw the decision: "Well, it isn't that they don't want me; they just want several thousand other people more." Lol!</p>
<p>frazzled1 - I love your d's response. What a great attitude. She must have a terrific sense of perspective. Regardless of school, she must already be a winner.</p>
<p>Thank you for the nice comment! She was pretty well-grounded throughout - set a good example for me.</p>
<p>My comment is I think financial aid also may have something to do with if you get off the waitlist (of course the colleges claim they are need-blind decisions). It would seem to me that if you did not need financial aid, you would probably get a spot quicker, than someone who they would have to run a financial aid quote for. Also I bet males have a better shot getting off a wait list at most schools, since they seem to want to balance the male/to female ratio.</p>
<p>Question, if you do get off the waitlist how are you notified. Are you called on the telephone? Or do you get the same admissions package in the mail as if you were accepted regularly. Also generally what is the time frame you have to respond? I would think some kids at that point, might want to rush over to the school to get a second look, assuming they already put a deposit somewhere else.</p>