I got wait listed at BC, Holy Cross, and Villanova. I am only in at Fordham, and while I know it’s a great school, I really don’t like it. It is not a good fit for me whatsoever. I don’t know what to do, is anyone in the same boat as me? Do I have any hope? My parents both went to BC so I’m a double legacy, but other than that, do you think I have a chance of getting into one of these schools?
Sorry to hear your news. The first thing you should do is have your school guidance counselor reach out to BC to find out if that wl was a courtesy because you are a double legacy or if it is a real wl spot. If you have updated grades or awards to report, consider having your gc send them to the schools. When you sign up for the wl, if they ask for why you want to be considered, make sure to be specific about each school.
You should also visit Fordham. There is a lot to like about that school, but I understand your disappointment as my D loved all 3 schools you are wl for and is thrilled to be going to one of them this fall.
You might be at the top of the waitlist, so don’t lose hope yet. If not, it doesn’t really matter where you go initially; the first two years are simply general ed. If you work hard at Fordham, you can always transfer later. I know Fordham isn’t what you want now, but you might come to love it when you experience firsthand. Don’t drag your feet and try to get involved on campus and in class.
This week, I was rejected by my dream school (UCSD) and waitlisted by my second choice (UCI), which was sad for me because my brother goes there. I understand the struggles you are going through. This is not the path we imagined, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad path! It’s only as bad as you make it out to be. Good luck!
There must be something that you liked about Fordham, or you wouldn’t have applied there. Unless you have discovered new information that makes it clear that Fordham is not for you, you should re-visit your reasons for having applied. It may not be that dreadful.
Did you apply anywhere else other than these four places? If so, what responses have you received from the others?
Not sure what you think anyone here can do for you. Get on the waitlist but you must know the odds of getting in from waitlists are generally not great. If you have a top schools let them know that if accepted you will attend.
After that all you can do is focus on the schools where you have been accepted. Is Fordham the only school you have been accepted to? If so then unfortunately you are one of many who didn’t’t focus in hard enough on finding a safety you truly like. Sounds like Fordham should not have been your safety – esp. with other similar schools like Fairfield, Providence, Loyola-MD etc. to choose from.
As of this point if you don’t get in off of a waitlist and don’t want to go to Fordham then you may need to take a gap year and reapply.
For full disclosure my S went to Fordham (Gabelli) and loved it.
There isn’t really a “top” of the waitlist. it depends somewhat on what they end up with on May 1 in terms of students that accepted their offer. At that point students who have shown a lot of interest since getting on the waitlist have a better chance. Students who say they will come for sure if they are accepted have a better chance (but if you are reliant on the FA package, you can’t really say that).
It may differ by each school? My friend was waitlisted by SDSU, called them, and was told she was “somewhere in the middle” of the waitlist. Four days later, she was off the waitlist and given provisional acceptance. But I am aware that does not happen in most cases, and it’s important to focus on another school meanwhile.
Since SDSU admits by calculating an eligibility index of GPA * 800 + SATCR + SATM (or a different ACT-based one), it is a simple matter for SDSU to rank waitlisted applicants in their majors and offer the ones with the highest eligibility index if there is need to use the waitlist.
Schools which admit holistically may not have such a well defined order in the waitlist. Some schools waitlist far more applicants than they will ever admit from the waitlist, perhaps using the waitlist as a rejection without explicitly rejecting the applicant (some schools may do this for legacy applicants, hoping that the alumni are not so insulted that they stop donating).
Last yr BC took over 300 off the wl. Holy Cross took just a couple. But every yr is different.
Last yr BC took over 300 off the wl. Holy Cross took just a couple. But every yr is different.
If you don’t like Fordham, don’t go there. Do you have any other safety schools? Can you take a gap year if you don’t get into BC, Holy Cross or Villanova?
Someone at my D’s school who was waitlisted 2 years ago really made a case that she wanted to attend and met with alumni and was admitted off the waitlist in a matte of weeks (sometime in May)
You weren’t wait listed everywhere. You have an acceptance. Even if it was your safety, you are going to college. This is a good thing.
@waitlistqueen123 Have you made any progress with BC, Holy Cross, and Villanova?
Like with @03100504 's story, my sister was waitlisted at her dream school. It turns out she won National Silver Key at Scholastic Art & Writing just after receiving the news, so she submitted that as well as a letter saying it was her top choice. She asked another waitlisted friend to write a peer rec, but isn’t sure whether it was submitted or not.
Graduation was last week Friday, and literally the night before she graduated, the college emailed her saying she was admitted off the waitlist. She decorated her cap with the colleges’ name the morning of graduation.
Obviously, don’t count on getting accepted off the waitlist, but remember that these things DO happen. Don’t give up hope! You can always take a gap year and reapply if needed.
If you really don’t like Fordham, don’t go. Take a gap year and try and do something over the summer and fall that will enhance your application.