OK, my S, after being denied at MIT and Caltech, has been waitlisted at U of Wisc. Madison ( found out tonight ), Georgia Tech, WPI. We don’t have a decision yet from Purdue, which is why I keep enquiring about their last date to accept for RD. He did get accepted into the U of MN liberal arts college, not into engineering though. Frustrating and not sure how to keep sane with the waiting. He is taking it okay so far, the first couple of rejections kind of tempered his reaction to the rest of the news. UGH!
There is a thread on here from yesterday that talks about that WPI tends to WL anyone they think is strong and will not come. I think it is called SAT Sweetspot but perhaps that is a different thread
If that is true you may want to have your guidance counselor start there and do the if accepted we will come dance. Also what are the WL at each school? How many have they taken in the past, how many did they take ED. You may want to look at the numbers at his top choices where he is WL and try to play the numbers. Also if money is an issue determine if they will meet need from the WL, some schools will not even if they will RD
Looking at historical trends of waitlists is of limited use since it varies yearly. Purdue will require a YES/NO answer by May 1st and will certainly inform your son of its decision weeks before that. However, there’s nothing wrong with accepting WL spots at the other three – there is no downside. Take Purdue or UofMN’s offer and move on with life. If they come later with an offer, re-examine your situation and compare it to what you’ve already chosen. If it’s categorically better, accept the offer. If not, decline. Heck, let’s say another WL school makes a 2nd offer: you’re still free to look at that and re-arrange things for your maximum benefit.
Most colleges will indicate when the WL formally closes and no further offers will be made.
Obviously OP and her son will pick a school before May 1 and If Perdue is available to him great or he can choose Minnesota. He may decide he is done at that point. However another thread claimed WPI engages in yield protection so he may have been too strong. WL are unpredictable things. Of course accept all spots.
It is worth your GC finding out why you in particular were WL. If there is no specific reason or you do not have a person who has a connection to call them you need to go either by which one is your first choice from among the WL or the numbers if you would equally happy attending any of them. At that point I would contact the school that actually has used it’s list historically and start with them. Let’s say someone is currently waitlisted at more than one school. one school has only used the list at all in half the last of the last 10 years and maybe they have taken 150 in their best year. another school uses its list every year but only admits 100 and has thousands of people on its list. The third school in the last couple of years has accepted 10% of the list. Obviously that is the best shot but lets say you are much more interested in the first school so you will not be writing to school number 3 until after April 1 since you cannot say I really want it. You still should contact them, all of them let them know you are very interested no matter where it ranks for you and discuss your recent accomplishments no matter how small. I know people who have been admitted off lists, and others who have not
you do have to respond by May 1 to a school you were accepted at but it does not mean you should not strategize the WL.
I also think that if you would go to the listed school over any of your remaining choices there is value to sending a letter to the listed school before Ivy day because it shows that you were choosing them rather than settling for them
@MITMomT Wow, that has to be frustrating. Not sure what to recommend, but I hope that once some accepted students start to make decisions then positions start to open up and wait lists become acceptances. Your son has applied to some of the same schools as my daughter,so I keep encountering you posts. Hang in there.
I was reviewing some of my materials from last year and found the following quote from Purdue’s Admission Director “The Engineering students that wait until February 1st to apply are generally waitlisted so the earlier the better to apply.”
I suggest looking at the Purdue forum for the Class of 2018 RD Discussion thread and see what was posted last year. This will give you some idea of timing for acceptances for RD. I believe it is not a question that your S is not qualified but simply that with a competitive major like engineering, the spots are already filled and there simply isn’t enough spots.
Good luck, I know I have posted on your other questions and can just imagine how stressful this is for you. In engineering early is the way and trust me you are not the first mom to start these kinds of threads here on CC. It makes me sad because I always like to see a student have a lot of affordable choices when it comes to college.
One thing you have not mentioned which can have bearing on decision-making by colleges in the later dates of the admission cycles is a student’s ability to pay and need for financial aid. Do you need financial aid? Are you able to be full pay? If you are able to be full pay then be sure to say so when you accept a WL spot and and when writing to update and express interest. Although colleges may say do not send us more documents for WL, I always recommend a student at least call and email with an update and a reaffirmation that you will attend that particular college if taken off the WL.
Try Iowa State. They are still accepting applications and have a very good engineering program. Their OOS tuition is also very reasonable.