<p>"Return the card saying you want to remain on the waiting list. (At least half of the competition drops out at this point.) Then call the admissions office and ask for the admissions officer for your region. Be blissfully cheerful, no matter how heartsick you feel. Say you are delighted to have made the waiting list of their fine school. Tell them you will be putting down a deposit by the May 1 deadline on one of the schools that admitted you, but if they say yes, you will happily kiss that $200 goodbye.</p>
<p>Then write a letter, to be mailed and e-mailed. Be friendly. Be positive. Be smart. Don't grovel. Describe three qualities you have that you think would add value to that college. Describe three qualities of that college that you think would add value to your life. Tell them of recent successes that were not on your application. Throw in some self-deprecating humor, such as: "My friends told me long ago to please shut up about your great chemistry department, but I can't stop thinking about those amazing professors, and how they could help me explore my interest in Arctic desalination." You want them to know not only that you are committed, but also that you are the kind of person who would be fun to have on campus. Stalkers are committed, too. Don't sound like them....</p>
<p>Also check Naviance data for the college in question. Does the college send out lots of waitlists that never see an acceptance (Dartmouth/Washington U-SL/Bucknell) or do students from your school sometimes receive acceptances off of the waitlist?</p>
<p>Okay. So this is a genuine question. Why on earth would anyone want to go to a school that waitlisted them? My D was waitlisted at one place and laughed out loud at the idea that she would “wait” to be admitted.</p>
<p>She said it would be like going to the prom with some guy because a couple of other “more special” girls had turned him down. Like, “Hey, you’re qualified to be my date and maybe to have a four year relationship, and if you’ll just wait until the last minute and also commit to another guy you’re willing to turn down, because he doesn’t have the same reputation I do, on the drop of a hat, then maybe if Sue and Helen aren’t intested, I’ll get back to you. Stay by the phone!”</p>
<p>Because they want to attend that college and it doesn’t matter to them that they weren’t the college’s first choice. Such students don’t view college as a prom date.</p>
<p>Well, prom date or marriage or job offer…I hope they find they are happy there. Is there any kind of research on how schools treat kids who were waitlisted vs. kids who were not? Is this status lost upon admission? I hope so!</p>
<p>Once you go to a college, no one knows or cares whether you got in off the waitlist. Everyone is treated the same (as long as the college also treats waitlisted and nonwaitlisted students the same when it comes to financial aid).</p>
<p>Waitlist status also isn’t noted on one’s degree.</p>
<p>I am trying extremely hard to get off the waitlist at my top choice school and what helped me the most was this article from thedailybeast.com: </p>
<p>You would go to the prom with some guy who got turned down by a couple of “more special” girls because you want to go to the prom. Who cares if he got turned down and you’re the third on the list? At least you’re going to the prom.
You can proudly accept a place on a waitlist without a feeling of inferiority because frankly, this was a ridiculously difficult year for college admissions, and there are just too many kids vying for too few places. Who cares if you’re lower on a list? At least you’re on a list. It may come to nothing, but you have no reason to feel slighted. it’s just college admissions.</p>
<p>Both of these things probably have very little to due with your future happiness. Not being bitter will help in that regard.</p>
<p>You know, it was a genuine question, I hope? I don’t even think we had waitlists when I was filling out my one application for college.</p>
<p>When I was doing my grad work at Northwestern I don’t even think we worked as hard as a lot of these kids are working now. H, who went to UNC, not as rigorous as some of these Jr. year AP schedules.</p>
<p>then? To be waitlisted? Brutal.</p>
<p>But I would never discourage anyone from trying for what they want. On the other hand, I’m relieved, I suppose, to have a D who wants to walk through the open doors.</p>
<p>Good luck to all who are still in the pursuit. At all.</p>
<p>Yes, I was just attempting to be humorous… apparently, without success.</p>
<p>My son was waitlisted at two schools that he would very much like to attend, I think that may be slowing down the process of deciding between the actual acceptances.</p>
<p>Also note that if you were waitlisted, it does not mean that your first-round admitted peers are smarter or more talented than you are. Top universities receive enough talented applicants to fill their classes several times over without losing the quality of the student body. It is tiny and sometimes trivial difference that makes the difference between an admit and a waitlist decision.</p>
<p>" I don’t even think we had waitlists when I was filling out my one application for college."</p>
<p>It existed when I was applying. A classmate was waitlisted at Holyoke, and was taken off the waitlist right afterr she accepted a waitlist position. She happily went to Holyoke.</p>
<p>My school strictly asks for absolutely no attempted contact with the admissions office. No phone calls, emails, baked cookies, kayaks, nothing. Just add in any new relevant info and that’s it.</p>
<p>I kinda don’t like it. Any helpful tips in this situation?</p>
<p>I’m in the process of trying to get off the waitlist at Bates College. I’m having a professor I had last semester (dual enrollment) write me a letter of rec. I’m also sending in my grades because I did very well third quarter. </p>
<p>The article says I should call and ask for my region. What exactly does that mean? Call and ask for my regional admissions director? And then should I explain that I was waitlisted and I’m still very interested in Bates?</p>
<p>Also, what Bates did not provide a card to send in. It just said write back. I was thinking I’d state new achievements and express that Bate is my top choice. What else is normally included in this type of letter?</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions… they’re not really directed at anyone in particular. I’m just looking for some advice. I’ve read numerous articles about waitlists, and I’m still not clear on the best way to go about getting off one.</p>
<p>“lso, what Bates did not provide a card to send in. It just said write back. I was thinking I’d state new achievements and express that Bate is my top choice. What else is normally included in this type of letter?”</p>
<p>Why Bates is your top choice – referring to specifics such as courses, etc. Put as much care into the letter as you did your app essays.</p>
<p>To echo mariambaby3, the school that waitlisted my son told us in their letter that their previous year’s Valedictorian had been admitted off the waitlist. They said if my son wasn’t fully qualified and capable of doing the work he’d have been denied. He chose not to remain on the waitlist because there was another college he liked just as much that accepted him. </p>
<p>If it’s your dream school, and you truly feel it’s the best fit for you, then stay on the waitlist and follow the advice from the links in this post. Bluebubbles, I’d follow their advice to only send relevant new info with this caveat: If this is your first choice school, include a note/letter TELLING them that when you let them know that you want to stay on the waitlist. Reiterate the reasons you think this is the school for you and why you’d be an asset to that school. Then heed their advice and don’t bug them.</p>