D was waitlisted by her ED2 school. Is this common? I’m curious why they wouldn’t just defer her to RD.
This is less common but it may be that they are also reading RD apps and know the outcome.
Having been down the ED1 to deferral to WL route several years ago, I would see this as preferable. Your D will have to make a decision about where to matriculate and can start to work on that immediately as acceptances come in.
The WL could come through and she can cross that bridge at that point. But this liberates her from a lot of what-iffing.
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I agree with @gardenstategal .
Your D should focus on any other acceptances that she might get. Getting off WL is a long shot. Many people say WL is like a polite rejection, and while that’s definitely not always true, students should assume it won’t happen.
She can let the school know it’s her top choice and she will attend, if indeed that is true. Should she have any updates to add, she can include them. Because it’s a WL offer, I suggest she wait until after RD decisions come out. Perhaps April is a good time, when they might start taking a few off WL. She wants them to remember her when and if they go to the WL.
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sounds like a deny to me. They weren’t even willing to go thru the pretense of tagging her application to be waitlisted and deferring her to RD. Maybe the school thinks they are doing her a favor, sending a message without the sting of being denied outright.
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I agree with the other responses. Assume it’s a rejection and move on to other schools. Definitely better for mental health. My D was rejected ED1 and ED2 and was sad for 1-2 days each. But she is now at Smith (with merit!) and so happy. I know why schools have a waitlist but in general I think kids should assume a rejection and move on to a school that really wants them.
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I didn’t realize that Smith gave merit. Good to know! My D applied there as well. We both loved the campus and town.
there’s half tuition scholarship that comes with paid research opportunities and other perks. That’s the primo one. Then there’s a ~quarter tuition scholarship. It’s not an amount we would have made a decision based on but it’s very nice to have! She did’t get to visit until move-in day. I’m convinced she would have done ED at Smith if she had a chance to visit. Things just turn out the way they are supposed to sometimes! Good luck to your D.
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Thank you!