So I just found out I was waitlisted at Clemson today. Honestly I’m really disappointed that this happened as I truly thought I had a good chance of being accepted.
Anyway, I’m pretty insulted by this and I don’t know what I’m going to now. Clemson is my absolute first choice and I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else. I’m devastated by this decision as I know that not a lot of people are accepted from the waitlist. If anyone has any experience with the waitlist or any advice on what to do, please let me know. Thanks.
Same thing happened to me man. I am OOS and clemson’s been my dream college for several years now. What were your stats? Mine are 33 ACT, 3.13 weighted gpa (that’s what killed me), 5 AP’s, lots of community service and decent EC’s. Was hoping my act and the fact that I was in the toughest classes at a rigorous Jesuit school would balance out my low gpa, but I guess not. I’m super bummed
@YungTahoe I’m from New Jersey, 1920 SAT, 3.9 weighted gpa, honors and APs and only 2 CPs. I also have a lot of community service and ECs but I heard clemson doesn’t really look at those which is really too bad. i’m just so disappointed because i worked so hard and a person i know got in (all CPs, know for a fact she doesn’t have anywhere near the gpa or test scores i have) got in because she’s legacy…just so unfair and political.
what’s your major? i’m pre-business and told that it’s one of the more lenient majors. just totally devastated.
Clemson weighs GPA, test scores, rank and rigor most heavily in admissions decisions . ECs , community service are weighted much less. In 2014 , 55% were ranked in the top 10%,78% in top 20%, 98% in top 50% of their graduating class. Almost 21,000 applied , a little over 10,000 were accepted and almost 3500 were enrolled . Middle 50% had ACT scores between 1190-1340 and middle 50% of ACT scores were between 27-31. The mean weighted GPA was 4.23. Clemson has gotten very competitive with admissions over the past several years, even for instate students. Students that would’ve been admitted just 3 or 4 years ago are being waitlisted . Students whose siblings were admitted with lower stats just several years ago are being waitlisted. Don’t be insulted. When dealing with numbers like this , it is very hard to get accepted especially OOS . If you want to make sure that you are included on the waitlist, I would email or call admissions to determine what you need to do to make sure that you are on the waitlist. You still have a chance. You weren’t out right rejected.
@carolinamom2boys Yeah I’m thinking of calling admissions tomorrow and clarifying everything and telling them about how I really want to attend Clemson. I’m just still super disappointed about this and that I have to wait until May for a final decision. Waiting for a decision in February was long enough, now waiting for this is just awful. I’m just disheartened at legacies getting in when other students are working harder.
@blueeagle16 What makes you think legacies are getting in and that other students are working harder? I’m sure that it is hard to wait, but it’s not responsible to make assumptions. I’m sure many instate students feel disappointed and disheartened to be waitlisted after working hard as well. Were your stats consistent with the admissions data I posted above? What’s your plan if you’re not admitted from the waitlist? Last year 895 were waitlisted, 10 were admitted from waitlist.
@carolinamom2boys well I’m using an example of a person I know who is a legacy who was accepted but did not have certain stats that I’ve seen. Yes, my stats were pretty much lined up with Clemson’s accepted students profile. I’ve been accepted to 5 other schools, but really have no interest in attending any of them; Clemson is the only school I want to attend. And where are you getting the waitlist numbers? Just curious, because I’m looking at the Clemson common data set I’m seeing different numbers.
@carolinamom2boys now I see the waitlist numbers. that’s what’s so disappointing. the chances of me being accepted from the waitlist are extremely slim.
@blueeagle16 I received the wait list numbers off of 2014 -2015 CDS. The stats regarding admissions I got directly from the Tigertown Bound pamphlet that arrived with our admission package. 2418 were offered a space on the waiting list, 895 accepted a spot on the waiting list and 10
students were admitted from the waiting list. I’m assuming the number is somewhat low because students ended up accepting admission from another school while waiting.
In terms of another student that you know that was admitted without the stats ,a lot depends on major applied for and other potential hooks .
@carolinamom2boys so when it says that 10 students were admitted from the waiting list, is that referring to the number of students who were accepted or enrolled?
I would take it as enrolled.
@carolinamom2boys ok thanks. when I call the admissions office tomorrow is there anything you would recommend me saying?
@blueeagle16 I would just let them know that Clemson is your first choice school and that you are inquiring what you need to do to ensure that you’re on the waitlist, when are decisions made and will you be notified either way. I’d also ask how many students were waitlisted this year.
@carolinamom2boys sounds good. thanks for your help, i really do appreciate it.
Good luck. I hope it works out for you. You really need to think hard about a plan B just in case though . If you need to go somewhere else for a semester or two,you can always work hard and apply for a transfer to Clemson if that’s something that you and your family can afford .
Man, that really sucks. IS admissions were very competitive this year (over 1/3 of my class applied to Clemson) so I can only imagine how competitive OOS was after the football team put the school in the national spotlight. I know that calling the admissions office has already been suggested but in addition to that you might want to consider appealing your decision and writing a letter of continued interest to show the people in admissions that Clemson is your first choice.
@RunTheRedLights yeah the football really increased the applications this year. just wish the team could have done this well a year that I wasn’t applying. Can you appeal the waitlist? I thought you could only appeal if you were denied.
Clemson applications have been steady growing over the past 4 years. We are instate. We went to an info session army son’s HS given by our GC in the Fall of our Junior year. She told us that the instate cut off was running around 4.2 . I thought that she exaggerating until we visited Clemson and saw their stats.
Wait list is a kinder form of rejection. It still stings and now you need to find a Plan A.
@ClarinetDad16 If waitlisted is actually a kinder form of rejection, why have some students rejected and others waitlisted.? I agree that OP needs to investigate realistic options, but he did not receive an out right rejection, he still has a chance at admission even if it is a slim one .