Waitlisted Questions

Applying to College
1

My DS was waitlisted to one of his favorite schools, Connecticut College. We visited, toured, interviewed, and he really liked the school and area. It was one we both thought he had a good chance of getting accepted to, so I’m a bit shocked really. He has, so far, been accepted to Hamilton, Oberlin, and Bard, and a few other safety privates, and waitlisted at Skidmore and Connecticut College, and rejected at Bates and Colgate, which neither were as good of a fit for him, but he did really like Colgate and commented he would have considered attending. He is thrilled to have been accepted to the first 3, but honestly surprised at being put on a waiting list for Connecticut College, which we felt he had a better chance of getting into than Hamilton. He has a 1420 SAT, 4.0 UW GPA, and is strong in music (both vocal and instrumental). He was to play Miss Trunchbull in the school musical that had to be canceled the day of the performance due to the Coronavirus. sigh He is still waiting to hear from some other schools, some which were reaches, including several Ivy League schools. The Common Data set for Conn College last year shows only 8 were taken off the waiting list. My questions are:

—Should he even bother expecting to get accepted with such a low number? He still is undecided where he wants to go, but is trying to navigate which schools he should take a closer look at and consider how likely waiting lists will be used for Fall this year? Is it possible more will be pulled off waiting lists than in past years? It’s hard to know if he should write a letter of enthusiasm when he isn’t sure it’s his first choice at this point?

—Has anyone ever been admitted to an Ivy League school, but been rejected to a Little Ivy? We do require some financial aid, so I suspect this could play a part in rejections and waiting lists this year.

We fully expected he would not get into every school he applied to, but we are completely quarantined right now, and it can be quite depressing to receive bad news under these circumstances. I am so grateful he has a drum set and piano at home to keep him busy. I must say, though, that I am proud for well he is at adapting and receiving the news under the circumstances.

TIA

2

I would think the virus is going to have an impact on yield and more students will be pulled from the wait list. If CC is your child’s first choice and they would definitely attend, send that letter.

I think the SAT score could be why you’ve seen some WLs.

Back in the stone ages, I was rejected by Colgate but accepted by Cornell.

3

I keep hearing of these miracles like the above poster mentioned. My son has yet to experience one. Oh well. Anyway, I was accepted way back in the day to a T10 school so coming off a waitlist is possible. My family was closed to full pay though. We had a tiny grant and a federal loan (grant probably work 10K today).

I have noticed some absolute craziness with admissions this year (maybe there always is???) My son’s story: Rejected Bowdoin (2nd tier legacy), UNC (OOS), Colby, Pomona, Oberlin, Occidental (what?!). Waitlisted: BC, Holy Cross, Bates, Babson (not really a fit at all). Accepted: Conn College, Trinity, Muhlenberg, Union and UMASS Amherst (IS which is actually harder-reverse of UNC). Still waiting on Northeastern, Tulane and Wesleyan, Again, not putting much hope in a miracle.

Stats; 1460 SAT
3.75 UW GPA (slow start freshman year as he was unmedicated for his ADHD)
Strong essays, recs, interviews

At Conn he interviewed at admissions, interviewed with theatre dept chair, submitted supplemental (2 monologues, 1 MT song). Received 25K in Merit and tons of other aid. Our best offer yet. Merit was only surpassed by Muhlenberg (30.5K including talent merit). Is he more deserving of this than your son? I doubt it.

Should my son have been rejected by Oxy and waitlisted at HC. I think not personally. (similar acceptance rates to his other acceptances all with tons of merit) He was a legacy at BC (which considers it) and was still WL’d (maybe that makes sense…)

In short, I have often been perplexed by this admissions “nightmare”. At this point I don’t know if its his high level of need, his “fit” at some schools, yield protection, his somewhat lower GPA despite his high SAT. Different combinations at different schools? Beyond my comprehension which I think is pretty high.

However, as I mentioned before, waitlist acceptances happen and I think your son deserves at spot at Conn as much as mine. I’d stay on it unless it says in the letter that your financial aid cannot be met. Best of luck and believe me I sympathize.

4

Thank you! I should have mentioned that his ACT was a 32 (SAT breakdown was 730 Math/690 Verbal), but I think the 32 ACT is about the same as his SAT, though, not really sure.

5

Thank you! It seems we are not alone for being confused as to the outcomes. He really liked Connecticut College, but he honestly doesn’t know what his first choice is. It was definitely one of his favorites of the smaller private schools we visited. He was looking forward to second visits this spring to help decide, and now those visits will be primarily virtual. We are higher need, requiring more than 50%, so I’m well aware that could be some of it. We did submit several artistic supplements. At this point, he plans to wait for the remaining outcomes to decide on whether or not to send a letter to Connecticut College. I’m just nervous about the results from some of the other schools and not sure what to think? After getting an acceptance to both Hamilton and Oberlin, the notice from Conn. College came as a surprise, but it sounds like this is happening to others as well.

6

@nextstepcollege Yup, crazy and unpredictable to a good extent. We are high need as well We need about 65-70%. despite being currently middle, middle class from suburbia and white as the driven snow. Last recession ruined us. Eh. Life is never easy for most humans.

That’s how we felt about Oxy and HC they are the same if not easier to to get into. Does not give me great hope for his higher level waitlists or schools we are waiting for. #miracle.

7

It sounds like we are in the same boat. We are from a rural area in upstate NY, middle income and white. He isn’t a first generation student or a minority, but I was hoping his strength and love for music might compensate for that. #miracle as well! Good luck on the rest of your notifications!

8

You as well! :smiley:

9

One question I have is that financial aid is a factor in our decision. It certainly isn’t the only factor, but it would matter if there was a substantial difference between schools. How do you submit a waitlist letter indicating you still wish to attend if you do not know what financial aid will be offered?

10

I have the same question. D20 was rejected from all our reach schools (T20), waitlist at two that we can probably not afford without a scholarship, and NMF scholarships at 3 others (2 are full-ride but not super highly-rated schools).

Do we have any chance at scholarships or merit-aid off a waitlist? (She had a 36ACT, NMF, GPA a little low at 3.7UW, but 4-5 AP/year).

The second waitlist school would probably be her first choice but she is concerned about the cost, especially when she can get in more or less free at the others.

11

Wow! Your daughter’s stats are very impressive! I’m shocked she wasn’t accepted at any of her reach schools. I share your frustration and feel, no matter what colleges are saying, those who applied for financial aid were negatively affected this year. My son was fortunate that he was accepted to Hamilton College, which was one of his favorites since the beginning, but he was waitlisted at a couple others he was seriously considering (Connecticut College & Vassar College). We encouraged him to pick a school and apply ED because I was concerned most of the spots would be full long before the RD decision pool was reviewed, and it’s possible this could be some of it. I suspect schools will use waitlists this year, but have the same question you asked—are they more likely to pull kids off the waitlist that are full pay? In my son’s case, the highlight of the last two weeks was seeing his face light up when he got accepted at Hamilton after all the rejection and waitlist notices and, although he is still weighing all his options, the fact that they chose him enough not to waitlist him speaks volumes.

12

Often there is no merit aid or need based aid left for students taken off the waitlist. Full pay students are generally advantaged when the time comes to go to the waitlist.

With that said, this year is not going to be a typical year, so really no telling what will happen with regard to enrollment and waitlist action. But it is still low probability that there would be merit aid left, regardless.

Meanwhile, your D will have to deposit at one of the schools that have accepted her…and it sounds like she has several affordable choices which is great. If she then gets off the waitlist at a higher choice and chooses to accept that, she would decline her enrollment at the first school (and likely lose any deposit money).

13

Is this a new thing-no money for waitlist acceptants? I was accepted off the waitlist for Smith College in 1989. I received a grant of what is probably worth 10K now plus work study and a federal subsidized loan. Thus, I never considered until I say some of his waitlist letter stating there would be no institutional aid or little for waitlist acceptants. Note: Bates, BC and Lafayette did NOT say this.

14

My DS was waitlisted by 3 schools (Skidmore, Connecticut College and Vassar). None of them indicated they would not be able to offer financial aid to waitlisted students, but I am still concerned that the priority will be given to kids who have not applied for financial aid.

15

@nextstepcollege I’ll definitely agree there. They don’t say it, but it could be true just as it’s likely true for most colleges during regular admissions. Ah well.

16

my professor recently sent me a NSF grant for a project that I part took in. is this something I should include on my LOCI?