<p>UCs don't waitlist because that's more of a private thing -- i.e. if all the spots aren't filled up, they'll want to fill them up with waitlisted students. In publics' case, they already over-admit enough to garner the right number of students, without having to resort to a waitlist.</p>
<p>The UC equivalent of the waitlist, I think, is spring admits -- "you weren't quite good enough for fall admit status, but we'll let you in anyway -- as a spring admit."</p>
<p>Also, the UC deadline is in November, around the same time as early applicants at other institutions. The UCs have set the deadline this early just to get through the RD applicants -- many UCs have twice the number of applicants as the top privates.</p>
<p>And some do have ED. Cal Poly SLO has ED. I dunno about others, though.</p>