Why waitlist and not rejected?

<p>D was waitlisted. Not really a surprise. 2120 SATs, well rounded, etc. Subjects test were just average, as she took them at the last minute without any prep. She's not a science "geek," just an all around good student with great ECs who happens to be strong in math and physics - she applied to engineering and wrote what I thought was a great essay . Is ranked first in a suburban public high school in a class of 250. Very proud of all she's done and she has many other options so we consider her lucky.</p>

<p>She fully realizes waitlist is NOT an acceptance and she will not pulled of waitlist to get a spot. Totally ready to move on and start serious planning. She has lots of other choices, but I think she was hoping for an outside shot at getting into Cornell. Was outright rejected from another Ivy.</p>

<p>So I'm trying to tell her that a waitlist is a step better than a rejection (just to make her feel a little better.) But people on this board are adamant that it's an outright rejection. Am I crazy? Please understand, I know she's not going to get in and that's OK, but isn't it possible they saw a little something there...?</p>

<p>Yes, it’s definitely possible they saw something there! They are saying that she was sorted into the good pile, but there were too many ‘goods’ and she didn’t get picked. She has a tiny chance of getting taken off the waitlist, but she should not start the process of falling in love with one of her accepts.</p>

<p>p.s. My D was waitlisted at Columbia the year they took no one off the waitlist, but she loves where she ended up. It all works out.</p>

<p>Thanks Snowflake. If it were me, I’d feel better being waitlisted than rejected at an Ivy, but she just doesn’t seem to want to hear this tonight. She does have a few other favorites and now we will hope the aid comes through!</p>

<p>Because yields for all schools have dropped because so many students are applying to 10+ schools, there is an outside, rare chance Cornell could go to the wait list. It is hard to project, but recent history shows that Cornell’s yield has been high enough that they have not needed to go to the waitlist. Her status shows she was as qualified as other accepted students, but it may have come down to what the school needed, I.e. a tuba player, or some other demographic to round out the class. I think wait list is schools way of saying, we would have liked to have you but we just didn’t have room. That is different than a rejection.</p>

<p>Should she not be happy at whatever school she chooses to attend next year, she may have a good shot as a transfer since she was WLed.</p>

<p>My hope is that she loves where she ends up. There are so many great schools out there that are great fits for each student.</p>

<p>I told my D. Means you are good enough just not enough room</p>