Is being waitlisted better than rejected?

Being waitlisted is better than being rejected because you still have some chance of getting into the school. According to the NACAC survey, the average acceptance rate across all institutions for those who choose to stay on the waitlist is 20\% and 7\% for selective institutions.

Why is waitlist bad?

Too many students enrolling can be just as bad as too few. The waitlist gives the admissions office flexibility to maintain a good class size of incoming students. The school also might use the waitlist to fill specific gaps in the student body, such as too few students interested in particular academic majors.

Is being waitlisted a bad thing?

Getting waitlisted at a college certainly isn’t a bad thing—your application was good enough to not get rejected! —but it’s definitely an uncomfortable place to be. After all, when you’re on the college waitlist, you don’t know whether you’ll be admitted or not, and that alone is anxiety-inducing.

Do waitlisted students get financial aid?

But colleges don’t only use the waitlist to ensure they enroll an exact number of students; often, they help keep the school within their financial aid budget. For students on the waitlist at a selective college, it’s almost guaranteed that financial need is being taken into account.

Who gets waitlisted?

What does it mean to be waitlisted? Most of the time, it means you have the academic credentials to be admitted, but for one reason or another, the admissions office wasn’t ready to accept you.

Can you get rejected after waitlist?

Wait-listed applicants can typically either accept or reject a waitlist offer, usually via postcard or online. Those considering accepting – which is required for further consideration – should ensure the school is truly a top choice, experts say.

Is it good to be waitlisted?

Getting on a college waitlist means that an applicant has all the necessary qualifications, but that the admissions office could not offer them acceptance at the time. Getting on a waitlist does not mean you should give up hope. Waitlisted students still have a chance at earning admission into the school.

Is a waitlist a rejection?

Waitlists and deferrals are two different things, but they share some similarities. While neither is an outright rejection, they both mean you will have to wait longer to see if you will be admitted. Being deferred can mean a wide variety of things.

What does wait list mean in college?

Wait list, in university and college admissions, is a term used in the United States and other countries to describe a situation in which a college or university has not formally accepted a particular student for admission, but at the same time may offer admission in the next few months if spaces become available.

What does College waitlist mean?

A waitlist is a tool colleges use to ensure that they will fill all of the spots in their incoming class. When schools send out acceptance letters, they know that not all of the applicants they accept will choose to enroll.

What does it actually mean to get waitlisted?

Being waitlisted is unlike being deferred; the college has finished reviewing your file and made a decision to put you on a waiting list for admission. Being on a waitlist typically means that you are placed within a “holding pattern” of sorts. The admissions committee may or may not admit students from the waitlist.

How do college waitlists work?

Key Takeaways: College Waitlists Colleges use waitlists to ensure a full incoming class. Students get off the list only if a school falls short of admission targets. Chances of getting off a waitlist vary from year to year and school to school. Be sure to accept a position on the waitlist and send a letter of continued interest if allowed.