College Waitlist: What are Waitlist Admission Rates?
So, you didn’t get the acceptance letter you were hoping for, but you also weren’t rejected. Instead, you find yourself on the dreaded waitlist. Now, the question burning in your mind is: What are my chances of actually getting off this list and into the college of my dreams?
While landing on the waitlist can feel like being stuck in admissions purgatory, it’s not necessarily a dead end. Understanding the nuances of waitlist admission rates can provide you with valuable knowledge and help you take your next steps strategically. This blog will discuss the world of college waitlist statistics, exploring national averages, variations across different institutions, and factors that can influence your chances.
What is the College Waitlist?
Being waitlisted by a college means that your application was strong and competitive, but the college could not offer you admission due to limited space in their incoming class. Essentially, you are held in reserve in case spots open up later. Simply put, being waitlisted is neither a rejection nor a guarantee of admission. It signifies that you are a qualified candidate, but space limitations prevent immediate acceptance. Here’s a breakdown of what it means to be waitlisted:
Selection
The college carefully reviews thousands of applications and selects a group of qualified candidates for the waitlist. These candidates meet the college’s admissions standards but cannot be offered immediate admission due to space constraints. The number of students waitlisted varies by school and year. It depends on the applications received and the size of the incoming class.
Your options
You have the option to accept the waitlist spot and express your continued interest in attending the college. You can also decline the waitlist and consider your other options, such as accepted colleges or other schools you may want to apply to.
Timeline
Admissions decisions for waitlisted students typically begin after May 1st, which is the national deadline for accepted students to commit to a college. Colleges use this date to assess how many admitted students will actually enroll. If spots remain open, they will start offering admission to waitlisted students. The waitlist process can extend until late summer, with acceptances rolling out gradually through May, June, July, and sometimes even August.
Chances of admission
Not everyone on the waitlist will be admitted. The number of students accepted ultimately depends on how many spots remain unfilled. Some colleges might only admit a few or even none in certain years.
Some colleges rank waitlisted applicants. It means those ranked higher have a better chance of admission. However, many colleges do not rank their waitlists and base their decisions on other factors, like
- Major choices: Ensuring a balanced representation of different academic programs within the incoming class.
- Likelihood of attendance: Admitting students who are most likely to accept the offer if admitted.
Read Also – College Application Process: Step-by-Step Guide For US Students
What are College Waitlist Admission Rates?
College waitlist admission rates represent the percentage of students on a waitlist who are ultimately offered admission to a specific college or program. These rates can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the following:
- Selectivity of the institution: Highly selective colleges, often with lower acceptance rates, tend to have lower waitlist admission rates, sometimes as low as 7%. This is because they typically have a smaller number of spots available after admitting their initial cohort.
- Year-to-year fluctuations: Waitlist movement can vary depending on factors like the applicant pool, enrollment yield (percentage of admitted students who choose to attend), and unexpected changes in program availability.
- Specific program or major: Some programs within a college might experience higher waitlist movement than others due to varying enrollment targets and application competitiveness.
Read Also: 10 Best College Majors You Should Consider in 2024
What are Your Chances of Getting Off the Waitlist?
According to recent data from the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, colleges on average admit around 20% of students off the waitlist. However, this chance of acceptance drops significantly for the most selective institutions, where only about 7% of waitlisted students are admitted.
| College Type | Average Waitlist Admit Rate |
|---|---|
| Average | 20% |
| Most Selective | 7% |
It’s important to note that these are just average figures, and the actual college acceptance rate for waitlisted students can vary widely depending on the specific college, the size of the incoming class, and how many students decide to accept their place on the waitlist.
Further complicating the situation, waitlist decisions can be unpredictable and often don’t come until very late in the admissions process, sometimes just weeks before the fall semester starts. This lack of clarity can make it difficult for families to finalize their college plans.
What are the Recent Waitlist Admission Rates?
Waitlist admission rates fluctuate significantly between institutions and even across years, particularly due to the recent surge in college applications. While many schools haven’t yet released data for the Class of 2027, the following table presents waitlist admit rates for the Class of 2026, which is the most recent, complete data currently available from these institutions.
| School | Waitlisted | Accepted from the Waitlist | Waitlist Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst College | 902 | 36 | 3.99% |
| Barnard College | 1,597 | 66 | 4.13% |
| Boston University | 5,899 | 3 | 0.05% |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 167 | 13 | 7.78% |
| Carleton College | 591 | 30 | 5.08% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 4,652 | 43 | 0.92% |
| Claremont McKenna College | 538 | 11 | 2.04% |
| Colgate University | 2,146 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Colorado College | 193 | 2 | 1.04% |
| Cornell University | 5,531 | 260 | 4.70% |
| Dartmouth College | 1,785 | 41 | 2.30% |
| Emory University | 3,388 | 107 | 3.16% |
| Georgia Tech | 4,903 | 41 | 0.84% |
| George Washington University | 2,014 | 1 | 0.05% |
| Georgetown University | 1,804 | 40 | 2.22% |
| Johns Hopkins University | 2,358 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Lehigh University | 2,499 | 93 | 3.72% |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 763 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Pepperdine University | 987 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Princeton University | 1,348 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Rice University | 3,112 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Santa Clara University | 2,467 | 8 | 0.32% |
| Stanford University | 457 | 8 | 1.75% |
| Trinity University | 603 | 49 | 8.13% |
| Tufts University | 1,328 | 183 | 13.78% |
| Tulane University | 2,271 | 3 | 0.13% |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 11,169 | 367 | 3.29% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 4,655 | 44 | 0.95% |
| University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | 5,392 | 383 | 7.10% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 2,508 | 147 | 5.86% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | 3,447 | 168 | 4.87% |
| Wellesley College | 1,304 | 44 | 3.37% |
| Wesleyan University | 1,557 | 81 | 5.20% |
| Yale University | 780 | 9 | 1.15% |
Read Also: Class of 2028 Regular Decision Notification Dates Unveiled
4 Steps to Take After Being Waitlisted
Step 1: Make an informed decision about the waitlist
Being waitlisted can be a confusing and challenging situation. Now, you have a crucial decision to make: do you want to remain on the waitlist and potentially gain admission later, or decline the offer and pursue other options? Take some time to carefully consider your options by asking yourself these questions:
- Is this your dream school?
- Can you handle the uncertainty?
- Are you prepared for potential financial implications?
Step 2: Respond to your waitlist invitation
You need to officially respond to the invitation by the deadline (usually mid-April to May 1) to confirm your interest in remaining on the waitlist. This typically involves a response through an online portal, email, or mailed form provided by the institution.
- To accept the waitlist invitation: Follow the instructions provided by the institution to confirm your place on the waitlist. Remember, accepting the waitlist doesn’t guarantee admission, but it allows you to be considered if spots open up.
- To decline the waitlist invitation: If you don’t want to be considered for admission anymore, inform the institution by the deadline. This allows them to offer your spot to another candidate. Ideally, you should notify them as soon as possible, especially if you have already accepted an offer from another institution.
Step 3: Choose a college and submit your deposit (even with waitlists)
While you might still be hoping for your top choice, it’s crucial to choose a college you’ve been admitted to and plan to attend by the May 1st deadline. This ensures you have a confirmed place even if you don’t get accepted off the waitlist at another school. Carefully consider all your admitted colleges (not waitlisted) based on various factors:
- Does it offer your desired major and potential career paths?
- Will you have access to qualified and experienced professors?
- Are there clubs, sports, or other activities that interest you?
- Is the college situated in a suitable location for you and your needs?
Once you’ve thoroughly evaluated your options and considered all factors, select the college that best aligns with your academic and personal goals. By May 1st, you need to submit your acceptance of admission and a non-refundable deposit to secure your place at the chosen college. This deadline applies to all admitted students, regardless of waitlist decisions.
Step 4: Manage your waitlist decision and prepare for either outcome
After you’ve decided on a college to attend and potentially accepted a spot on a waitlist, the waiting game begins. Waitlist decisions can arrive anywhere between May and August, with no guaranteed timeframe or outcome. There’s no way of knowing until you hear back from the college, and even then, the decision could be either an acceptance or a rejection.
If you receive an offer of admission: Congratulations! You now have a crucial choice to make. You can either:
- Accept the offer: This means withdrawing your acceptance from the other college and committing to the waitlist college. Be aware that the deposit you previously submitted to the other college might not be refundable.
- Decline the offer: This allows you to stay enrolled at the college you previously accepted.
- If you don’t get admitted off the waitlist: You’ll still have a place secured at the college you initially accepted, and you can focus on getting ready for the upcoming semester.
Read Also: 10 Best College Admission Counselors in the US for 2024
From the Desk of Yocket
College waitlist admission rates are a frustrating aspect of the admissions process. On the one hand, they offer a glimmer of hope for students who weren’t accepted outright but still have a shot at attending their dream school. On the other hand, the rates themselves can be disheartening, particularly at highly selective institutions. The vast discrepancy between the average national rate and the rate at competitive colleges creates a sense of uncertainty for many students.
The lack of transparency surrounding waitlist numbers further complicates the situation. Ideally, colleges would be more forthcoming about their historical waitlist movement. This would allow students to make more informed decisions about whether to accept a spot on the waitlist and manage their expectations. Additionally, it would be beneficial if colleges considered standardized waitlist protocols. Currently, the process can feel arbitrary, leaving students wondering exactly what criteria admissions officers are using to select who gets admitted off the waitlist.
However, it’s important to acknowledge the challenges colleges face in managing waitlists. Predicting enrollment yield (the number of admitted students who choose to attend) is an inexact science. Waitlists serve as a safety net, ensuring the college fills its incoming class if more admitted students than expected decide to go elsewhere. Additionally, evaluating students who are very similarly qualified can be a complex task, making waitlist decisions subjective to a certain degree. Yocket is here to provide guidance and support through this intricate process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are waitlist admission rates?
Waitlist admission rates refer to the percentage of students on a waitlist who are ultimately offered admission to a college or program. These rates can vary widely depending on the institution, the year, and the specific program.
What is the average waitlist admission rate?
According to the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), nationally, the average waitlist admission rate is around 20%. However, this number can be much lower at selective institutions, where it may be closer to 7%.
How can I find out the waitlist admission rate for a specific college or program?
Colleges are not always required to publicly report their waitlist admission rates. However, you may be able to find this information on the college’s website, in their Common Data Set (CDS) report, or by contacting the admissions office directly.