Admissions – “Wait listed” category – how to handle?

“Wait list” is a different category of decisions on the part of college admissions’ officers. It may prove helpful to many of our readers if they understand this process.

First, there is a clear upward trend line each year in the number of students being placed on individual colleges wait list. This a standby category that can feel like being put in limbo.

What is behind this practice and what does it mean to an applicant?

Students now apply on average to eight or nine colleges. This makes it close to impossible for the admission staff to know how many candidates they should admit in order to arrive at their target first year enrolled class. They know that only a percentage (which is unpredictable each year) will actually choose to accept their offer of outright admission. Therefore, the admissions committee will offer the standby category to a large number of applicants with the idea that if they underestimated the number of admitted students who will choose to enroll; they can then turn to their wait listed candidates. This policy is fundamentally a safety net for the college to be certain that they attain their desired student enrollment.

This policy can work to your advantage, if you are placed on the wait list of a college that you have a strong interest in. You or rather your counselor should keep in touch with the admission officers indicating your desire to remain an active candidate.