What Does Being Waitlisted for College Mean?

Hey there, I'm in the midst of college applications and I've come across this term 'waitlisted'. What does it mean? How does it affect my chances of admission?

Being waitlisted by a college is essentially a deferment of final admission decision. That means when you're waitlisted, you haven't been accepted, but you also haven't been rejected. The admissions committee may still consider your application for admission, but only after they've reviewed the acceptances and rejections of students who were offered admission outright.

Here's why colleges use a waitlist: After sending out their initial acceptance letters, colleges oftentimes experience 'melt,' which is the term used to describe students who choose to go elsewhere or decide not to attend college at all. The waitlist is a kind of 'buffer' against this melt and it enables colleges to ensure they fill their freshman classes to capacity.

As for how it impacts your chances, it's hard to pinpoint exact numbers because every college, and every admissions cycle, is different. Some years, a college might admit a good number of students from the waitlist, while other years, few or no students may be admitted from the waitlist.

To optimize your chances, ensure to keep in communication with the admissions office, expressing your continued interest and providing updates on any significant achievements since you initially applied. However, since there's uncertainty surrounding being admitted from the waitlist, it's best to continue your college search and consider other offers of admission you have in hand.