Is it bad to be waitlisted for law school?
Asked by: Valentine Heaney | Last update: November 27, 2025Score: 4.6/5 (12 votes)
Being placed on a law school's waitlist may seem like a setback. However, it's important for applicants to remember that getting waitlisted is actually a positive reflection of the quality of their application—and way better than getting rejected.
Is being waitlisted for law school bad?
So if you are placed on a waitlist, you should understand that you are certainly still in contention for admission. However, time-wise, most law schools will not truly consider the applications placed on their respective waitlists until after their deposit deadlines are closely approaching and/or have passed.
What percentage of waitlisted law students get accepted?
Typically most law schools accept between 5-10% of their waitlist each year.
What to do if you're waitlisted at a law school?
- Keep your expectations realistic. ...
- Take stock of your weaknesses. ...
- Submit a letter of continued interest. ...
- Proofread! ...
- Remember that the waitlist process is a marathon, not a sprint. ...
- Don't be a stalker. ...
- Consider transferring or taking a year off.
How likely is it to get accepted after being waitlisted?
While many colleges will waitlist hundreds or even thousands of students, not all of those students will accept a spot on the waitlist, making the pool and the chances of getting in slightly better in some cases. According to NACAC, 20% of all students who chose to remain on waitlists were ultimately admitted.
UCLA Law School Admissions Dean on What to Do If You're Waitlisted
Is waitlist basically a rejection?
The meaning of waitlisted is pretty simple: you haven't been offered acceptance, nor have you been rejected. You are currently being held on a waitlist and might eventually be accepted if a spot opens up. Schools use the waiting list to deal with the uncertainty of the admissions process.
How can I increase my chances of getting off the waitlist?
- MOST IMPORTANT! Write the school a short essay to demonstrate your continued interest! ...
- Look for other ways to show continued interest in the school. ...
- Make sure to accept your spot on the waitlist. ...
- Submit a deposit to another school. ...
- Only focus on things that are in your control. ...
- Be ready to decide if you do get accepted.
What does wait list mean for law school?
Being waitlisted means that the law school is extremely interested in you, but at that time cannot formally offer you a spot in their class—though they may be able to in the near future. So, it's important to maintain communication with the program so that they know you haven't accepted an offer elsewhere.
How do law schools let you know if you got accepted?
If you are accepted, most schools will communicate that information to you by phone call or e-mail. If you are placed on hold, placed on a wait list, or rejected, you will receive an e-mail and/or letter at your address on record.
Do law schools send rejection letters?
Law school applicants receive one of four different responses after they submit their application package. Law schools send letters to accept applicants, place applicants on their waitlist, decline applicants, and place applicants on hold.
What college admits the most students off the waitlist?
UC Santa Cruz, which admitted the highest number of students off the waitlist – 10,812 – was tied with Stony Brook University—SUNY for the second-highest percentage at 88%.
How likely am I to get into law school?
The median acceptance rate for law schools is 41%.
What is the average dropout rate for law school?
Attrition rates among second-year students from unaccredited law schools were twice as high as those at the CALS (18 percent and 36 percent), a much larger gap than in first- year attrition data (46 percent and 48 percent).
How to respond to law school waitlist email?
Clearly state your interest in attending. If the school is your first choice and you would attend if admitted, say so. If not, express your interest sincerely without exaggeration. After all, you don't want to contradict yourself if the dean of admissions calls to offer you a spot.
Does going to a top 14 law school matter?
Graduates of T14 law schools have excellent employment prospects, often securing positions at top law firms, corporations, and government agencies. The strong job placement rates at T14 schools are a significant factor in their rankings and reputation.
Do waitlisted law students get scholarships?
Many law schools don't offer larger scholarships to waitlist students. If money is a main concern for you, I suggest reaching out to the admissions officers and seeing what kind of awards you could realistically expect to receive coming off the waitlist.
Do emails from law schools mean anything?
Most law schools render decisions via email, some render decisions (especially denials) simply by updating your status checker, and a few schools like to call applicants who they are admitting.
What is a good acceptance rate for law school?
Across the country, the median law school acceptance rate is 41%. Some schools even have acceptance rates of 65% or more. But the top 15 law schools – including Stanford and Yale – are far harder to get into, with an average acceptance rate of 12.6%.
What to do while waiting for law school decisions?
- Understand the Timeline: ...
- Check Your Application Status: ...
- Utilize the Waiting Period: ...
- Be Respectful and Courteous: ...
- Address Deposit Deadlines: ...
- Attend the Break into Law Conference:
What to do after a law school waitlist?
Sending in a letter of continued interest is one of the most important things you can do once you are placed on a waitlist. This letter is written to inform the law school that you remain interested in their program and reassure them that if offered a spot off the waitlist, you would certainly accept it.
How fast do law schools notify you of acceptance?
Most law schools will start sending out decisions around 2 months after an application is submitted, but this time may be shorter or longer depending on the school, and the time of year you submitted the application.
Does a waitlist count as an acceptance?
Getting on a waitlist is not a rejection — waitlisted students still have a shot at earning admission to the school.
Does waitlist usually mean rejection?
When a college waitlists a student, it means that they have neither been accepted nor rejected outright. If anything, it means that the admissions officers found great attributes in your application but had already accepted their limit for the following school year.
Does waitlist guarantee a spot?
Waitlisting does not guarantee enrollment; Waitlisting does not guarantee more seats will open in a class; Error messages do not indicate that space is being held open in a class or that enrolment is guaranteed.
What not to do when waitlisted?
Don't let them think you've got sour grapes. Don't fill out the card stating that you wish to remain on the waitlist and then do nothing else. You need to submit a powerful Letter of Continued Interest as soon as possible.