Is waitlist a rejection?

Asked by: Horace Senger  |  Last update: September 11, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (65 votes)

Remember that if you have been waitlisted or deferred, it does not mean you have been rejected admission. It's as if you have been asked to stay in the waiting room a little longer, pending an ultimate decision.

Is a waitlist a soft rejection?

If a student is waitlisted, it usually means that a school feels the student is a good fit, but the school is constrained by class sizes. Keep in mind, however, that some schools use waitlist offers as “soft rejections.” The waitlist offer is more of a “courtesy” and they have no intention of admitting you.

Why was I waitlisted instead of rejected?

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. Once a school has instituted a waitlist, the admissions office will admit students off the waitlist as needed until they have filled the incoming class.

Do most people who get waitlisted get accepted?

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.

What's the difference between waitlisted and accepted?

What Does It Mean To Be Waitlisted? If you've been waitlisted during the RD review process, this means that the college has completed reviewing your file and you have not been accepted. However, if enough students that were accepted choose not to attend, you could be considered.

Stanford accepts you IF... | Admitted student's review of my REJECTION (reaction)

42 related questions found

Does waitlist mean you are qualified?

Getting on a college waitlist means that an applicant has all the necessary qualifications and has been fully reviewed by an admissions counselor. However, the school could not offer them a letter of acceptance at that time.

What does it mean if university puts you on waiting list?

A college may put you on a waitlist. This can happen when you meet the admissions requirements, but the college has already accepted the number of applicants it has room for. If a spot becomes available later on, you may be offered a place.

Is getting waitlisted impressive?

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.

What are the odds of getting admission if you are waitlisted?

As a rule of thumb, around 10% of students who are waitlisted at an elite universities will ultimately earn admission. This, of course, can vary from year to year. There are years when some colleges, like Dartmouth College for the Class of 2025, don't turn to their waitlists because they don't need to fill seats.

What are the odds of getting admitted from the waitlist?

Do waitlist students get accepted? Sometimes. According to the most recent data from the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, 20% of all waitlisted students were admitted on average. For more selective universities, the admission rate is 7% on average.

Does being waitlisted mean anything?

Being put on the waitlist means a student is a competitive candidate, but colleges are trying to admit well-rounded classes and predict who will ultimately enroll, which may mean prioritizing students based on major choices or a desirable quality they bring to the school.

How many applicants are waitlisted?

The truth is, the number of students who are waitlisted changes from year to year, so it's impossible to say how many people will get waitlisted at a certain school. The number can range anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred.

Is waitlist worse than deferred?

A deferred applicant will be considered again before any reconsideration is provided to a waitlisted applicant. As such, being waitlisted at a school is worse than a deferral because the institution has decided not to admit you unless other applicants decline their admission offer and seats become available.

What not to do when waitlisted?

Waitlisted students can accept or reject the offer presented by the college. However, don't take up a spot on the list if you're not planning on attending the school anymore. You'd be taking the spot away from another student who may be more interested.

What counts as rejection?

Rejection can be defined as the act of pushing someone or something away. One may experience rejection from one's family of origin, a friend, or a romantic partner, and the resulting emotions can often be painful. Rejection can be experienced on a large scale or in small ways in everyday life.

Should I appeal a waitlist?

If you've been waitlisted at a college, and you'd definitely attend if you got in off the waitlist, then you need to write a waitlist letter. And if you've been denied at your dream college, and you're desperate to be reconsidered, then you should write an appeal letter.

Do colleges waitlist overqualified applicants?

In some instances, colleges may waitlist overqualified students and take them off it upon enough demonstration of seriousness in attending. Got a stellar application but fear that you might not get accepted by an institution with a high acceptance rate?

How many people get off Ivy waitlist?

From Ivy League acceptance rates to admissions numbers at UCLA and Boston College, these stats provide insight into how often students get admitted off the waitlist each year. The chances of being admitted to an Ivy League college from the waitlist are only 8.8%.

Do waitlisted students get accepted medical school?

If you can pinpoint how you can improve your application and execute those changes quickly, you have a good chance of being accepted to medical school the following cycle. Plus, if you're on a few waitlists, there's always a chance that an acceptance will come through as you go through the reapplication process.

What do you say to someone who got waitlisted?

Here are five meaningful things to say in a situation like this:
  • “I know this feels like the end of the world, but it will all work out.” ...
  • “If it is meant to be, it will be.” ...
  • “The college process is unpredictable, try not to take it personally.” ...
  • “You did all that you could do, and you should not have any regrets.”

Is accepting a waitlist binding?

Keep in mind that college waitlist offers aren't binding. You won't be required to attend the college if they accept you from the waitlist.

What is an unranked waitlist?

'Schools can either have ranked or unranked waitlist.' A ranked waitlist is a list that's ranked in order. As the seats open up, they will pull from the top and then the number moves up as one opens after another. An unranked waitlist means a pool of students on the waitlist are reviewed by the school again.

Do colleges call you about waitlist?

While some schools send email notifications, most of our nation's elite schools notify waitlisted candidates via old-fashioned phone calls.

Is a waitlist a rejection reddit?

I know this sucks to hear, but treat your waitlist as if it were a rejection. By this I do not mean getting into the “this school didn't want me” mindset; they did want you. But, do not rely on the waitlist. Write an LOCI, submit additional grade reports, and make plans to attend another university.

Is UCLA waitlist a soft rejection?

You are not definitively denied when you are placed on a waitlist; yet, this does not mean that you will be admitted to the program either. In conclusion, being placed on a waitlist is not the same thing as a soft rejection.