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What to Do If You're Waitlisted
By Bridget Kulla
Let the College Know You’re Interested
Don’t just wait out the wait list – make an active effort to get onto the roster of admitted students. “When a student receives a letter saying that they’ve been put on the waiting list, they should respond to the college immediately,” Montiel says.
Write the admissions office and emphasize your sincere desire to attend their school. Don’t have your parents or counselors contact the school on your behalf. “It’s really important that colleges hear directly from the student at all times and not from the parent” Montiel says.
Find out who represents your region in the admissions staff and send them an email explaining your situation and expressing your growing interest in attending their institution. Be specific and name courses, professors, extracurricular activities, sports teams and other features of the college that you’re excited about and that match your goals.
Continue to Brag
Keep the admissions office updated on your latest grades, achievements and honors. Maintain email contact with your regional admissions representative, but don’t swamp them. “Sending an email on a weekly basis saying the same thing dilutes the significance of whatever that student is sharing, “ Montiel says, “If it’s not new, don’t email the admissions counselor.” Send in a new letter of recommendation that shows you in a different perspective. You may be reevaluated on this new information and it shows the college that you are serious.
Get On With Your Life
Make plans to attend another school. Send in your deposit to secure a place at your second-choice college. “This whole waiting list thing is about expectations and once students are able to let that expectation go, then they really find the value in the other college,” Montiel says. Even if you’re disappointed, you’ll probably find yourself happy at your second-choice school.
What to Do If You are Accepted
Congratulations, all your hard work paid off, but being admitted late will cost you. If you end up being accepted from the wait list, you’ll have to forfeit the deposit you made at the college where you enrolled. Students admitted from the wait list may not have the same financial aid or housing opportunities of those accepted during the first round. NACAC’s statement of student rights requires schools to answer students’ questions on how being on the wait list will affect housing and financial aid. Reevaluate the school and decide if you’re still interested enough to back out of the school where you’ve already committed.
