Being on a college waitlist can be frustrating for thousands of students. Those young people are not accepted or rejected, and are forced to wait until around June to get confirmation from the universities they applied in.
Waitlists are not necessarily negative, and sometimes, it's a compliment to your capabilities. Some college may consider you too strong of a candidate based on your school performance, and they feel that you have other offers you will probably accept.
So they gave your supposed spot to a student they believe will enroll. If you are being waitlisted and is determined to gain admittance to a college, here are some tips on how to get out of that limbo and eventually study there:
1. Let them know that the college is your top choice.
Colleges commonly accept students who are adamant that they want to enroll there. IvyWise founder and CEO Kat Cohen urged students to provide details about why the college is their top pick and how they would give back to the university if they are allowed to study there, NBC News reported.
Boston.com advised students to pen a letter addressed to the university admissions office. That letter should indicate why the school is their number one priority and it should also serve as confirmation that they will study in that college if allowed admittance. The letter should exhibit positivity and professionalism.
2. Submit more information.
Another tip on how to get out of the waitlist limbo is submitting more information about your abilities to the college you wish to study in. New recommendations, test scores, awards and grades are some of the information you can send to the college you wish to be admitted in.
3. Come up with a backup plan.
Depending entirely on your waitlist status can have consequences. The Huffington Post wrote that it's important to take a different college's offer prior to their enrollment deadline. This way, you are certain about attending a college when the academic year rolls out.
Once your desired college drops you off the waitlist, it will be bad if you lose the deposit you have already made in your backup college. Students should provide a non-refundable deposit at another college.
The entire waitlist bustle will fall in June, with the available spots for waitlisted students to be arranged during that month as well. Boston College announced their deposit deadline.
Sorry to bring this up #BC2020, but you have ONE WEEK until the May 1 deposit deadline! We're here if you need us.
— BC Admission (@BC_Admission) April 24, 2016
If you got off the waitlist limbo, colleges will commonly contact students and their parents via email or a phone call. The disadvantage for students from the waitlist, however, is they only have limited time to assess financial aid offers and decide whether they want to sign up for a college.
