What to Do When Waitlisted


Friday, February 4, 2022

If all your top options placed you in the waitlist, not everything is lost yet. You may still have a chance to get into your dream college if you follow these 4 steps.



Being waitlisted by the college or colleges you dreamed the most about might be discouraging and disappointing. Starting to consider other colleges or waiting for other colleges' letters is the first reaction for most students.


But they should bear in mind and focus on the fact that they haven't been rejected, but waitlisted, meaning they still may have a chance to get in. But waiting to get off the waitlist won't do any good. 


Now it's time to act. 


The following are 4 steps you can take to try and get off the waitlist.


I've been waitlisted, what should I do?


1. Accept the spot on the waitlist


When being waitlisted, there are two things you can do: (1) Accept the waitlist offer; (2) reject the waitlist offer. 


Is this university one of your top options? Have you been dreaming about going to this school? Then make sure you formally accept the waitlist offer. 


Why? This will keep you in the game and will show the school you're interested in attending, which leads us to the following step. 


2. Show interest in the college


Colleges and universities don’t require students to follow up, but it is essential that you show a continued interest in pursuing admission at the school.


The point of reaching out is to maintain a positive relationship with the institution and re-emphasize your enthusiasm for attending. 


You could contact the college admissions office to show a continued interest. You could also write an email or give a phone call. You might even consider visiting in person if you do not live too far from the campus. 


3. Submit a deposit to another institution


Having a backup in case the contingency plan doesn't work is vital. This way you'll have a college to attend if you don't get off the waitlist in your top choice.


Submit a deposit to another university before the deadline. This action will ensure that you have a university to begin when the next semester rolls around. 


4. Check for additional information


Follow up with the college’s admissions office and see if you can learn anything else about the size of the waitlist pool. 


Following these steps is not a guarantee that you will be accepted by your dream college, but it will give you more chances than sitting down feeling discouraged and doing nothing about it.


The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) states that 40% of schools reported using a waitlist and accepted about 25% of the students who chose to remain on the waitlists.


Remember: Being placed in the waitlist is not the worst possible outcome. Not everything is lost yet, as you still have a chance to be accepted by your dream college. Keep your hopes up and do everything at your disposal to try and turn the tables in your favor! 




Get Instant Information about the University

By clicking “Get Information Now,” I hereby authorize besthighschools.info, their dependents, subcontractors, or associates to contact me in regards to education proposals offered by universities in the United States.