Colleges Admitting Fewer from Wait Lists
Posted on May 17th, 2006
(Source: U. of Chicago)
Still waiting for that top-choice college to pluck you from its wait list? Bad news may lie ahead.
Consider this bit from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
It's shaping up to be another disappointing year for many students on college wait lists.
A number of selective schools say they are taking very few — if any — students from the wait list this year. Harvard University says it will likely take only between five and 10 students, down from the 28 it admitted last year. Georgetown University says it is only taking about 10 students, down from about 70 last year. Others, including Princeton University and Ohio State University, aren't taking any.
Admissions officers say they've been surprised at the large percentage of applicants who accepted their offers of admission. The so-called "yield" — the percentage of admitted students who actually enroll, a closely-watched figure by everyone from applicants and parents to competing schools — went up at institutions ranging from Princeton to Emory University, which means they won't need to resort to the wait list. [....]
Though many factors are beyond an applicant's control, showing some interest can play a big role, too. Here are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting off the wait list as spots open up in the coming weeks:
Show you're still interested. Admissions offices don't want to extend an admission offer to someone who is no longer interested in enrolling. The University of Pennsylvania gives waitlisted students a one to four rating, with a one signifying a top-choice applicant. Still, it's possible to move up in that ranking, says admissions dean Lee Stetson, and showing interest in attending Penn is one factor that can help. The school welcomes a note or a phone call to the admissions office indicating that a student appreciates making the wait list and hopes that they will ultimately be accepted.
Offer new information. New marking period grades, a new award, a new letter of recommendation: If you were on the cusp, these are things that can help push you over the edge. Think creatively without being gimmicky. Jim Bock at Swarthmore recalls a student who drafted a petition on why she should be admitted to Swarthmore. She went so far as to visit campus and even got the dean of the college to sign it. "She didn't get in because of the petition," says Mr. Bock. "But it was a creative twist."
Don't be a pest. Show eagerness but don't pester admissions offices with phone calls and emails every day. "We've had kids who send us a postcard every day," says Charles deacon, dean of admissions at Georgetown, who frowns on the technique. "The best person to intercede for you is your guidance counselor," he says, unless you have established a relationship with an admissions person on the staff.
Read the full article here.
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