10 Things You Can Do If You’re Still Waitlisted At Your Top Choice

Still waitlisted by your top college choice? It can be really frustrating and sometimes you just want to hear any answer at this point. Hang in there and take a breath, here are ten things you do if you’re still waitlisted at your top choice.

1. Be Sure To Respond Accurately

Depending on how long you’ve been waitlisted, these tips will affect you differently. To respond accurately, keep checking your email for anything from your number one choice college. If they ask if you’re still interested, or if you’re still willing to wait, always be sure to respond in a timely and accurate manner. You want to portray how much the opportunity to be at this college means to you, without sounding desperate. Don’t try to convince admissions why you’re a good fit! Speak to your strengths and what you’re good at, but don’t go too in-depth about how great you are. Let your accolades and accomplishments speak for you, merely reference them so the college knows where to look while you’re waitlisted.

2. Contact The Admissions Office

While waitlisted it’s good to keep an open line of communication with your number one choice’s admissions office. These are the people that tend to dictate the process of the waitlist and how people get selected for enrollment. Sometimes, once a few emails are sent back in forth, these individuals will even specifically tell you what they are looking for. This allows you to set a mark for yourself to meet if this choice means that much to you.

3. Figure Out The Chain Of Command

Tying in with the last tip, familiarize yourself with those in the admissions office that are aware of your position on the waitlist. Various people in the admissions office, or people who work alongside the student support teams, are all crucial when it comes to enrollment. Figure out who dictates the choices and functions as the support network for incoming students, and see if you can give them a taste of who you are and what it would take them to get you in. Make their job easier if they’re willing to talk to you about it!

4. Become A Spy

Goofy? Yes. Necessary? Also yes. Once you get to know the people in the admissions office or who dictates the enrollment of students, dig up some information about that person and the college in general. Enrollment recruiters look for students who will be a good fit for the school. Knowing some background about the staff or school allows you to cater to what they are searching for. You have to keep in mind that they have numerous amounts of highly skilled people to choose from, so have the grades but also have the character to give you better odds of getting off the waitlisted bandwagon.

5. Keep Your Academics Up!

For the love of everything you believe in, do not let the waitlisted tag line drop your academic prowess! If you’re still wrapping up high school, dig down deep and make it count. Still have fun and grow, but don’t let yourself slip. Being waitlisted for a long period of time can be disheartening and can have a negative impact on your grades. But you can stop this from happening! Now is the time you should be showing your number one choice that you’re confident and capable.

6. Pick Up Some New Programs

Make yourself more marketable! After your spy work is done, you should know what programs are big at your number one choice college. Whether it’s a sport of a club/activity-find you that you can get behind and pick it up while you’re waiting for a response. Don’t let being waitlisted put you in a slump, you have to prove yourself here and show you are a great fit for the college. Plus it will keep your mind off of it from the day to day, just make sure in those friendly emails you’re sending you to let them know how much fun your new club is. Without being super obvious about it, they’ll know what you’re doing, but just be sincere about it-that can show some real character.

7. Shawshank

Okay, don’t send them letters every day…or do, but I don’t think it would be a great idea unless the recruiter is a big Shawshank Redemption fan. Still, though, keep that open line of communication between people in the office or even professors at the college. Many colleges have programs where you can speak to professors as a sort of sponsorship of their college. Try and find these programs and make the most of them. The more involved you get with the college, the easier it will be to get inside.

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8. Let Your Teachers Help You!

Recommendation letters and evaluation forms can be your saving grace when getting out of the waitlisted group. Let your teachers help you research and promote you to the college of your choosing since they have the credibility! And don’t worry about it being awkward. It’s any good teacher’s dream to see their students advance academically, respect their busy schedules of course but be sincere. They’ll help you out.

9. Never Assume

This is tough to say to anyone who is waitlisted, but you can’t assume either outcome. Nothing is a guarantee. It’s always beneficial to have some other college options as backup plans just in case things don’t work out. In researching other universities, you might even discover somewhere else is a better fit! Above all else, don’t take being waitlisted personal!

10. Focus On Your Worth

When being waitlisted it’s important to know your own worth. If your number one choice doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world! There are still plenty of amazing universities that would be lucky to have you! Find the college that serves you best and aligns with your goals and aspirations. You can’t go wrong if you keep these tactics in mind.

Hopefully, some of these tips help you get through those waitlisted nerves and allow you to keep your head up. Let us know your story and how you’re implementing these tips and tricks in the comments below. For those of you still waiting, hang in there!