5 Tips to Get Off the Waitlist

By Quetzal Mama • March 22, 2018

Top 5 Tips to Get You Off the Waitlist

So, your #1 college has nicely asked if you’d like to be placed on their waitlist. Ug. Well, it’s better than being outright denied, no? While being on the waitlist can feel super stressful, I’m sharing 5 things you can do now to increase your odds of getting admitted . . . while keeping you distracted as you wait for final decisions:

1. Get on the Official List. First and foremost, make sure you’ve in fact accepted their invitation to be placed on the wait list. Double check by viewing your status in their portal.

2. Assess Your Realistic Chances. Call their Admissions Office and ask if they rank or prioritize Waitlisted students. If there is such a ranking or list, ask where you reside on this list. If they have 100 students, and you’re #99, that’s not a good sign. By the way, don’t be embarrassed to make this phone call. You’ll get in front of an admission rep where you have the opportunity to articulate your genuine interest. If you’re too nervous to make the call, ask your guidance counselor to do it for you.

3. Write a Compelling Letter. After completing steps 1 & 2, now you need to send a formal letter (not a text or a 1 paragraph email) to the Admissions Office. In this letter, you’re communicating 3 things: (1) Your continued interest in accepting a spot at their campus; (2) This college is your number 1 choice; and (3) new and compelling information. “New and compelling” information can be a new leadership position, an award, or being selected for a competitive summer program. This is also where you’ll tell them if you’ve received a big scholarship award! Why? The more $ you bring in, the more attractive you are to their financial aid office. Need help writing this letter? Hire Quetzal Mama!

4. Take Care of Business. Don’t be so preoccupied with the chance of getting admitted to this school that you lose track of other viable offers waiting for you. During this critical time before the May 1 SIR (Statement of Intent to Register), you’ll need to carefully analyze all financial aid offers. Then, you’ll need to submit your deposit to the campus you’ll likely attend.

5. Be Ready! Most wait-list offers will be made after May 1. That means, you’ll need to be mentally prepared to make a quick decision (typically in 24 hours) whether you’ll take their offer or keep the best offer in hand (from the school you made your deposit). In preparation for this call, find out if there is a local financial aid resource (AVID teacher, counselor, etc.) you can go to and quickly conduct a quick side-by-side comparison of the offer to the school you already SIR’d.

Lastly, put yourself in the shoes of other students waiting for their wait list status to change. If you know for certain you won’t be accepting an offer(s) from other campuses, then decline those other offers so spots can be opened up for other waitlisted students.

If you’d like coaching to craft an exceptional Wait List letter to the Admissions folks, contact Quetzal Mama! We do these letters and have a high track record of admits.

Good luck! —Quetzal Mama