You’ve Been Offered a Place on the Waitlist… Now What? 

Waiting is rarely fun. In fact, these days our patience for waiting is lower than ever, especially in a world filled with instant gratification. We hate waiting so much that we create entire processes designed to reduce our waiting time (or avoid it altogether!). From overnight shipping to call ahead dining, we’ve found ways to actively avoid waiting. Even theme parks capitalize on our lack of patience, creating pricey fast pass ticket options to allow guests to bypass those pesky lines. 

But there are some scenarios in life in which we cannot avoid the wait. And if you’ve applied to a college that puts you on the waitlist, you’re in one of those scenarios.  

As we’ve discussed previously, there are many things in the college admission process that are out of your control, and in many ways the waitlist belongs on that list. However, there are a few things you can (and should!) do. 

Next Steps 

  1. Some schools (like Georgia Tech) offer you a place on the waitlist, and it’s up to you to accept that spot and say “yes, I would like to be on your waitlist.” Check your offer to see if there is a tangible next step you need to take. Here’s a link to next steps for those offered a place on Tech’s first-year waitlist. 
  2. Check to see if you should submit additional information, such as a mid-year transcript. This may or may not be necessary depending upon the school. 
  3. Pay an enrollment deposit at another school. Ultimately, you want to be sure you’re all set to enroll somewhere in the fall. The waitlist may not work out, so it’s best to commit to another school and prepare to enroll! 

Practice Waiting Well 

We looked back on the blog and found we’ve created a lot of posts about the waitlist over the years. For the sake of time, we’ve narrowed it down to three posts we think are particularly helpful if you find yourself waiting. 

Still have questions? We even created a video to help walk you through the process!  

 

 

The last key piece of advice? Practice waiting well. Focus on what you can control. Then go enjoy your last weeks of high school (as busy and hectic as they may be!). I know you hear it all the time… but you really will blink, and graduation will be behind you.

Instead of spending your time fretting over the waitlist, use it to soak in the moments you have with your friends and family (and give your family a hug!).