College Bound Mentor – "College Waitlist Tips"

Date: April 17, 2025
Hosts: Lisa Bleich, Abby Power, Stefanie Forman, and guest D
Episode Focus: Navigating college waitlists – Myths, truths, strategies, and student perspective.

Main Theme

This episode dives deeply into the college waitlist process. The hosts unpack why students are waitlisted, how colleges manage their lists, and—most importantly—what students can (and can’t) do to improve their chances. The team, with over 30 years of mentoring experience, addresses both emotional and practical realities, busts common myths, and shares stories from the trenches of the 2025 college admissions cycle.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding the Waitlist: Definition and Purpose

• What is the waitlist? An admissions tool allowing colleges to fill remaining spots after admitted students accept or decline their offers.
• Why do colleges use it?
  • To manage unpredictable yields (the number of accepted students who enroll).
  • To maintain class balance (demographics, majors, talents, etc.).
  • Different colleges use waitlists in vastly different ways—some use them extensively, some barely at all. (09:25–09:48)

2. Myths vs. Truths About the Waitlist

• Myth: "Hounding" admissions (e.g., sending multiple emails, letters, or gifts) will help.
  • Truth: Most colleges are clear about how (and if) they want communication. Not following instructions may hurt your chances.
    • Abby: "Some schools specifically ask not to receive letters of continuing interest. And my gut is to follow that advice." (01:15)
    • Lisa: "As a rule, it's probably more of a myth than it is a truth...I've had it happen once...But typically...it's probably more of a myth." (03:33)
• Myth: Visiting the campus or creative gestures sway admissions.
  • Truth: Rare, and if it does work, it’s usually at smaller schools and must feel genuinely motivated.
    • Stefanie: "I have heard stories...where students have been really creative...But at smaller schools, admissions offices...are pretty good at discerning between genuine interest versus someone who...just wants to get into the best school possible." (02:38)
• Myth: Changing your major always boosts your chances.
  • Truth: Sometimes possible, but usually only if the college offers the opportunity. Generally, it’s a myth. (05:39)
    • Abby: "I can think of a couple of times when kids have been given the opportunity to do that and been admitted, but that is really the exception." (05:39)
    • Lisa shares a story about a Penn State applicant who switched from business to advertising/PR with success (06:09), but warns this does not apply everywhere.

3. 2025 Admissions Cycle Trends

• Record-breaking numbers at highly selective and large public universities.
  • Example: Michigan had over 109,000 applicants in 2025 (up from 98,000), waitlisted about 19,000, but only ~1,000 got in off the list. (7:50–8:04)
  • Rapid increases in applications mean even more students are postponed or waitlisted, especially at selective schools.

4. How Colleges Use the Waitlist

• Strategies vary annually and by school:
  • Some schools use “ranked” waitlists; others fill spots based on institutional priorities (demographics, specific talents, legacy status).
    • Abby: "One year it was 450 kids got off the wait list, and then the next year it was three...you never know." (09:52)
  • Some colleges are looking for specific types (e.g., "female tuba player") or prioritize academic and legacy connections. (11:36)
  • Data is available in each school's "common data set"—a public document with admissions statistics. (09:52)

5. What Should Students Do If Waitlisted?

• 1. Letter of Continued Interest (LCI):
  • Purpose: Reiterate interest, update on recent achievements since application, and connect to specific community contributions.
  • D: "It's to give an update of everything they have accomplished in and out of the classroom since applying...We usually tell them to be short, sweet, concise, and also tell why they're a great fit." (11:56)
• 2. Follow Instructions Meticulously:
  • If the school says not to send a letter—don't!
  • Abby: "If the school says, please do not submit any additional emails or information except for through the portal, I mean, I don't think it's a great look to sort of break the rules." (13:01)
• 3. Genuine Compelling Interest:
  • If you have a new, compelling reason or update, and if the school allows, reach out to your regional admissions officer—thoughtfully.
  • Lisa: "If you can make a really compelling reason why you want to be at that school, then I think it's a good thing to do." (13:19)
• 4. Manage Expectations & Emotions:
  • Treat the waitlist like “finding a $20 bill in a jacket”—a pleasant surprise, not a plan.
    • Lisa: "You can't expect to get in off the wait list. You have to really love where you're going to go next year...if you do get in off the wait list, then it's a...bonus..." (13:19)

6. Timing & Response Windows

• Notification can come anytime from May to as late as August.
• Colleges often give very little time to respond—sometimes just hours.
  • Abby: "[Cornell] called this poor young woman in her calculus class...They said, we need to know right now...She said, can I call you right back...They said, we'd rather have an answer now, but...by the end of the day." (14:59)
• Acting quickly is essential; some stories involved high-stress situations with near-loss of a spot due to short response times.

7. Deciding to Take the Waitlist Offer

• Sometimes, students decide not to accept a late offer, preferring the school they already committed to—even if the waitlisted school was originally their "dream."
  • D: "I had someone who got off the waitlist in the beginning of August...but they thought Emory was the dream school...and then they decided to go to Michigan." (17:53)
  • Lisa shares: Students sometimes feel the need to pick the “harder to get into” school but end up happiest where they're most comfortable. (18:22)

8. Deferred → Waitlisted: What Are the Odds?

• Trend: Most students deferred from Early Decision/Action who aren't admitted tend to be waitlisted, but outcomes after waitlisting are rare.
  • Abby: "...usually my kids who are deferred are also waitlisted." (19:45)
  • Lisa: "If you get deferred and then you get wait listed, it's...likely you're not going to get in because they've had enough chances..." (20:01)
• Improvement Tip: If deferred, reflect on the likely gap in your application and seek to address it—especially with focused updates in LCI.
  • Example of an engineering student who realized his initial application lacked collaborative experiences; he expanded his resume accordingly and highlighted this in his letter, which worked. (20:15–22:30)

9. Bottom-Line Recommendations

• *Identify your unique value/impact and communicate clearly in your LCI.
• **Follow all instructions from admissions carefully.
• Be open-minded—the process is unpredictable.
• Lisa: "The key is to identify how you're going to contribute to that community and to make a much more compelling connection...That's going to set you apart." (22:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On communication:
  Abby (01:15): "Some schools specifically ask not to receive letters of continuing interest. And my gut is to follow that advice."
• On student motivation:
  Lisa (03:33): "One of the questions you really want to ask yourself is, why do I want to get in off the wait list? ...is it the school that I really, in my heart of hearts, feel like I want to go to school there?"
• On lucky outcomes:
  Lisa (13:19): "[The waitlist is like] finding a $20 bill in a jacket that you haven't worn for the season...You can't expect to get in off the wait list...if you do get in...it's a bonus..."
• On rapid decisions:
  Abby (14:59): "[Cornell] called this poor young woman at 2:45...They said, we need to know right now...She said, can I call you right back...They said, we'd rather have an answer now, but, okay, you have to call back by the end of the day."
• On change of heart:
  D (17:53): "[Student] got off the waitlist in the beginning of August...but thought Emory was the dream school...and then they decided to go to Michigan."
• On fit over prestige:
  Lisa (18:22): "I said, well, where...do you feel more comfortable? And he ultimately decided to stay with Wisconsin...wasn't reason enough to pass up a school that he was really happy about."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:29 – Introduction to the Waitlist topic and myths vs. truths
• 01:15–03:33 – Following college instructions, value of "hounding"/input from hosts
• 04:54–05:39 – Examining student/family motivations in waitlist hopes
• 05:39–07:50 – Major-switching & Penn State case study
• 07:50–09:25 – The numbers: 2025 trends at Michigan
• 09:25–11:36 – Why colleges use waitlists, common data set
• 11:49–14:23 – Letters of continued interest: tips, best practices, and pitfalls
• 14:59–16:24 – Colleges' response timelines and anecdotes on rapid-turnaround decisions
• 17:44–18:22 – Case studies of students receiving late acceptances, decisions on fit
• 19:19–22:30 – Deferral and strategies to strengthen applications

Tone & Takeaways

The hosts are empathetic, reassuring, and candid. They balance practical advice with real-life stories that highlight both the unpredictability (and anxiety) of the waitlist process and the importance of self-knowledge and fit. Their message: Control what you can, let go of what you can’t, and focus on where you’ll thrive—not just where you "could get in."

Practical wisdom for students:

• Follow directions from each school to the letter
• Only communicate if genuinely allowed, with meaningful updates
• Treat the waitlist as a possible bonus, not a plan
• Love where you’re already accepted
• Be ready to make a fast decision if a call comes
• Reflect on your application’s strengths and find ways to show your unique impact

Quote to remember:
"You can't expect to get in off the wait list...if you do get in...it's a bonus..." – Lisa (13:19)