What does it mean if I'm waitlisted at a college?

I just received a notification that I've been waitlisted at one of my top choice colleges, and I'm a bit confused about what this means for my chances. Does being waitlisted mean I'm likely to get in, or should I not get my hopes up too high? Also, should I reach out to the admissions office to express continued interest, or is it better to just wait and see what happens? If anyone has experience with being waitlisted and then getting in, I'd love to hear how that went.

Congrats on not getting outright rejected by one of your top choice schools -- being placed on a college's waitlist is definitely still a positive result!

Being waitlisted generally means that an admissions committee sees potential in your application, but can't offer you a place in the incoming class just yet because they've already extended as many offers as they could accommodate. The waitlist essentially serves as a reserve pool of students who could still receive an offer depending on how many accepted students choose to enroll.

It's important to note that the chances of getting off a waitlist can vary drastically from school to school and from year to year. Some colleges may take a good number of students off their waitlist, while others might not take any. Factors influencing this include the school's yield rate (the number of accepted students who choose to enroll) and the size of the entering class.

While there are no guarantees, you can try to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist by expressing your continuous interest in the school by writing a letter to the admissions office. This would be a good opportunity to reaffirm why you're interested in the school and relay any significant achievements or updates since you submitted your application.

However, it's also crucial to have a backup plan. If there are other schools that have extended an offer of admission to you, make sure to secure your place by paying the necessary deposit on time. This ensures that even if you're not offered a spot off the waitlist, you've still got a viable college option.

Ultimately, it can take time to hear back from the waitlist, and uncertainty can be stressful. It can be helpful to remember that there are many paths to reaching your academic and career goals, and whichever college you end up attending will offer new opportunities for growth and learning. Good luck with everything, and fingers crossed for a positive outcome!