Waitlist Acceptance Rates?

I was wondering, how often do waitlisted students actually end up getting accepted into colleges? Do percentages change significantly depending on the school, or is there a general trend?

Waitlist acceptance rates indeed vary significantly depending on the school and the specific admissions cycle. There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to how often waitlisted students get accepted. Waitlist acceptance rates can range anywhere from less than 1% to over 50%, depending on the school and the year.

A variety of factors can influence waitlist acceptance rates, including the overall applicant pool, school-specific yield rates, and institutional priorities. Some years, a college may accept a substantial number of waitlisted students if the yield rate (the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll) is lower than expected, while other years the number of waitlisted students admitted may be very small or even zero in some cases. It is essential to remember that every admissions cycle is different, and the number of waitlisted students accepted can change from year to year.

Although it's impossible to predict an exact percentage or number of waitlisted students who will receive an eventual acceptance, you can often find historical data on specific colleges' waitlist acceptance rates by searching online and combing through their Common Data Set (CDS). This information can give you a general idea of your chances at a specific school, but you should treat it cautiously, as it may not reflect the current admissions cycle's circumstances.

While you may be tempted to place all your hopes on your waitlisted status, it is essential to move forward with other plans in case you aren't ultimately accepted. This might involve confirming enrollment at another institution, looking at alternate schools, or reevaluating your options. Remember, it is always a good idea to have backup plans and consider all available opportunities, even when you're on a waitlist.