Harvard Waitlist Numbers

Hey guys! Does anyone know how many people usually get waitlisted at Harvard? I'm curious about the whole waitlist process and how it works at these hyper-competitive schools.

Harvard doesn't officially release the number of students waitlisted each year, but I'd still be happy to give you a general sense of how the waitlist process works at this hyper-competitive school. First, the number of students waitlisted can vary from year to year. Second, the number of students who are eventually offered admission from the waitlist can also vary depending on the needs of the university for that specific year. However, since Harvard unsurprisingly has a high yield rate (the percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll), admissions officers don't usually need to draw more than a handful of students from the waitlist.

The waitlist process at highly selective schools like Harvard begins when initial decisions are released. Students who have been waitlisted will receive a notification, and they'll have the option to accept or decline their waitlist spot. If you choose to remain on the waitlist, it's a good idea to send a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) to further express your interest in attending the school. You can learn more about how to write this letter on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/deferred-or-waitlisted-tips-for-writing-a-letter-of-continued-interest.

During the subsequent weeks and even months, as admitted students accept or decline their offers, the university will monitor its enrollment numbers. If there's still space available in the incoming class after the commitment deadline (May 1) has passed, schools like Harvard will start to extend offers to waitlisted students.

Keep in mind that being on the waitlist is an uncertain position to be in, and it's recommended that you proceed with other admission offers or plans while you wait for updates from the waitlist, as there's no guarantee of being eventually admitted, and at a school like Harvard the odds of that happening are unfortunately quite low. Of course, though, there's never any harm in staying positive!