Hey guys, I recently got waitlisted at one of my top choice colleges. I'm really hoping to get in, but I'm not sure if accepting a waitlist spot is binding. If I accept the waitlist offer and later get admitted, will I still have the option to choose another school if I want to?
No, accepting a waitlist offer is not binding. When you accept a spot on the waitlist, it just means that you're interested in attending the college if you are eventually offered admission. If you're subsequently admitted, you will receive a new decision letter and a deadline to accept or decline your admission offer, which is separate from any other offers you may receive from other colleges.
In the meantime, it's important to secure a spot at a college you've already been accepted to and submit an enrollment deposit before the national decision deadline (usually May 1st). This will ensure that you have a college to attend in the fall, even if you don't ultimately get off the waitlist.
If you get admitted off the waitlist and decide to attend that college, you'll likely lose the deposit you made at the other school, but you won't be required to attend both colleges. Once you've decided to attend the college that admitted you off their waitlist, it's courteous to inform the other school about your decision promptly, so they can move forward with their planning process.
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