Hi, I'm a junior trying to understand the college admissions process better. If I apply for early decision, can I be put on the waitlist or is it strictly a matter of being accepted or rejected? I'm a little confused about how this works, so any clarification would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Hello there! I'm glad you're seeking to understand the admissions process more clearly. When you apply to a college via early decision (ED), there are three possible outcomes: you can be admitted, denied, or deferred. Being deferred is not the same thing as being waitlisted, however. Being deferred means that the admissions committee has not made a final decision on your application and will reconsider it in the context of the regular admissions pool.
The waitlist comes into play after the regular decision rounds, when the college is finalizing its incoming class. Unlike being deferred, being waitlisted is no guarantee of your application being re-reviewed. Colleges only draw from their waitlist if more students than expected reject their offer of admission, and they need to admit extra students to fill their class.
I hope this helps, and good luck with your applications!
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