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All About College Waitlists

Overview

Waitlists are basically spots that colleges give to a certain number of students which potentially allows them to gain admission in the future. So when the decisions come out, you can either be admitted, waitlisted, or rejected. Unlike admissions, which come out in March and April, the waitlist results will come out as late as June and July.

Quick Facts:

  • Being waitlisted does not mean that you are not going to get admission into the school.
  • Waitlist data is often posted online so that it can benefit you.
  • There are ways to potentially increase your chances of getting off of the waitlist.

Letters of Continued Interest

A letter of continued interest or LOCI is basically a letter (email) that you can send to the admissions office of a particular school in order to persuade the admissions officers into understanding why you are a great fit for the school. I think writing a LOCI is essential to every waitlist you have unless the school is not of interest to you or the school specifically tells you not to provide any additional information.

Remember, admissions officers read these messages, so take thought and update them on anything you think is necessary.

Letter of Intent

This is another type of LOCI, except that the letter basically states that if you were to gain admission into this school, you would 100% go there. This type of letter is powerful because the school has a guarantee that you will not ruin their yield and decrease their commitment rate.

Things to Write in LOCI

  • Why is the school a great fit for you?
  • What will you bring to the campus of the school?
  • Do you have any updates on grades?
  • What will you pursue at this school?
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