| Justamom, there are many, many reasons for a courtesy waitlist. It is not considered such a blow to waitlist a kid as opposed to rejecting him. So a courtesy waitlist is often used for kids who come heavily recommended by people important to the university, often legacies. Also when a college has a special reason to accept a kid from a high school that is not an obvious pick, while not wanting kids who fit that category more, they will often waitlist rather that reject those kids. For example,Harvard accepted a kid who was ranked lower, with lower SATs than the valedictorian. The val was waitlisted. In that case it was truly a courtesy waitlist because H wasn't accepting off the waitlist. Everyone was on the courtesy waitlist in that case. But, the val from the previous year with even higher stats was outright rejected. No one else at that school was accepted that particular year. According to a teacher I know there, it is common, pretty much customary to waitlist the val if not accepting her, if other kids with lower ranking are accepted, at that particular school. Happens regularly. Also with athletic admits from a particular high school, if higher ranked, more academic kids are not accepted, they are often waitlisted.
In many ways, it's a nice way to tell a kid that he would have been accepted, if there were room even when you know there is not going to be room. The kids on the short waitlist often have a good chance for admissions. They may have a talent that the school is eyeing in case the yield is not good in that area. They are kids that they would have accepted but truly could not because of uncertainties with who would accept, and they be the first called if space does open up. I know that our school, there have been times when a college would call the guidance counselors and ask if a student was serious on a waitlist. That is a very good sign that he/she is in line for a spot unless too many kids accept (which happens).
That sometimes too many kids accept, is why I puzzle over this immediate waitlist, where kids are contacted before the class is formed. I know too many kids who are last minute or do not bother to return those not accept cards. How on earth could colleges know within such a short period of time that they could accept off the waitlist? It seems like the waitlist is getting a new usage.
Does anyone here know if in prior years, colleges went so quickly to the waitlist, well before the 5/1 deadline for acceptees? I don't remember this at all in my other two college app years. |