Do acceptance rates include accepts from the waitlist?

Applying to College
1

Just curious.

Williams College announces 16.8% acceptance rate on web site: http://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/3_26_2015_admits/

…but in CDS, it’s 17.6%: http://provost.williams.edu/files/williams_cds_1516.pdf

As about 50 were taken from the waitlist, I assume that is the difference.

When we talk about acceptance rates here, or see them on USNews or College Navigator or whatever, do they generally include waitlist accepts or no?

2

They should include waitlist acceptances. The initial acceptance rate is announced round April 1 or so. The final acceptance rate would not be known until 9/1 or so.

3

The Dep of Education collects acceptance data from all colleges in late Oct early Nov. This is the official data used by the College Navigator and US news. It will include waitlist data.