Hi everyone, I just got waitlisted at Colby and Smith (two of my absolute top choices) and also UM. I’m honestly a bit stuck because I literally just sent both schools a detailed update in early March before decisions came out. I shared everything I’d been doing since I first applied, so now that I need to write a LOCI, I’m worried I’ve already used up my most substantive updates. I don’t really have major new awards, recognitions, or substantial progress in ECs to report in the last three weeks, and I’m terrified that if I try to force a progress update, it’ll just come off as fluff.
Does a LOCI actually need to have major new awards or achievements to be effective? Or is it okay to just focus on my “Why School” and how much I still want to go there?
I’m also stressed about the timing. If I wait a few weeks to see if anything else happens, will I be at a disadvantage? Like, if I send mine in mid-April instead of right now, am I effectively lower on the priority list for getting off the waitlist? If anyone has experience getting off the WL at these LACs (especially without a massive new update) I’d love to hear how you handled your letter. Thanks!
My advice would be to go to Admitted Student events at the places where you have been accepted. Your first priority is to choose a school for fall from what is available to you. You should pay your deposit at this school in the last week possible in the event that one of the schools where you have accepted a WL position makes an early offer and you want to pivot.
After you have done that (so maybe mid/late-April), send the LOCI to ONLY the schools you definitely prefer to the one you’ve picked. Guessing it will be only 2 or 3. For the top choice, you can tell them you will attend if offered a place. You may want to resubmit your previous LOCI saying something to the effect of “I sent this update in March, but in the event it was received after decisions had been made, I am providing it again.” If you have grades from a recent marking period, provide that update. Schools like to see that there has been no senior slump.
In most cases, when you get off the WL, you will have only a short time to respond and pay a deposit, so you should only stay on WL of schools that you know you could say yes to quickly.
Thank you so much for the insights! Do you think it makes sense to send more than one LOCI? For example I could send one at the end of March that’s focused more on my “fit” and why the school is my top choice, and then follow up again in late April or May with my final grades and progress in my ECs.
When you indicate in the portal that you want to be on the WL, that is your first indication of interest. The point of the LOCI is to let the school know of anything they have not already seen that meaningfully changes the application. In very few situations would there continue to be such developments, so once is enough. And as indicated, you can let your first choice school know that if they call to offer a spot, you’ll say yes. As their goal is to complete the class as quickly as possible, that is valuable info for them. The admissions team is busy at this time of year. Your brevity and understanding of what they need will be appreciated.
Remember that you will only be contacted if you fill what emerges as a need. For example, they may find that men didn’t enroll as expected and they may only admit men from the WL. This is not something you can control.
Start thinking about the schools you got into that you can afford, and pick one. The reality is a Wait List means a school has not accepted you but is leaving you hanging as a hedge for them, not you - meaning if they fall short of their goals, then they’ll reach out to a list of students they rejected and try to bring them back.
When you look at the WL data, they’re telling you this. Colby does not have a CDS but look at a comparator like Bates (493 enrolled, over 2k WL) or Hamilton which has a WL 4x of how many enrolled. Think about that?
Smith WL over 1500
UM Waitlist over 24K kids, more than 20% of all applicants
So the reality is and people don’t like that I say it but you were rejected but schools are using you as a hedge in case they predicted yield incorrectly.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do an LOCI because at many schools, some kids will get off.
But you need to follow each school’s instructions - some have a form, some you send a note to the admissions counselor. I would not worry about adding anything, especially when you did mid year updates. Or you can note, as previously communicated, since my app was submitted ,I’ve done this, this and that - but brief.
They simply need to know you will come if you get accepted (yes, you can say that at more than one school).
But most importantly, lose your nerves and spend your time finding another school that you got into - and move forward in the process with seeing how the school can help you grow, how you can contribute, finding a roommate and more - so that if a school does come back to you, that you might actually tell them - thanks, but no thanks.
You can have a wonderful experience at many schools, not just these three.
In my opinion, if there is nothing new, do not send anything else to the college. There should be a way to indicate you want to remain on the waitlist. Just use that.
We don’t know where else you got accepted…for all we know, there is a terrific option in that batch of acceptances. Start looking carefully at those. You know…you can accept an offer of acceptance, and IF you get off the waitlist someplace, you can withdraw that acceptance. You would likely lose your deposit, but that is really all.
So…wait until April 28 or so. Maybe you will hear from one of your waitlist schools. If not…choose from the other acceptances and look forward.
) and also UM. I’m honestly a bit stuck because I literally just sent both schools a detailed update in early March before decisions came out. I shared everything I’d been doing since I first applied, so now that I need to write a LOCI, I’m worried I’ve already used up my most substantive updates. I don’t really have major new awards, recognitions, or substantial progress in ECs to report in the last three weeks, and I’m terrified that if I try to force a progress update, it’ll just come off as fluff.