This is probably a stupid question but when a college says they do not rank their waitlists, does that mean whoever gets in off the waitlist happens by chance? If so, what is the point of sending a LOCI or other update?
It probably means that if a particular profile of student that the college is interested in underyields, those admitted from the waitlist are likely to be those with a similar profile as the underyielding profile.
It’s not by chance.But if, when all the acceptances are in, they find an imbalance by gender, they will use the WL to balance out. Or if they need a male oboist. Basically, they’ll use the WL to plug the holes as needed.
The point of sending an LOCI is that colleges that accept people off the WL want them to definitely attend. It helps with their yield (%enrolled/%admitted). So if they are your 100% #1 choice, tell them that.
Some students may be happy with their “A” choice so aren’t that interested any more. A LOCI helps them know that.
It’s not by chance – it’s that the WL candidates sit in pools. Let’s say there’a a pool for actors for school X with 8 names… And another for Top Science applicants with 25 names. As the matriculating class comes in, five previously accepted actors decline school X’s offer. But only one slot from the science admits remains unfilled.
Five of the eight kids on the actors WL will get follow-on offers. One from the science WL will get an offer. So it’s somewhat random, somewhat not.