<p>I can’t say enough that MOST WAITLISTED STUDENTS ARE NOT THERE DUE TO COURTESY! I have been besieged by private messages from those asking if their WL status may not be a “real” one. Please know that most of you on WL’s will genuinely be considered if a spot opens up. However, do be aware also that some WL’s have more than 1,000 students on them, so your odds may be bad, even though you’re the real deal.</p>
<p>I don’t understand how it is a courtesy to waistlist someone that you have no intention of considering if a spot opens up.</p>
<p>A lot of folks would agree with you, Jordcin, but there are also many people who would rather say, “I got waitlisted at <strong><em>" [fill in name of prestigious college] rather than "I got rejected by </em></strong>____ .” Parents, especially, seem to feel that the “honorable mention” provided by a waitlist is significant, and it’s often specifically these parents (when they are alums, donors, faculty, or other VIP’s) whom the admission folks have in mind when they waitlist a candidate as a “courtesy.”</p>