Wait list is a roster of admissible applicants who are not immediately offered a place because the entering class is full, and who may be offered admission later if space becomes available.
How it works
The institution extends wait-list notifications to selected applicants. As deposits are received and some admitted students decline, the admissions office offers places to wait-listed applicants in priority order. The applicant accepts and submits a deposit by the stated deadline, then matriculates. Aid packaging for late admits may be more limited if grant funds have been exhausted.
Example: a selective online master’s program wait-lists an applicant in March. In June, after several deposited students withdraw, the program offers admission. The applicant accepts within one week, receives a reduced institutional grant because funds are limited, and enrolls in the fall term.
How it differs
Denial is a final negative decision. Deferred admission postpones an admitted student’s start date. A wait list keeps the applicant in consideration without a current offer. Yield rate is calculated on admitted students, including those admitted from the wait list.
Common errors
Assuming a wait-list notification is equivalent to admission. Missing a short deadline on a later wait-list offer. Expecting the same aid package that was available to students admitted in the initial round.
References
- 1. Institutional wait-list practicesManagement and offers
- 2. Admissions reportingTreatment in acceptance-rate calculations
Wait list is a roster of admissible applicants who are not immediately offered a place because the entering class is full, and who may be offered admission later if space becomes available.