For those of you who have been waitlisted at one of your top choices, we analyzed waitlist statistics across dozens of institutions to uncover key admission trends, including which schools went deep into their waitlists, which didn’t use them at all, and what the multi-year trends can reveal about your chances.

How the Waitlist Works

Colleges use their waitlists primarily as an enrollment management tool. Once May 1 deposits are received, admissions offices assess whether the incoming class is on track to meet enrollment targets. If yield comes in higher than expected, which has been increasingly common as more students commit Early Decision, schools may not need to go to the waitlist at all. In years when yield falls short, schools can dip deep into their waitlisted pool to fill remaining seats.

This dynamic means waitlist outcomes can remain highly variable at the individual school level, even when aggregate trends are clear. A school that admitted a substantial percentage of its waitlisted students last year may admit none this year due to changes in their circumstances. We present both high level trends and individual institutional data to help provide a clearer picture.

Overall Highlights

• Overall waitlist admission rates remained stable across our dataset with the average admit rate around 19%, but rates are highly variable at each institution.
• More students are choosing to accept a spot on a waitlist, with the total number up roughly 15% over the three years. Much of that is driven by growth in the UC system and the more selective institutions.
• Total admits dipped slightly, with significant differences by institution. Some schools like Tennessee basically stopped their waitlist, while others like Santa Clara started to pull heavily from their waitlists.
• Around 50% of schools admitted less than 10% of students from their waitlists, a similar count to the previous years.
• Waitlist admissions remain low at very selective institutions, with an average 7% admit rate. Most institutions use the waitlist sparingly and are consistent with little movement. However, Johns Hopkins notably pulled more from their waitlist for the Class of 2029.
• Waitlist admissions at selective and less selective schools increased from 22% to 25% and 30% to 34% respectively. The averages are dragged up by a few schools that admitted nearly everyone on the waitlist (Purdue and UC Irvine)
• Waitlist use at the least selective schools dramatically decreased from 45% to 13%, primarily driven by changes at Indiana University and UC Riverside

The key takeaway: Prospective students are increasingly interested in waitlists. For those waiting for the most selective schools, waitlist odds remain low and are not meaningfully improving. For moderately selective schools, while the average institution is still fairly conservative with waitlist admits, specific schools are starting to draw heavily from their waitlists, driven by a need to increase enrollment. Finally, increasing interest in the traditionally least selective institutions is driving down waitlist activity, as more students are committing than expected.

College Kickstart Waitlist Trends and Statistics

View current data tracking overall trends, trends by institutional selectivity, and specific waitlist admission rates by institution and year for selected schools.

Schools With Notable Changes

The following schools showed the largest year-over-year shifts in waitlist activity in our dataset.

What This Means for Waitlisted Students

If you’ve been waitlisted, the first thing to know is that acceptance rates vary enormously, not just between schools, but from year to year at the same school. Historical data is your best guide to calibrating realistic expectations, but it doesn’t predict the future.

A few things to keep in mind as you navigate the next several weeks:

Confirm your spot. If you want to remain under consideration, you typically need to actively accept a position on the waitlist. Don’t assume your application stays active automatically.

Send a Letter of Continued Interest. A well-crafted LOCI that shares genuine updates (new awards, coursework, a meaningful accomplishment) and reaffirms your specific interest in the school can make a meaningful difference. Generic letters generally don’t. Most schools accept one update letter; follow any specific guidance they’ve provided and consult your counselor for specific advice.

Commit elsewhere. Waitlisted students must submit a deposit at another school by May 1 to secure their fall enrollment. Being on a waitlist does not hold you a spot, and waiting without a backup plan is a risk no student should take.

Know the timeline. Most waitlist decisions come in May and June, though some schools notify as late as August.

Manage expectations. Even at schools with historically active waitlists, only a fraction of waitlisted students are ultimately admitted. The more selective the school, the lower the conversion rate tends to be. Make peace with the school where you’ve deposited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does being higher on the waitlist matter?

Most schools don’t rank their waitlists, or don’t share rank information with students. A few schools do notify students of their position, but for most, the decision of who to admit from the waitlist is made holistically at the time of need, with the school’s current enrollment gaps in mind.

Can a student’s demonstrated interest help?

Yes, at many schools. Demonstrated interest such as campus visits, consistent engagement with the admissions office, and a sincere LOCI are factors for schools that track it. Research whether your specific school weighs demonstrated interest before investing heavily in outreach by checking requirments in College Kickstart.

Is there anything that hurts waitlist chances?

Letting your first-semester senior grades slip, missing a deadline to confirm your waitlist spot, or sending multiple unsolicited communications after already submitting a LOCI can all work against you. Follow the school’s guidance carefully.

How does Early Decision enrollment affect the waitlist?

As more schools expand their Early Decision programs, and as more students commit ED, the number of remaining seats available in the regular round shrinks. This is one reason why waitlist outcomes have become harder to predict: a very strong ED yield can effectively close the waitlist before it ever opens.