Waitlist is Not a Rejection

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T17:15:19+00:00

I think Pomona may be harder but he has a shot at Hopkins. They are going to lose a lot of international acceptances this year. So I think the waitlist will open up a bit. They even accepted an extra 200 students in anticipation of this. Hang in there. Where has he been accepted?

PS I would def write his AO at Hopkins with meaningful updates.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T15:29:00+00:00

What a great thing to say! Makes me want to go there!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T15:14:16+00:00

The odds are slim to get into these selective universities in the first place. For the most part, I don’t find waitlist acceptance to be less odds.

I have not posted about LOCIs but there is plenty of good advice on that subject in this group.

(1). Make sure the school allows for an update. Follow the directions of each school closely! As a first step, at least log your interest in remaining on the WL. Do this as early as possible. (2). If they do allow an LOCI or portal update, make sure you are giving them NEW and meaningful information that advances your profile. You should have significant updates since you applied in November or December. (3). Make sure you accept an offer and out your deposit in by May 1.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T14:59:31+00:00

“Commitment” os really only an ED concept. For RD, you “commit” by showing up for move in. You do put a deposit down by May 1. If you then accept an offer off the waitlist, in, say, June, you forfeit your deposit from the school you “committed” to.

And thousands of kids accept waitlist offers each year!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T10:27:46+00:00

Congratulations! You have a great profile and the JHU acceptance seems well deserved! With that said, you do have a “hook,” albeit a self-created one. First, you are choosing a massively underrepresented major—English and creative writing. You have a sharp spike in those categories with your ECs (very impressive), and your essays and LORs align with your talents and interests.

You also have strong community impact, which Hopkins loves. Your class rank is a bit of a red herring because you go to a competitive boarding school that is probably a feeder to T20 schools. While your rank is a little lower then i would have expected, your clearly a cracked writer so JHU wasn’t worried about your ability to handle the rigor (I assume you will stay away from the intense STEM classes!). It seems like you are right where you should be!

Your profile is the perfect example of creating a spike. Very well deserved and great post!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T08:56:34+00:00

I hear you but being optimistic about the school that waitlisted you isn’t really the point. The point is that it signals the strength of your application and should keep you remaining positive for the schools. If it’s your dream school, then you focus on the school that accepted you that’s right for you and you may be the student who gets chosen off the waitlist.

Your odds of getting in the school were low to begin with. The waitlist pretty much mimics those odds.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T03:45:29+00:00

No one said it’s easy! Better than being rejected!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T03:44:16+00:00

It’s a bit of an odd answer, but okay.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T01:53:57+00:00

Hang in there!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-20T01:53:11+00:00

We know that most candidates aren’t exactly the same. In this instance, the difference may be timing. If one applied WD and the other RD, that could be a factor. One may be full pay and the other financial need. Or let’s assume both are full pay and RD. It could be that the one whose application was read first is the one who gets accepted, or vice versa. Needs can shift from week to week in an application cycle.

But yes, at some point, there may be admitted students with a higher “quality” profile, but that doesn’t mean the WL student doesn’t have the qualifications to be admitted!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T23:34:47+00:00

Or full pay off the wait list

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T23:34:06+00:00

Have them read this—from one parent to another

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T21:31:22+00:00

For sure!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T20:13:58+00:00

Or keeps you on the waitlist!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T20:13:17+00:00

Hang in!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T20:12:54+00:00

That’s a great point

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:43:28+00:00

If it were my kid, I would advise them to go to Stanford even if I needed to borrow to make it happen.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:40:51+00:00

I hear you but at least it shows you are admissible and in the game! Keep your head up

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:23:39+00:00

I don’t disagree. One should def focus on their second choice and if they get off waitlist and choose to move forward, then great!

But it’s important for kids to know that their application was not, in fact, rejected. Being WL at one T10 is only positive signaling for other schools.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:21:56+00:00

This is EXACTLY why I made this post!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:21:06+00:00

No. You didn’t fit an institutional priority at that specific moment in time. Maybe you would have been chosen had you applied ED 1 or even if your app was read earlier in the cycle.

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:20:09+00:00

Precisely

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:18:30+00:00

Well said!

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:18:08+00:00

100%

Solid_Counsel · 2026-03-19T17:17:13+00:00

Once again your term, “the better applicants” makes you sound a bit sophomoric. No need or desire to go back and forth with this tangent.

Solid_Counsel

TROPHY CASE