Attending your dream school can turn into a logistical nightmare when you get accepted off a waitlist as you’re suddenly faced with reevaluating your college choice, considering affordability, and ultimately deciding whether or not to accept the offer.
First, evaluate how this school compares to the school from which you had originally accepted an offer. You’ve spent some time getting excited about that original school, picturing yourself there and preparing (at least mentally) to attend, so ask yourself whether you are willing to give up that school. Is the grass really greener on that new school’s quad? Is that new acceptance school still your top choice? What about this school feels like a better fit for you?
Second, consider affordability. Even though you may want to rush to accept the offer, take a time-out to review the any financial aid the school is offering, or that you might need to request. Often, financial aid packages are less generous to waitlist-admitted students because the school has already divvied up the bulk of their funding.
Next, visit (or re-visit) the school. Seeing the school in person may help you make that tough decision. Does the campus (still) feel right? Is it all that you remembered or thought it would be? Even revisiting a school through its virtual tour can help, as will connecting with a current student to get their input.
Consider other waitlists you are on. If you are still on several, you’ll need to consider the possibility of getting off the waitlist at another school, too. You may even want to call and ask those schools about the likelihood of getting in if it’s a school ranked higher on your list. Waitlist acceptances are binding: you should be absolutely sure that you want to attend before accepting.
Last, double-check the decision date. Since this is not a typical admissions offer, the timeline to make a decision is much shorter. Some schools accept students off the waitlist all the way up until the beginning of fall semester, so you may need to make a decision fast.