Waitlist Etiquette? Forum

[jace8819]

I received notification today that I am on a preferred waiting list at one of my top choice schools, and the school promises to make a decision by early May at the latest. Is it appropriate/advisable in a LOCI to say that I accept a position on the waiting list but that I need a decision sooner? I was thinking about mentioning the fact that I have a large scholarship offer that is set to expire from their rival school that requires action by April 1 and that I have been accepted to other schools (all of which are ranked higher than this school) which also require action by mid-April and I don't have enough money to just fork over seat deposits to a school I'm not going to actually attend in hopes of one day, maybe getting in at my preferred school. Or would that be too brash of an approach and come across too forceful, basically resulting in an automatic ding?

[PattyCake]

I received notification today that I am on a preferred waiting list at one of my top choice schools, and the school promises to make a decision by early May at the latest. Is it appropriate/advisable in a LOCI to say that I accept a position on the waiting list but that I need a decision sooner? I was thinking about mentioning the fact that I have a large scholarship offer that is set to expire from their rival school that requires action by April 1 and that I have been accepted to other schools (all of which are ranked higher than this school) which also require action by mid-April and I don't have enough money to just fork over seat deposits to a school I'm not going to actually attend in hopes of one day, maybe getting in at my preferred school. Or would that be too brash of an approach and come across too forceful, basically resulting in an automatic ding?

Not sure how your situation requires special etiquette. I would personally NOT rush a decision because you may hurt your chances. I would accept the waitlist offer and make your choices as if you'd been denied, because there's a chance you may never get in. If you do get in it's $200-400 wasted on a seat deposit, but in the long run that's not the end of the world. If you desperately need scholarships which you probably won't get coming off a waitlist, then I would recommend even more strongly that you not throw away good offers.

[Savage13]

The correct play is to say nothing, pay the seat deposit at your next choice school, and see how you feel about a few hundred dollars if you get an acceptance to your top choice school. Literally every single person on the wait list is having to pay a deposit at another school.