Question about Waitlist Acceptance

[dulop]

If accepted off a school's waitlist, how long do you have to make the decision of whether to accept their offer? How does it work in terms of accepting school's A's offer off the waitlist and then later in the summer, accepting school B's offer and then rejecting school A? Any clarification would be much appreciated.

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[RxnMan]

To my knowledge, the standard acceptance offer (off of the waitlist or otherwise,) is good for two weeks. If you don't make a decision and make your deposit to hold your spot, it will be given to the next person. You can hold multiple acceptances, but by mid-May (correct me if I've wrong,) you have to decide on only one and release all the others.

 

[diosa428]

To my knowledge, the standard acceptance offer (off of the waitlist or otherwise,) is good for two weeks. If you don't make a decision and make your deposit to hold your spot, it will be given to the next person. You can hold multiple acceptances, but by mid-May (correct me if I've wrong,) you have to decide on only one and release all the others.

Yeah, I think this is pretty much correct. If you are accepted off a waitlist BEFORE May 15, then you usually have the normal amount of time to respond to the acceptance. After May 15th, you can only hold one acceptance. Therefore, if you are holding an acceptance at school A and school B offers you a spot, you usually have 24 hours to decide between A and B. Then if you decide on school B, and a month later school C offers you a spot, then you usually have another 24 hours to make the decision. However, the amount of time you have to make the decision depends upon the school offering to take you off the waitlist. My guess is that they may give you less or more time, depending upon the school and how soon their classes start (ie - if it's the day before classes start they'll probably want to know in like 5 mins).

 

[ghostchild]

Check with the school. I remember one school telling me if it got to be within several weeks of classes beginning and you were still on the waitlist to make sure you have a phone # where you can be reached on file and stand by the phone. I would imagine there are circumstances such as somebody not showing up for orientation the day before classes when you might get a phone call and must let them know right then.

But the other threads I believe are right in most cases, about 2 weeks.

 

[ashabee4]

You can't hold multiple acceptances after May 15th? I thought that deadline was just to get your deposit refunded.

 

[ShyRem]

I believe after May 15, all schools can see where you've been accepted (and where you are currently holding acceptances). You should only hold ONE acceptance after 5/15. So if you get off a waitlist on June, deposits paid to your ONE holding acceptance would be forfeit - and you would have to pay a deposit to the new place.

I don't know what schools do if you hold more than one acceptance after 5/15 - can they cut you? Do they call and demand an answer? Anyone know?

 

[diosa428]

I don't know what schools do if you hold more than one acceptance after 5/15 - can they cut you? Do they call and demand an answer? Anyone know?

Technically they can revoke their acceptance. However, I think most schools call you and ask why you are holding more than one acceptance before they do that. Some schools allow applicants to hold more than one acceptance if they are waiting for financial aid info.

 

[MDMAMA]

After May 15, 24 hours if you are fortunate to receive a call. If you are still on a
wait list, you might wish to consider ahead of time what your response would be.
It can be done. Schools are unusually helpful as the new semester approaches.