Most important factors in waitlist movement

[bananafish94]

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Obviously it will differ from school to school, but I'm just interested in broad trends of what is most important in deciding who to pull from the wait list.

I've heard that they want to "re-balance" the class, so if somebody with certain unique characteristics declines an acceptance, they will pull somebody that is similar to that person? Do they consider how likely it is that somebody will attend? Do they completely review the application again or have they already deemed it basically good enough to be accepted if there is room?

Thanks!

 

[gyngyn]

The number of votes garnered in the original committee review is most important as well as the reasons for the original votes.
Re-balancing is for a residual class that is way off kilter.
Likelihood of an immediate positive response is more important late in the cycle (July, August).

Waitlist management varies a lot by school, as you noted. I have responded with what I have seen at the schools where I have worked. I have never served at a school with a strictly ranked waitlist.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

The number of votes garnered in the original committee review is most important as well as the reasons for the original votes.
Re-balancing is for a residual class that is way off kilter.
Likelihood of an immediate positive response is more important late in the cycle (July, August).

Waitlist management varies a lot by school, as you noted. I have responded with what I have seen at the schools where I have worked. I have never served at a school with a strictly ranked waitlist.

Wait up... you can get accepted off a WL as late as July?

What if your school matriculates early, and you get accepted off a waitlist after already starting classes...?

 

[ridethecliche]

Probably how many people that say no to the acceptance or withdraw tbh.

 

[gyngyn]

Wait up... you can get accepted off a WL as late as July?

As long as you haven't started orientation at another school, you can be accepted even after school starts.

 

[breezy16]

As soon as a acceptee matriculates, he/she is no longer eligible to accepted by another school via AAMC rules. And matriculation is now defined as beginning of orientation. I have WL people get informed the first week of August. Several years ago, I had an WL student get called late Thursday afternoon for an orientation that started the following Monday

This happened at JHU this year, as well. Kid didn't show up for orientation and they pulled someone off the WL to fill the absent spot.

 

[Goro]

This happens at my school as well.

This happened at JHU this year, as well. Kid didn't show up for orientation and they pulled someone off the WL to fill the absent spot.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

As long as you haven't started orientation at another school, you can be accepted even after school starts.

So schools with early start dates can actually be disadvantageous, albeit rarely.

 

[gyngyn]

So schools with early start dates can actually be disadvantageous, albeit rarely.

We already know which ones they are!
Schools that are commonly poached from seem to keep starting earlier and earlier.