5 Tips for Moving from the Waitlist to Acceptance at a Private School
This is an exciting but anxiety-driven season as you wait to see if your child will be accepted to a private school. While many families will celebrate their child’s acceptance into the private school of their choice, others will be added to the dreaded waitlist. If your child has been waitlisted, your first question might be, “What now?” Is there anything you can do to increase the chances of getting a positive answer for your child? The answer is yes. We provide some tips you can use to help your child achieve his or her school dreams.
Interpreting a waitlist notification
Most schools do end up accepting students who are initially on the waitlist. How can you increase the chances of your child moving from the waitlist to acceptance? Here are five tips that can help.
Tip #1: Respond to the notification right away
You may be disappointed about the initial outcome, but there is still hope that the school’s answer will change. The first thing to do is respond to the notification as soon as you get it. Call or email the admissions director directly. You want to let the school know that you are still interested and why your child is a good fit.
Mention the programs that are important to you. Mention the importance of Pre-Professional Programs if your child is interested in a career in medicine, computers, engineering, law, business, or biomedical engineering. If your child is a gifted athlete who can contribute to success on the field or court, mention this, as well. The goal is to let the admissions director know that your child would be excited for the opportunities afforded at that school.
If you have friends or other parents who have a relationship with the admissions director, it is okay to ask them to put in a good word, too.
NOTE: Contacting the school is fine, but refrain from constant calls and emails. You may come across as panicky, or worse, a difficult parent. This could end up affecting your child’s chances of being accepted.
Tip #2: Ask if you can attend accepted students day
Most private schools hold special events for newly accepted students. Some automatically invite students on the waitlist, too. If you are invited, it is a good idea to attend. This will give you a chance to connect with the admissions director, administrators, and teachers.
Attending orientation events serves more than one purpose. First, it lets the school know that you are serious about having your child enroll. Second, it gives you a chance to get to know the faculty better if your child does get accepted.
Tip #3: Practice patience
We understand that waiting to hear back can be a special kind of torture. Still, you do need to be patient. A lot is going on behind the scenes that you never see. This season is very busy for schools as they try to determine which students plan to enroll. They are busy hiring new teachers and other staff members. The admissions director may go on vacation during the summer, which means he or she may be out of touch during certain times.
The school may give you specific instructions concerning communications after the waitlist notification. The instructions may include when and how often you should call to check on your child’s status.
Again, it is okay to check in with the school periodically, especially if you are nearing deadlines at other schools, but try not to be a pest.
Tip #4: Enroll at the backup school
Make sure you enroll and put down a deposit at a school where your child did get an acceptance. This will hold his or her place. Many schools offer a grace period before you have to pay the full tuition, at which time your child is legally obliged to attend.
Tip #5: Apply again next year
If your child does not get into the top school on your list, apply again next year. You can even ask the admissions office how to increase the chances of an acceptance for your child. Maybe there is an area where your child can improve. You can hire a tutor to increase his or her test scores or grades. If your child is interested in a specific sport or music program, it might help to look into private lessons.
Reapplying can also show that you are still serious about your child attending his or her school of choice.
Getting an acceptance
If you are fortunate enough to get an acceptance in the end, please notify other schools about your final decision right away. Remember, they have waitlists, too, and those students are hoping to hear the same good news you just did. If your second-choice school gave your child a financial award or scholarship, that money could be reallocated to another student.
Admissions at American Heritage Schools
We encourage families who are interested in enrolling in our school to visit our campus for a tour. If we are the right fit for you and your child, you can create an account on our website to fill out our online application to get started.
Once the application is complete, you can upload your child’s academic records right to your account and proceed to schedule their test. After your child has completed the test, you will hear from one of our Admissions Directors about any next steps.