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Ivy League Waitlist Strategy: How to Improve Your Chances

Harriny • 5/22/2025Ivy League Waitlist Strategy: How to Improve Your Chances

You opened the email. Your heart paused. And then you saw it: waitlisted.

Not rejected. Not accepted. Just… dangling in elite admissions purgatory.

That’s the moment thousands of high-achieving students find themselves in each spring—good enough for Harvard, Yale, or Princeton, but not quite in.

Being waitlisted is an open door disguised as a delay and how you respond could be the single biggest factor determining whether you walk through it.

Here is your Ivy League Waitlist Strategy: action-focused guide to improve your odds of turning that maybe into a yes.

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1.What Are Your Real Odds?

Getting off the waitlist at Ivy League schools is tough but not impossible. Let’s look at the data about the Waitlist at Ivy League and other top schools:

University of California, Berkeley

Stanford University

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Georgetown University

University of Michigan

University of Notre Dame

Cornell University

Emory University

University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)

Rice University

Yale University

Princeton University

Dartmouth College

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Related article: SAT or Test-Optional? Ivy League Requirements in 2025

2. Ivy League Waitlist Strategy: How to Improve Your Chances

2.1 What Does Being Waitlisted Actually Mean?

Top universities receive tens of thousands of applications. Many highly qualified students end up on the waitlist—not because they lacked merit, but because there were more strong candidates than available seats.

The upside? You're still in the game. If spots open up, your application will be reviewed again.

Your chances depend on the college. Some schools pull hundreds from their waitlist, others take none. Knowing your odds helps set realistic expectations for your next move.

2.2 What Should You Do If You're Waitlisted?

It’s a second chance to prove you’re serious and show the school why you still belong there.

1. Respond Promptly

Say YES to the Waitlist—Fast

Accept your spot on the waitlist immediately through the school’s portal. Some Ivy League schools take that as a sign of serious interest, especially since many applicants ghost after getting waitlisted. Don’t be that person. Follow the instructions in your waitlist notification. Most schools require you to confirm if you want to stay on the list. This is a must-do- it signals genuine interest.

2. Write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI)

This is your opportunity to:

Admissions officers appreciate clarity, humility, and enthusiasm.

3. What Makes a Strong LOCI?

Keep it short. Make it meaningful. And make it memorable.

Important: Send just one LOCI. Ideally within a week of your waitlist notice. More updates won’t necessarily help.

3.1 What Are My Chances of Getting Off the Waitlist?

It varies widely. To manage expectations, consider these key factors:

1. Yield Rate (How Many Admitted Students Enroll)

High-yield schools (like Stanford or Harvard) fill most of their class from initial admits, leaving fewer spots for waitlist students.

2. Waitlist Size

A small waitlist with even a handful of admits gives you better odds than a massive one. For example:

Source: Forbes

3. Institutional Priorities

Most top colleges don’t rank their waitlist. Instead, they re-evaluate candidates based on what the class still needs: diversity, intended majors, geographic representation, and other institutional goals.

4. Show Growth: Academically and Personally

Use this time to level up. Got new grades, projects, leadership roles, or awards? Send them in. But don’t just send files—contextualize your updates in a follow-up email or LOCI so the admissions committee sees your momentum.

5. Get a Fresh Letter of Recommendation

If you’ve got a mentor or teacher who can write something compelling and new, do it. Make sure this person speaks to your recent growth, work ethic, and readiness to thrive in a rigorous environment like, say, Princeton or Yale.

6. Keep Plan B Moving

Ivy League waitlists are long, yields are unpredictable, and some schools admit only a handful from the list. So while you hustle to stay on their radar, also commit to another great school and get excited about it. That’s your power move. 

The Einstein Way:

And for Ivy League schools, yield protection matters. They want students who genuinely want to be there. So show them that’s you but show it smartly.

Want to craft a game-changing LOCI or strategic update that stands out? Let’s do it the smart way.

Take advantage of your FREE CALL with us now

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