Navigating the college search and application process can be expensive. While being offered a spot on the waitlist at a college is not the ideal outcome, and the process can seem daunting, it is a common occurrence. So it is understandable that many people wonder if there is a fee associated with being waitlisted. In this article we will answer the question, “Does it cost money to be put on a college’s admissions waitlist?” Plus, we will address what other expenses you may incur related to your waitlist status.
Do Colleges Charge a Fee to Be Waitlisted for Admission?
If you are wondering whether you have to pay to be waitlisted for admission at a college, the answer is no. You typically will not be asked to pay a fee to be added to the waitlist for admission. You simply need to indicate that you accept the college’s offer to be placed on the waitlist, which might be as simple as checking a box or clicking a button, on an online admissions portal.
However, it’s important to note that if you are accepted to a college off of the waitlist, there may be additional fees associated with accepting the offer of admission, just as there would be if you were admitted without being waitlisted, most of which are typically nonrefundable. These fees could include enrollment deposits, housing deposits, or other miscellaneous fees.
Understanding the Waitlist Process
The waitlist is a list of qualified applicants who have not been accepted into the college or university due to space limitations. Then when some of those accepted students decide not to attend, the school will look to the waitlist to find students to fill their open spots. For students who have been waitlisted, understanding what it means to be waitlisted and how the waitlist process works are key for anyone hoping to gain admission to a college or university.
Knowing how the process works at a college helps you understand what to expect and know what things you can do to be proactive to improve your chances of getting off the waitlist.
Costs Associated With Being on a Waitlist
While there is no direct cost associated with being on a college admissions waitlist, there are some indirect costs that should be taken into consideration.
Since the is no guarantee that you will be admitted at a college where you are on the waitlist you need to accept admission to one of the schools where you have already been accepted, as that will help ensure that you are able to begin your studies in the upcoming semester. That said, when you accept an offer of admission at your second choice school you will have to pay for enrollment deposits, housing deposits, and possibly other miscellaneous fees most of which are non-refundable. While this isn’t a huge financial burden, it is still a cost that you should consider factoring into your budget.
If you find yourself on the waitlist at a college you will do more than just sit around and wait. You will need to follow the instructions given to you by the college and do things that might strengthen your application. Things you can do to bolster your application may include retaking entrance exams, taking AP tests, and submitting the results of these exams and tests, as well as any additional materials to strengthen your application to the college. Most of these things will cost you money.
Another cost associated with being on a college admissions waitlist is the potential loss of financial aid. Many colleges and universities offer the vast majority of their merit aid to students who are accepted during the regular decision cycle. So colleges simply don’t have the same ability to award merit aid to students being admitted off the waiting list. Plus, colleges don’t feel as much incentive to give more financial aid or merit aid to waitlisted students. All of this means that students coming off the waitlist can lose their negotiating power and might need to be willing to accept less aid than what they received from their second-choice school that admitted them earlier without putting them on a waitlist.
Final Thoughts
Even though being waitlisted doesn’t cost you anything, you may incur other associated expenses. However, these expenses are often worth the added cost of potentially gaining admission to your dream school. In order to ensure the waitlist experience is as smooth and stress-free as possible, it is important to familiarize yourself with the waitlist process at the college you are applying to so that you may plan and budget accordingly.
