Princeton is a member of the Ivy League and one of the most selective schools in the United States with an acceptance rate under 6%. If you applied to Princeton and were notified that you are being offered a space on the waitlist, you should know that this is not a ‘soft rejection.’ They aren’t waitlisting you because they don’t want to reject you. The Princeton Admissions Office isn’t mean, but they also aren’t trying to protect your feelings or soften the blow. To put it simply, it isn’t personal. It’s an offer to be on the waitlist, and now the ball is in your court. The question is: what will you do with it?
The Waitlist Numbers
Everyone who is applying to college or has recently applied to college knows that acceptance rates across top-tier colleges have plummeted over the past decade. This isn’t because the class sizes are getting smaller. The size of the annual freshman class is actually about the same, but the number of students applying to super-prestigious schools has skyrocketed.
Waitlists haven’t shrunk to match the dropping acceptance rates. Ivy League and Ivy-caliber schools tend to pack their waitlists with far more students than they would ever be able to accept, so acceptances off of the waitlist are typically minimal.
However, Princeton has a record of relatively high acceptances off of the waitlist compared to similar schools. Data shows that Princeton waitlists an average of about 1,100 undergraduate applicants each year, and about 800 students accept that spot and agree to play the waiting game. It was recently reported that as many of 16% of these 800ish are eventually accepted in recent history. But that isn’t always the case. In 2017, they accepted 101 students off of the waitlist. In 2018, they accepted 0.
These numbers shouldn’t get you down, or necessarily jazz you up. You’ve been waitlisted because they like you…but not enough to say no to someone else. The Princeton waitlist is unranked, so there isn’t a number next to your name. You can’t be at the top of the list or the bottom, or the middle, for that matter. You’re just there, in the pool, waiting if a spot opens up that you’re perfect for. Now you need to be ready for it.
Next Steps
How will you be ready, you ask? Well, you need to write a letter of continued interest that you will either submit via email to the appropriate admissions representative or upload to the student portal (if they explicitly request that you do so in your invitation to the waitlist). And lucky for you, we’re experts at this part.
The ball is in your court. Princeton has said “eh,” and you need to step up and tell them you’re still in this.
Say You’re Still in This
Seriously. Start the letter by confirming that Princeton is your first choice, and that you want to be there. Be succinct and say it simply.
Update Them
This is not a new college essay. It’s an email, and it’s an important update. Clearly state any awards, leadership roles, or other recognitions you’ve received since you submitted your application. This should be 1-2 paragraphs, or 4-8 sentences.
Reiterate What You Offer
After you’ve updated them, you need to reiterate why you’re a strong fit for Princeton and what you are going to bring to their community. How will you contribute, and how will the Princeton community be made better by your being there?
Then, respectfully sign off. Re-read. Edit. Adjust. Edit again. And then send. If this is overwhelming, send us an email. We help students like you see through the statistics to amplify their opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Dealing with being waitlisted can be frustrating and overwhelming. You thought you were done with this whole application thing, and now you have more work to do — and that’s a bummer. But if you really want to go to Princeton you need to see this to the end.
As you continue to pursue a spot at Princeton, you also need to hedge your bets. After accepting your place on the waitlist, submit a deposit to your second-choice school just in case, cross your fingers, and keep working hard.
If you’ve been waitlisted and are not sure what to do next, send us an email. We help students write admission-moving letters all the time.