Yale is an iconic American university and member of the prestigious Ivy League — but you already know that if you’ve been offered a place on the waitlist. First off, we’re sorry to hear that you’re in limbo. It’s an unpleasant place to be. You should know, however, that you aren’t alone. You should also know we help students get off waitlists every year. Before we tell you what to do next, let’s start with some stats.
The rate of admissions for Yale is about 4.5%, and it’s dropped basically every year for decades. In 2022, 50,060 applications were submitted for first-year admissions to Yale’s undergraduate college and 2,253 applicants were admitted. Of those 2,253, 800 were admitted Early Action. 68% of admitted students accepted a spot at Yale.
In total, 1,554 students matriculated into the freshman class — of these, only 12% were children of alumni, so legacy isn’t everyone’s way in (which is good news!).
Most students applying to Yale are also applying to other Ivy League and Ivy-caliber schools, and those who are admitted to multiple top-tier schools often compare the offers they receive for scholarships and aid. The 68% yield rate has contributed in the past to Yale regularly pulling students off of the waitlist and offering them admission, which is better than Harvard — who often admit zero — but this doesn’t mean the number should encourage you too much. In the past, Yale has offered a place on the waitlist to over 1,000 students.
If this is overwhelming, send us an email. We help students like you see through the statistics to amplify their opportunities.
You Were Waitlist for a Reason…and it’s not that you’re a bad applicant
Because you were waitlisted for a reason. You are a strong applicant. You are qualified to attend Yale. But that wasn’t enough. Maybe too many students applied to your prospective major this year, or there were too many applicants with similar interest profiles. None of this is your fault. Having a .1 higher GPA likely wouldn’t have made a difference, and applying for a different major would have created other ripple effect problems because you wouldn’t be properly representing yourself as an applicant.
The fastest way to deal with this waitlist situation is to not go on it. You can decline the waitlist offer and instead select a college that accepted you.
If that isn’t the way you want to go, you’ll need to accept your spot on the waitlist and also put a deposit down on a 2nd choice school just in case.
Once you’ve placed that backup deposit, you’ll need to write a Letter of Continued Interest. This will either be submitted via email or through the student application portal (if you’re directed by Yale to do it that way). Pay close attention to their instructions, because the easiest way to mess this up is to not follow directions.
Letter of Continued Interest
Once you sit down to write your letter of continued interest, you need to embrace that this is a process (and one we specialize in). You will not write it in one sitting. It will be drafted, edited, and refined, because there’s a lot you need to fit into less than 500 words.
Five hundred words is not an official limit, but we highly recommend you stick to it. You need to be concise, clear, and only include what’s absolutely necessary. And what’s necessary? Confirmation of interest and any Changes.
The Letter of Continued Interest is where you confirm to Yale that you are interested, so it’s super important that you start your letter off by saying “Yes! I am interested!” in a more eloquent and specific way. After that, you’ll share any significant (key word: significant) changes that have happened in your life since you submitted your application. These should only be positive things, like awards, leadership positions, and the like.
After the changes, you should write a short paragraph reiterating what you hope to contribute to Yale as a student and member of the community. What are you offering them in exchange for admitting you? No, not a bribe. Your time. Where will you put it? What clubs or societies will you join, and how will you improve the experience of your fellow students?
Finally, you need to sign off respectfully.
One Shot
It is super important to edit this letter before submitting because this is your one shot. You absolutely should not email them incessantly. You should not follow up to try to see behind the curtain. The only thing you will achieve by doing either of those things will be ruining your chance of ever being admitted. So don’t do it. Send your Letter of Continued Interest and wait, albeit impatiently.
Getting off of a waitlist is part-science part-magic. There is no secret formula that works 100% of the time, but there are things you can do, like working with a pro, to improve your chances at ending up at your dream school.
If you’ve been waitlisted and are not sure what to do next, send us an email. We guide students towards an outstanding future.