Colleges with a high selective rate place some of their students on the waitlist, especially those who are fit to be admitted into their university. Being waitlisted gives you a 50% chance of either gaining admission or being rejected. Let us discuss, Does the University of Florida have Waitlist?
What Is a Waitlist?
According to the Cambridge English dictionary, a waitlist is a list of people who asked for something, especially a place at a college or a class that is not immediately available but it may be in the future.
In Universities, a waitlist is a term used to describe a situation in which a university or college has not formally accepted a particular student for admission, but may at the same time offer admission if there is available space later. Simply put, a waitlist is an offer of admission that is based on probability, depending on circumstances. If you are placed on a waitlist, it simply means the school is still interested in you.
Why Do Colleges Put Students on Waitlist?
There are so many reasons why a college might put a student on their waitlist. Some of them are:
- Waitlist controls admitted students rate. There is a certain percentage of students that a college can accept at a stretch. The college only admits students that will not exceed the capacity of the classroom and the required applicant for that year.
- Colleges place students on the waitlist to get a ratio of the exact number of students that will accept the admission. Once, the numbers are not up to, they can admit additional students.
- They are placed on the waitlist due to a flaw in their application. Some students are placed on a waitlist because of a flaw in their grades, activities or standardized testing.
- You are a good fit, so the college does not want to lose their chances with you.
What Can you Do If You Are Placed on Waitlist
There are so many options available to a student who is placed on the waitlist, some of those options will be considered.
- Decide:
The first thing, a student placed on the waitlist needs to do is to make a “decision”. Never allow anyone to decide for you. Make a personal decision on whether you are ready to take the risk of being on a waitlist.
- Keep in Touch:
A waitlisted student needs to keep in touch with the college. If the school accepts, you can write a short letter to the university reiterating your desire to go to school there.
- Exercise patient:
If you’ve decided to remain on the waitlist, then be patient. Do not bother the school with unending emails and messages.
Which is better, To Be Waitlisted or To Be Rejected?
To be waitlisted simply means you still have a chance of being admitted, but to be rejected outrightly simply means you no longer have that chance. So yes, it is better to be waitlisted than to be admitted.
According to a survey carried out by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), 20% of those students who choose to remain on the waitlist were later admitted.
Percentage of Waitlisted students who Eventually Got Accepted
So many waitlisted students have high hopes of getting off the waitlist but only a few of them are lucky. According to a survey by the United States World Report, about 91 colleges waitlisted their students. Some of these colleges accepted none of the students were waitlisted. A few colleges accepted all of the students waitlisted and some colleges accepted a few of their waitlisted students.
Universities and the Percentage of Waitlisted Students Accepted
Here is a table of the number of students who were accepted a waitlist by various universities.
| No. | Universities | Percentage of applicants that accepted a spot on the waitlist | Percentage of applicants admitted |
| 1 | Cornell University(2019) | 3,362 | 147 |
| 2 | Massachusetts institutes of technology | 460 | 0 |
| 3 | Amherst College | 1,640 | 1,081 |
| 4 | Northwestern University(2019) | 2,107 | 55 |
| 5 | Stanford University | 850 | 259 |
| 6 | University of California | 14,470 | 1,779 |
| 7 | Dartmouth College | 2,661 | 95 |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 4,922 | 89 |
| 9 | Chapman University(2019) | 856 | 13 |
| 10 | Clark Atlanta University | 218 | 218 |
| 11 | Villanova University | 2,586 | 104 |
Does The University of Florida have a Waitlist?
To be waitlisted in the University of Florida auto enrolls students in class as seats become available. A waitlist offer at the University of Florida does not mean a student is denied admission. It simply means that such a candidate is still being considered for admission.
Percentage of Students Admitted
The University of Florida, due to its competitiveness, receives a large number of applicants yearly. The report shows that only about 20% of the waitlisted are admitted.
Is Being Waitlisted in the University of Florida Bad
No, it is not bad. It simply means that you are good enough but there is not enough space to accept you yet. A waitlist could be an uncomfortable place to be as you only have a 50% chance of being admitted in the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it possible to be offered a scholarship after I am off the waitlist?
Answer: Yes it is. A student can get off a waitlist and be given a Merit scholarship.
