The Fine Print

"Dear Gretchen (ctrl c, ctrl v)

Thank you for applying to [college]. 

After careful review of your application (after skimming your test scores and seeing none), we are unable to offer you admission for Fall 2026 at this time, however, we invite you to opt into our waitlist (your application wasn't good enough, but it wasn't the worst, so you're thrown into the middle category). 

[College] receives more applications from highly qualified applicants than we can accommodate, but your application demonstrated great promise (you didn't provide numbers for us to crunch, so we don't actually know what was in your application) and, if space becomes available, we may be able to offer you admission from the waitlist (we don't want you to attend, but to soften the blow, we'll glance at your application again and let you know much too late and after you've committed to another school). 

Please be aware that opting in to the waitlist does not guarantee you will receive an offer of admission (this is your rejection letter).

For those who opt in, we will release our final decision through your Applicant Portal by the end of summer (if you're really desperate, we'll throw you a bone right when you're settled on another decision. Have fun panicking). Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Applicant Portal for more information (please don't ask questions, as you are not an admitted student).

Thank you again for your application and interest in [college] (we have already forgotten who you are. Good day)."