Waitlisted Candidates

The "Waiting List" provides us with one more opportunity to consider the candidacies of highly accomplished applicants who were not admitted. Fewer than 10 percent of applicants are offered a space on the Waiting List, and usually about half of those offered a space decide to remain on the Waiting List.

From year to year, we cannot predict the number of students who will be admitted from the Waiting List. Use of the Waiting list is determined by the response we receive from admitted students. Occasionally we are unable to admit any students from the Waiting List, while in other years we offer admission to many students on the Waiting List.

If you have been placed on the Waiting List:

You can remove your name or confirm your interest in remaining on the Waiting List by logging into Dartmouth's Online Applicant Services website and updating your status.
You may provide an update to your application by following our general guidelines for additional applicant updates. An update from a waitlisted student usually offers a short summary of recent accomplishments or activities and sometimes includes updated grades.
You do not need to submit additional recommendations to add to your application.

Admission of students on the first-year Waiting List typically does not occur until the middle of May at the earliest, and is concluded by the end of June. The timing and use of the transfer Waiting List varies from year to year, although we try to conclude transfer Waiting List activity early in the summer.

Questions & Answers

How many people are on the Waiting List?

We expect that between 800 and 1,000 applicants will remain on the active Regular Decision Waiting List and that approximately 30 applicants will remain on the Transfer Waiting List.

If I am on the Waiting List, should I submit additional information?

You are welcome to submit a short update to be considered with your application. For example, in past years many applicants on the waiting list have submitted their spring term grades and/or a written update about their academic and extra-curricular pursuits. Application updates may be submitted by following our general guidelines for additional applicant updates. If you have been placed on the Waiting List, you do not need to submit additional recommendations. If you feel that it is important to include a new recommendation from someone close you who will add a new perspective your candidacy, we recommend that you limit the number of new recommendations to one.

If I am on the Waiting List, should I visit campus to meet with an Admissions Officer?

No. We do not expect or encourage students who have been placed on the Waiting List to visit campus. Waitlisted candidates who do visit campus will likely find that members of the Admissions Committee are unable to meet individually with them.

How long until I hear anything?

It may take two weeks or longer from the reply deadline to determine if any places are available. If there are places available, we will review the candidacies of those applicants who have replied affirmatively to our offer of a place on the Waiting List. We will try to conclude all waiting list activity by the end of June.

How do I remove my name from the Waiting List?

If you wish to remove your candidacy from further consideration, go to Check Status at any time and remove your name from the Waiting List.