Wait Lists (private schools, voucher, renewal)

[HTX2017]

Hello, we also applied to St. Catherine's recently and have been placed on the wait list. My question is, if there is so little room, why don't they disclose this beforehand? We paid $300 in app fees which are non-refundable... Sigh!

[War Beagle]

Probably because they want as many $300 checks as they can get. That's my guess anyway.

[fnh]

I think if you ask, schools will share their historical acceptance rates for the previous years as well as wait list movement. They will even break it down by grade. I know that at our private school they cannot know how many spots will be available until contract renewal in early February, while admissions applications are due a few months earlier in Oct/Nov.

[kasb713]

Most schools will let you know if there is a good chance that an applicant may not be accepted in to a grade due to availability. Unfortunately, sometimes issues outside of the control of the Admissions Office do occur. It may be that a school is used to more attrition, and this year they experienced a higher level of re-enrollment than they had before, it could also be that they received more applications than they have had before and were not expecting to Wait List as many people as they had to.


Many private schools are facing an increase in applications and have moved from the "Wait List" to the "Wait Pool." Wait List usually carries with it the idea that there is a ranked list of students -if that is the case, you may be able to find out what the chances are that your child will be accepted. Wait Pools on the other hand, are based on the idea that when a spot becomes available a school will choose a student based upon a student's "fit" for the available spot. -Some schools may not have as many "athletes" or "Honors-Level" students after enrollment takes place and may want to fill an available spot with a student that matches that profile.


Best wishes -I hope there is good news for you and your family.

[AOLiga]

What grades did you apply to? My children attend St. Catherine's. When we first applied we were also wait-listed, but received our admission offer towards the end of July (if I remember correctly). A family relocated and my oldest was able to take the open slot. Their should be some movement in April after the common reply date.

[houston-nomad]

Originally Posted by HTX2017

Hello, we also applied to St. Catherine's recently and have been placed on the wait list. My question is, if there is so little room, why don't they disclose this beforehand? We paid $300 in app fees which are non-refundable... Sigh!

Did you ask?

[Lbjen]

I wonder if more people are applying to private schools this year in the hope that there will be a voucher to pay for it by fall.