This can be a stressul time for students and parents waiting for acceptance letters to arrive. When the long-awaited letter from their college of choice finally does come, students and parents are heartbroken to find that the student has been put on the waiting list.

It doesn't have to end here. What families need to remember is that being waitlisted is better than being denied. What it does mean is that the student met the college's requirements. However, the college accepted the maximum number of applicants already. Your student will not be accepted until enough of those applicants reject the college's offer. What makes the waiting more difficult is that the colleges don't normally begin accepting the students on the waiting list until after the May 1 deadline (the same deadline by which the other schools on your student's list need to hear of your student's decision).

Your family might feel in limbo while on the waiting list. But it's important during this time to take control of the situation.

There are certain actions that the student can take while waitlisted and The College Navigator can help families navigate the waiting, taking control of the situation and maximizing the chance of being accepted.