Undergraduate
Frequently Asked Questions about the Waiting List
What number am I on the waiting list?
At this point, there are no students “on the list.” While we have offered the opportunity to remain on the waiting list to less than 300 students, we speculate that about 120 of them will choose to return the enclosed card in order to be placed “on the list.” Even then, we will not rank students until we have determined if we can admit some students from the waiting list. At that time we will re-evaluate each applicant, including any additional information we have received (i.e. additional grades, letters) to determine which students will be offered admission.
I have been admitted to some schools and am required to place a deposit to hold my space for the fall, but I want to attend Saint Michael’s. What should I do?
Most colleges, like Saint Michael’s, subscribe to the “Candidates’ Common Reply Date” of May 1st. We strongly encourage you to deposit at your second choice school so you are sure to have an option for the fall. This is not uncommon and, in fact, most colleges, including Saint Michael’s, understand that a certain number of students who have deposited will withdraw before enrolling. If we are able to admit you from the waiting list, you will receive a grant of $250 for each of the first two semesters you are enrolled at SMC in addition to any financial aid for which you may be eligible, provided the total amount does not exceed your need as determined by the FAFSA. If you are admitted to Saint Michael’s, you will be required to pay a $500 enrollment deposit here.
When will I know if I will be admitted from the waiting list?
After our May 1st deposit deadline we will determine if we are able to make offers of admission to waiting list students and we will contact those who we can admit as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we must wait until the May 1st deposit deadline to know how many admitted students will accept our offers of admission. We are also very concerned that we not open at an enrollment higher than the number we have determined to be optimum for our facilities and course offerings. Some years we have even determined that we would make some offers prior to the May 1st deadline, although that is unpredictable. In most years we have finalized all of our waiting list decisions by the middle of June.
How will you decide who is admitted from the waiting list?
This question is often asked and is, of course, not easily answered. We will review our enrollment numbers and take into account such things as the balance of males and females so we can utilize our housing most appropriately. We also carefully consider each student’s most current academic performance and how seriously he or she has approached the recent months of their senior year. We encourage you to send your most recent grade report if you have not already done so. We also welcome any additional information about recent accomplishments outside of the classroom.
How many students will be admitted from the waiting list?
We wish we knew the answer to that question ourselves! Each year we are really unable to answer that question until we know how many deposits we have from the admitted students compared to the size of class we hope to enroll. Last year we admitted only a handful of students from the waiting list, but the previous year we admitted 31% of the students who chose to stay on the waiting list. The year before we were not able to admit any students from the waiting list but the previous year it was a larger number. So, as you can see, the trend is very difficult to predict.
Will I be considered for financial aid?
We will consider each student who is offered a space in our class for financial aid, although we cannot say for certain how much institutional aid will be available to students at the end of the process. Federal and state aid programs for which applicants are eligible should be available, as will student and parent loans.
Will I be eligible for campus housing?
All Saint Michael’s students are required to live on campus unless they reside with their families or they have received permission to live off campus. Students offered admission from the waiting list are guaranteed student housing and every effort will be made to place them in first-year residences.
What should I do next?
First, return the enclosed card indicating you wish to be on the waiting list. Certainly you should also make sure that we have your most recent high school grades and testing scores. If you believe that there are accomplishments or qualities that we may be unaware of, by all means, let us know about them. If you have not yet had an interview with an admission staff member, you may want to schedule one if it does not present an undue hardship for you to.
