College Waitlist Tracker: May 2026 (Updated)
See which college waitlists have moved in May 2026, which are frozen, and your real odds at each school. Updated with verified community data and CDS figures.
By Jorbi TeamLast updated: May 13, 2026. This tracker is refreshed as new verified reports come in. Bookmark it and check back.
The Common App processed 9.4 million submissions this cycle, a 5% jump over last year, and the average applicant sent materials to 6.59 schools. When that many students hedge across that many schools simultaneously, colleges can't confidently predict who will actually enroll. The result: waitlist pools that have grown 25% since 2018, and a May 2026 that feels more chaotic than any waitlist season in recent memory. If you're watching your portal refresh every few hours right now, this tracker is for you.
I've pulled together every verified movement report I can find, cross-referenced across the College Confidential 2026 Waitlist Thread, Reddit's r/ApplyingToCollege, and DC Urban Moms. I've also layered in Common Data Set figures so you can see when schools are moving and what your realistic odds actually are.
Which Schools Have Confirmed Waitlist Movement in May 2026
This is the section you came here for. The table below covers movement from May 1 onward, the highest-activity window of the year. May 1 is the National Candidates' Reply Date, and once deposits land, admissions offices finally know what gaps they need to fill.
A note on sourcing: dates marked "CC thread confirmed" or "Reddit confirmed" reflect community-reported data from the College Confidential verified movement thread and student posts on Reddit, not official institutional announcements. Community-reported entries are sourced from that thread; verify directly with your admissions office before making any decisions based on them.
DateSchoolSourceHistorical Waitlist Admit Rate5/1UCLACC thread (community-reported)0–16%; most recent CDS: 13.16%5/1UVACC thread, college counselor confirmed2–16%; most recent: 6.2%5/1Williams CollegeCC thread, college counselor confirmedApproximately 2.94% (CDS Class of 2029)5/4UIUCCC thread (community-reported)0.9–3%; most recent CDS: 2.97%5/4UC IrvineCC thread + DC Urban Moms confirmed48–86%; most recent CDS: 84.3%5/5UC BerkeleyCC thread confirmed0–25%; most recent CDS: 0.33%5/5UC Santa CruzCC thread (community-reported)33–88%; most recent CDS: 33%5/5CaltechDC Urban Moms confirmed (two or more family reports)Historically 0%; any movement is significant5/6University of WashingtonCC thread (community-reported)Most recent CDS: 72.4%5/6Smith CollegeCC thread (community-reported)Not widely published5/6Michigan (spring admit)CC thread confirmed0.5–5.2% historically5/6Notre DameDC Urban Moms confirmed (multiple families)Most recent CDS: 3.66%5/7NYUReddit r/ApplyingToCollege confirmedEst. 4–12% (NYU has not published CDS data since Class of 2017)5/7VanderbiltReddit post + CC thread confirmedEst. 2–10%; Vanderbilt voluntarily reports approximately 12% of each class comes from waitlist5/7WashU EconomicsCC thread (program-specific, community-reported)2–11% overall; 7.3% most recent CDS5/8Michigan (fall admit)CC thread confirmedSame as above5/9GeorgetownCC thread + DC Urban Moms confirmedApproximately 5.77% most recent CDS; 5-year avg approximately 4.8%
Pre-May movement was also unusually heavy this cycle. The CC thread moderator noted that at least 53 schools had pulled from waitlists before May 1, which is remarkable. That wave included Duke (4/30), Barnard (4/30), Boston University (4/23), Wake Forest (4/20), Ohio State (4/20), UC Davis (4/20), and the University of Chicago (4/15), among many others.
Schools With No Confirmed Movement Yet (as of May 13, 2026)
Frozen does not mean finished. Some of the schools below are historically most active in late May and June.
SchoolStatusExpected WindowHistorical RateBrownNo confirmed movementMid-May onward (officially)3–9%; approximately 50–150 admittedColumbiaNo confirmed movementLate May – mid-June6–17%; most consistently active Ivy waitlistCornellNo confirmed movementMid-May – late June0.4–4%; most recent CDS: 0.4% (24 admitted from approximately 5,800 acceptors)HarvardNo confirmed movementEarly May – late July3–9%; 50–150 admitted in active yearsYaleNo confirmed movementMay – June (or never)0–5%; admitted zero for Class of 2027StanfordNo confirmed movementBy July 1 (official timeline)0–8%; near-zero in most years due to high yieldMITNo confirmed movementMid-May per official calendar0–6%; CDS 2024-25 shows only 9 admitted from 509 acceptors (1.8%)PrincetonNo confirmed movementPost–May 1 yield tally0–15%; CDS 2024-25: 2.9% (40 admitted from 1,396 acceptors)Johns HopkinsNo confirmed movementAfter May 11–10%; most recent CDS: 1.86%
Brown is worth watching closely right now. The active Reddit thread on Brown's waitlist confirmed that Brown explicitly said no movement before May 15, so students checking daily before that date were getting ahead of themselves. If you're waiting on Brown, your window opens this week.
Cornell is the other one I'd flag. A parent on the DC Urban Moms thread posted on May 5 that her kid was "still waiting on Cornell CAS and Berkeley." Berkeley has since moved. Cornell has not. Given that Cornell admitted only 24 students from a pool of approximately 5,800 who accepted waitlist spots in the most recently reported cycle, the odds there are sobering regardless of timing.
Historical Odds at a Glance: What the Data Actually Says
The single most useful thing I can tell you is that waitlist odds vary wildly by school, far more than people realize. AcademicJobs.com's 2026 analysis puts the average waitlist admit rate across ranked national universities at around 7%. That average is nearly meaningless on its own, because it mixes schools like UC Irvine (84% admit rate from waitlist) with Yale (0% in multiple recent cycles).
The more useful frame comes from Principia Education's CDS compilation across 50+ schools: the denominator that matters is students admitted divided by students who *accepted* a spot on the waitlist, not the raw number offered. At Cornell, that means 24 admissions from approximately 5,800 acceptors. At Tufts, it means 15% from a pool of roughly 1,324. At UCSB, it has hit 82% in recent cycles.
A few school-specific insights worth knowing:
UC Berkeley. The volatility here is unlike any other school. In 2023, Berkeley admitted 1,191 students off its waitlist (a 24.7% rate). In 2025, the most recently reported CDS cycle, that number collapsed to 0.33%. Berkeley moved on May 5 this cycle, which matters: after a near-zero prior year, any movement is significant. Watch this one closely.
Vanderbilt. One of the most genuinely active elite waitlists in the country. JRA Educational Consulting notes that Vanderbilt has voluntarily disclosed that an average of 12% of each enrolled class comes from its waitlist. That figure comes directly from a voluntary admissions office disclosure. Vanderbilt confirmed movement on May 7. If you're on Vandy's list, your odds are meaningfully better than at most comparably ranked schools.
NYU. The school does not publish CDS waitlist data, which makes this harder to track. Ivy Coach's analysis and other admissions consultants estimate the admit rate at 4–12% depending on the school (CAS, Stern, Tisch, and Tandon all have different dynamics). NYU confirmed movement on May 7.
One critical rule on NYU: the school explicitly prohibits anything beyond the portal Waitlist Response Form. No emails to your regional rep, no extra recommendations, no counselor calls. The only channel is the form.
What Most Waitlisted Students Get Wrong
The financial aid piece is the one that blindsides families the most. JRA Educational Consulting's 2026 guide makes it bluntly clear: many colleges that are officially "need-blind" during regular admissions quietly become need-aware when pulling from the waitlist, because their financial aid budgets are nearly depleted by May. NYU's own materials acknowledge that waitlist admits are "highly unlikely" to receive substantial institutional grant money.
That matters in a concrete way. If you're admitted off a waitlist at a school that offered limited aid in the first place, the package you actually receive could be meaningfully worse than what you'd have gotten as a regular admit. Know this before you decide whether to stay on a list.
The other thing students underestimate is the response window. When waitlist offers come, schools typically give 24 to 72 hours to accept. Some are compressing to 24 hours in 2026. That means you need to have already thought through your answer before the email arrives, including whether you've already put down a deposit somewhere else, what happens to that deposit, and whether housing at the new school is even available.
Your letter of continued interest (LOCI) protocol also depends entirely on the school. Some schools invite them. NYU bans supplemental materials outright. Michigan uses a portal update form rather than email. Duke explicitly encourages periodic check-ins every three to four weeks. Command Education's 2026 guide includes an anecdote about a Harvard waitlist admit whose LOCI was explicitly credited by the admissions office. The LOCI matters at schools that accept them. Know your school's rules before you send anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do college waitlists typically move?
The busiest window runs from May 1 through mid-June. May 1 is the National Candidates' Reply Date, and once deposits clear, admissions offices can see their enrollment gaps and start pulling from waitlists. The second wave runs through June 30. After July 1, movement slows sharply, and after August 1, most waitlists are effectively closed. Elite schools like Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell have historically moved as late as July or early August, but those cases are rare.
What are the real odds of getting off a college waitlist in 2026?
It depends almost entirely on which school. The national average across ranked universities is roughly 7%, per AcademicJobs.com's 2026 analysis, but that number is nearly useless on its own. UC Irvine's waitlist admit rate sits above 84% in recent CDS cycles. Yale's is 0% in multiple recent years. MIT admitted 9 students from a pool of 509 who accepted waitlist spots in the most recently reported cycle. The College Kickstart historical database is the best single resource for school-specific historical benchmarks.
Should I stay on the waitlist or commit somewhere else?
Both. Accepting your waitlist spot at a school you genuinely prefer costs you nothing, as long as you also commit to your current best option by May 1 (which you should have already done). The risk is the deposit you forfeit if you're later admitted off the waitlist. For schools with strong financial aid packages on the table elsewhere, factor in that waitlist admits often receive less aid than regular admits.
What should I send as a letter of continued interest?
Keep it to one focused page. Update the school on meaningful new achievements since your application (an award, a project, a significant shift in your thinking) and reconfirm that you will enroll if admitted. Don't repeat your application. Don't send extra recommendations unless specifically invited. And check the school's rules first: NYU bans all supplemental materials outside its portal form, while Duke actively encourages periodic check-ins.
If a school hasn't moved its waitlist by late May, is it over?
Not necessarily. Brown, Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell all have histories of moving in June or later. Yale is the exception, having admitted zero students in multiple recent cycles. The safest approach is to check each school's historical pattern individually rather than applying a blanket cutoff date.
What to Do Next
Check your status on the CC thread today. The College Confidential 2026 verified movement thread is updated continuously. Search for your school's name within the thread to see if anyone has reported movement in the last 48 hours.
Send your LOCI this week if your school accepts them. If you haven't already sent one and your target school has confirmed movement, now is the time. One page, new information only, clear statement of intent to enroll. Don't contact schools that prohibit supplemental materials. NYU explicitly bans all supplemental contact outside its portal form.
Log into your applicant portals once a day. Waitlist decisions frequently appear in portals before you receive an email. If your school moved in the last week (Georgetown, NYU, Vanderbilt, Michigan, UCLA, UC Berkeley), check your portal directly rather than waiting for a notification.
Have your answer ready before the offer arrives. If you genuinely want to attend a school you're waitlisted at, figure out now whether you'd actually go if admitted. Housing, financial aid, and a 24-hour response window mean you won't have time to deliberate once the email lands.
For Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, and Yale: stay patient through June. Brown's window officially opens this week. Columbia typically peaks in late May. The waiting is the hardest part, but pulling off the waitlist before the window even opens is not how this works.