I am sorry. While my information is a year old, as I recall the information available on the college data website, individuals on the VMI waitlist are unlikely to gain admission. It isn't impossible, but it is unlikely. Our son was waitlisted and ultimately withdrew his application. His best friend was waitlisted and did gain admission to VMI in the end. As I recall our son's letter it ended with the phrase "you should make other plans", which was, while blunt, important guidance to receive. You may wish to consider writing to the Director of Admissions explaining why you feel you are a good candidate for admission from the waitlist. Because I knew our son's friend well from six years in Boy Scouts I took it upon myself to write a letter on his behalf (without his knowledge, or that of his father, a VMI alum) explaining in detail why I believed his friend was a good candidate for VMI. I couldn't begin to tell you if that is why he was admitted from the waitlist, but he was. Now, that admission didn't come until summer, too late for the summer program that some prospective Rats participate in. If you choose to advocate for yourself on your behalf (and I haven't got a clue if that is a good idea or not) be specific. Using the college data website (collegedata.com, type in "freshman profile virginia military institute to a search engine) or other objective information (such as admissions.vmi.edu and look for profile of the class) and compare and contrast yourself to other candidates. Explain why you think you are a good candidate for very small handful of waitlisted slots. Hyperbole, and entreats along the line of "but I really really wanna...." are unlikely to be successful. In successfully defending the British soldiers accused in the Boston Massacre their lawyer John Adams (later President Adams) used the phrase that "Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of the facts and the evidence" (or words to that effect). I usually truncate that to "Facts trump Advocacy (well, most of the time anyway). So, explain, using facts, why you should be admitted and explicitly and honestly address the issues you know about that caused the Institute to place you on a waitlist (grades, standardized test scores, attendance problems, you've likely got a good idea why). Similarly, if someone writes on your behalf, they should explain in detail why you are a good candidate. Lastly, you too should make other plans. Please know that there are many paths to the top of the mountain; it might entail doing well at a community college for a year and reapply to the Institute, it might entail enlistment and then college, it might entail going to a military junior college (New Mexico Military Institute, Valley Forge, there are others, not endorsing or advocating for one over another), it might entail applying to the other Senior Military Colleges next year after a year of work and/or study at another college or community college, it might entail ROTC at a different institution, etc. As Pop told me many years ago it's hard to know when it is happening if it is a good break or a bad break until years later. Our son ended up A&M in the Corps there and he is happy and doing well. His friend is doing well at VMI and has now finished the Ratline. I promise, it'll work out. I wish you Godspeed and all the best wherever the future takes you.