FAQs

Returning Scholars were provided sign-up access two weeks in advance of first-time attendees, with several email and text messages reminders to sign-up. Similarly, Legacy Scholars (first-time attendees who have a sibling that has attended DECATS Houston before) were provided one week of early access to sign-up ahead of other first-time attendees, with several email reminders. We may, at our discretion, give priority to a waitlisted returning or legacy Scholar for the next available space, regardless of waitlist position.

When this rare circumstance occurs, we may, at our discretion, give priority to a waitlisted sibling for the next available space, regardless of waitlist position.

You can track your place in line in your myStatus Portal. We will contact you via email immediately if and when a space is available for you, and your portal will show you have been admitted. You will have 72 hours to submit your sign-up deposit to claim the space. After then, the space will be made available to the next person on the waitlist, and to be considered again, you will need to contact us to be re-added to the end of the list. Due to limited time and resources, as well as the self-service nature of the portal, [...]

We typically see the most movement on the waitlist at the end of March and the end of April, when important deadlines pass and those who are enrolled who have not completed necessary steps are withdrawn. Our ability to move on the waitlist is different each year, and what happened in previous years is not good indication of what may happen this year. Therefore, we cannot speculate, as we do not want this to be misinterpreted as a promise or guarantee that circumstances from previous years will happen again this year. The meaning of waitlist numbers also changes over time. [...]

This depends on the circumstances for spaces becoming available, described above. Circumstances change each year, and as the program nears, it becomes less likely that those in the program will have reason to withdraw.

If you definitely want to participate at DECATS Houston this summer, our recommendation is to sign-up at a campus that has guaranteed spaces available versus subscribing to the waitlist.