BOSTON -- As more and more high school students apply to colleges, waitlists are longer than ever before.

"I got my first waitlist Friday, then Monday (I) got three more," student Patrick Malone said.

NewsCenter 5's Bianca de la Garza reported that Malone was waitlisted at his top four colleges. Student Lucy Bergin was waitlisted at two of her top three picks.

VIDEO: College Waitlists Getting Longer

"It's kind of depressing," she said.

The Westford Academy seniors are living in limbo.

"They are terrified," guidance counselor Mark Lucey said.

He said that he's seeing a jump of students on waitlists.

Cambridge-based college counselor Anna Ivey said waitlists are stressful and that current demographics are making them grow.

"There's a level of desperation out there," she said.

There are more students applying to college than ever before -- 3.2 million 18-year-olds across the country. At Yale, for example, they had twice the number of applications they did 10 years ago.

Ivey said that students should call the school's admissions office monthly, and if possible, visit in person.

"I can't tell you how many people get the magical call a week after they visited," Ivey said.